Environmentally Friendly Painting Tools Eco Union

Eco Union are a completely new brand who are dedicated to developing environmentally friendly painting tools. They have a few products in their range that are worth talking about. I’m going to go through each of them, explain a bit about them and give my honest opinion as a decorator. I hope you find it useful. You can buy any of these products online from Tikkurila.

If you’re an eco-friendly individual (which I assume you are if you’re reading this), you can click here for more tips and tricks on environmentally friendly decorating.

 Eco Union OXO Biodegradable Dust Sheet Review

This isn’t the type of dustsheet you’d lay on the floor and stand on, more a substitute plastic sheeting to protect things like furniture or kitchen worktops. As a decorator I’d normally resort to using single use plastic for this type of task. I buy it by the roll and go through loads of it every week. At the end of a big job there are often binbags full of the stuff, all going to landfill where it stays for 10,000 years or so. This practice is very detrimental to the environment, however I’m not the only decorator who uses plastic sheeting.

I didn’t realise it was possible to have a biodegradable version!! This is a game changer for me. It does the same job as a roll of plastic and it’s roughly the same price. I would like to think every decorator will be using biodegradable dust sheets in the coming years. This is a big win for Eco Union and the environment. This is a product I will be using a lot of moving forward.

Eco Union Paint Trays Review

I prefer using paint skuttles over trays, however I will base my review on how the Eco Union paint tray compares to other trays. This is another product which is biodegradable, eliminating even more single use plastic. I don’t know how to describe the material it’s made out of, sort of a hardened cardboard with a coating on it maybe?

Anyway, the Eco Union paint tray is tough enough to be used over and over again. It has a party trick too, you do not need to wash this product out. Simply wipe excess paint back into the tin, then allow your tray to dry. The dry paint will adhere to your tray and never flake. When you come to use it again, just pour your new paint onto the dried paint from the previous use. Again, this cuts down on wate. It means consumers are not washing paint outside, or in the sink. There is no need to use a skuttle liner either. This product is very clever and something I hope every decorator will use in the future.

If anything, the Eco Union paint tray is better than traditional plastic trays.

Eco Union Extra Thick Paintbrush Review

You can use this brush for any paint type. It is made up of a bamboo handle, a recycled metal ferrule and a natural bristle blend. It is a little bit top heavy, so your hand may ache if you use it all day. It does however, hold an enormous amount of paint and it is very easy to control. I’ve got to say, I really do like this brush and use mine often. It’s worth noting the brushes are handmade in Britain. You do experience a little bit of bristle loss, but nothing worth worrying about.

Eco Union do another paintbrush which isn’t quite as thick. Again, they advertise it as being suitable for “all paint types”, however it is very thin and soft so all-round use may be out of the question. It is great for painting in-between sockets or pipes. It comes into its own when laying off water-based trim paints.

Eco Union Roller Frame and Sleeve Review

These are products that I don’t get on with. The frame seems to be well made at first, but the arm and handle soon become slightly loose, meaning there is a bit of movement within the tool.

The sleeve, which is made from recycled plastic, distributes paint well once worked in. However, it leaves little air bubbles on your finished wall or ceiling which isn’t ideal.

Brand summary