Earthborn Ecopro Matt Emulsion Review

For years there has been a lot of talk in the industry about how we can make decorating more sustainable and more environmentally friendly. For years, professional decorators like myself have been faced with a choice: stick with tried and trusted trade products that we know (but which may not be as eco-friendly as we and our customers would like), or risk trying something new that claims to be more sustainable, but is a bit of an unknown in terms of quality and is often more expensive.

Earthborn have been around since 2002, so they’re not one of those “here today and gone tomorrow” eco companies that spring up with good intentions but disappear quickly because their greener products cost more and/or compromise on quality. Probably best known for their breathable clay paints, Earthborn seem to have the eco/price/quality balance right. They’ve recently relaunched their EcoPro emulsion, which is targeted specifically at professional decorators like me. If this means I can offer my customers an environmentally friendlier solution in a trade-quality paint, without breaking the bank, then I’m keen to give it a go — which I did! Having tried the newly reformulated product, I thought I’d write a quick and honest review and let you know how I got on.

Earthborn EcoPro Matt Emulsion – Key Facts & Figures

• Suitable for interior use only
• Designed to deliver a wipeable, long-lasting flat matt finish in an environmentally friendly formula
• Pack sizes: 100ml, 5L, 10L
• Finish: Flat matt (2.5% sheen)
• Colour: White
• Coverage: approx. 12–13m² per litre, depending on the substrate
• Recoatable: 6–12 hours
• Can be sprayed, or applied by brush and roller
• Water-based – clean tools with water and mild detergent (such as Pretty Boy Brush Cleaner)
• Available from: direct by clicking here, or from a handful of independent suppliers

Earthborn EcoPro Matt Emulsion in Use

Before I even get into what the paint is like, I need to congratulate Earthborn on a superb Technical Data Sheet! It’s clear, well laid out, easy to read, and contains useful information including dilution rates for mist-coating, nozzle sizes and pressure levels for spraying, eco credentials, and a list of ingredients (so you can see it’s not full of harmful chemicals). Data Sheets are normally dull as dishwater — this one was actually interesting!

So, the paint. It’s designed for use on walls and ceilings, including new plaster, previously painted surfaces, or older dry/porous surfaces. It’s “highly vapour permeable” (breathable). However, I’d describe it as “wipeable” rather than “scrubbable” — it has a Class 2 scrub rating, so it’s probably not for walls in high-traffic areas like hallways or kitchens, but great elsewhere. I’ve only used it on ceilings so far, and it gives a lovely modern flat matt finish (2.5% sheen), which is fashionable and great for hiding imperfections — ideal for light-critical ceilings.

It’s nice to work with; it’s quite thick, so I might add 5% water next time to help the flow. It rolls very well, but because of the consistency you just need to be a little careful not to leave brush marks. Adding water should help with that. On the flip side, the thicker consistency reduces drips and paint splatter — swings and roundabouts. Opacity seems good, but I’ve only painted white over white so far. They recommend 6 hours minimum between coats, so you need to plan accordingly — start early if you want two coats done in a day. Overall, I’ve enjoyed using it, and both myself and my customers have loved the results.

Earthborn EcoPro Matt Emulsion – Final Thoughts

This is not a paint that’s compromised on quality to be more eco-friendly — it’s a good trade-quality product. On the negative side, it’s expensive and currently only available in white. It’s perhaps a little bit thick, but adding water is easy. You also need to allow for the long recoat time. On the positive side, it looks and feels premium, the finish is a lovely flat modern matt, and it’s wipeable as well as breathable. It’s also a more sustainable option, using mineral fillers and some recycled ingredients, with an extremely low VOC content. If you (or your customers) are looking for a more eco-friendly white paint for low-traffic areas and ceilings — with a great flat matt finish — this could be the one.

I don’t think you’ll find any (if any) other products that are as environmentally friendly AND perform as well as Earthborn EcoPro Matt Emulsion.

Review Summary