EarthBorn Eco Chic White Emulsion Paint Full Review
Posted: 25 February 2008 by Mark Harris
EarthBorn is the only paint brand in the UK licensed to carry the strict EU Ecolabel flower symbol, awarded by DEFRA. This Eco Chic paint contains no volatile organic compounds (VOCs) at all, using instead a water and clay mixture that's made entirely from natural ingredients.
Clay-based paints are breathable, absorbing humidity and making for a more comfortable living environment. They generally have little odour, are easy to clean and give a uniformly matte finish -- there still isn't an eco-friendly way of making high gloss paints without using VOCs.
This thick paint is the only one we've tested to need a really good stir before starting. And that releases its aroma: a smoky, vegetable oil smell that has a tendency to linger a little too long. With its thick, almost jelly-like consistency, the paint doesn't splatter or run, though you will need to give it a good brushing in to maintain even coverage. The paint doesn't dry especially quickly but brushes clean up very easily.
In our test, earthBorn gave the best coverage on both painted and untreated wood, with a lovely, rich finish. But the white did have an ever-so-slightly blue tinge to it. Unfortunately, earthBorn wasn't that tough, with noticeable fading in our abrasion test and heavy smearing when rubbed with a damp sponge.
All of earthBorn's paints are made in Germany by a leading natural paint manufacturer that uses European clay. They're all 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.
But 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. Other than that, this paint is reasonably priced at £36 for five litres -- and £20 for 2.5 litres -- and in the end, is great looking but better suited to low-traffic areas.
Note: We've revised the score of this paint downwards in light of findings from our recent group test of eco paints.
Quality
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