EarthBorn Eco Chic Paints by Oliver Heath Full Review
Posted: 25 February 2008 by Mark Harris
Paint may not be the greatest environmental threat facing our planet, but DIY Brits slap 186 million litres of the stuff on their houses each year, most of it based on chemical acrylics, ozone-depleting solvents and/or oil.
Virtually all traditional paints contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that have been linked with the creation of 'summer smog', and human chest complaints and allergies. An EU directive came into force last year limiting the levels of VOCs in paints, with stricter levels still being enforced from 2010.
Until then, you might want to look at the Eco Chic range from earthBorn Paints for your interior decoration needs. EarthBorn's Claypaint is the only paint brand in the UK licensed to carry the strict EU Ecolabel flower symbol, awarded by DEFRA. Eco Chic paints contain no VOCs at all, using a water and clay mixture that's made entirely from natural ingredients.
Clay-based paints are breathable, minimise condensation and make for a more comfortable living environment. They have very little odour, are easy to apply and give a uniformly matte finish -- there still isn't an eco-friendly way of making high-gloss paints without using VOCs.
We tried a selection of Eco Chic sample pots, with a palette chosen by up-and-coming TV designer Oliver Heath. It spans an appropriately subtle range of earth tones, from mild blue (Shallows) through mild yellow (Lacewing) and mild green (Treehouse) to the accurately named Muddy Boots and the ever-so-slightly not mild pink Flip Flop.
The paints applied very smoothly, without any unpleasant odour -- although they still needed a good stir before starting. They took slightly longer to dry than normal paints, but gave a lovely, rich finish that looks really classy. At the time of reviewing there was a limited range of colours (just seven), but thankfully this has recently been bumped up to 19 (including white). However, the price remains high compared to normal paints.
EarthBorn's paints are made in Germany by a leading natural paint manufacturer -- and member of the European Association of Natural Paint Producers (ENAV) -- using European clay. They are free from animal products, acrylics, solvents and oils (except plant oils in some other ranges) and have been certified by the German standards institute TUV as being free from harmful emissions.
EarthBorn itself supports local low-carbon initiatives and donates paint regularly to the Community Repaint project.
Some of earthBorn's claims do smack of scare-mongering: unless your home requires as much decorating as the Forth Bridge, it's probably excessive to worry about traces of potentially carcinogenic chemicals in some traditional paints. But every step we can take to reduce our reliance on petrochemicals, and to eliminate hazardous materials from our homes, is surely a good thing -- especially when the end result looks this good.
If you want more information about what's in traditional paint today (including the facts behind VOC labelling), head to the British Coatings Federation.
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