Earthborn is worth it for the right job. It's a proper eco brand — no acrylics, no oils, very low VOC, and breathable enough to let damp-prone or lime-plastered walls actually dry out. That's its real strength.
If you've got a period property with solid walls, or you're painting a fresh skim of lime plaster, Earthborn Claypaint is hard to beat. Most modern vinyl emulsions trap moisture behind a plasticky film; Claypaint lets the wall breathe, which means fewer issues with flaking and blown plaster down the line. It's also a sensible pick for kids' rooms and nurseries thanks to the low-toxicity, near-zero-odour formula.
The finish has a soft, chalky, ultra-matt look that's lovely on walls — properties like White Clay (a warm off-white) work beautifully as a calm, breathable backdrop. For colour with a bit of personality, Flutterby and Sandy Castle show off Earthborn's earthy, slightly muted palette. The library runs 85 colours, strongest on whites (28) and greens (12), with LRVs from 6.3 up to 99 — so there's plenty of light-reflecting choice if you want a bright, airy room.
Now the honest bit. Claypaint is more demanding to apply than a standard Dulux or Crown emulsion. It's thirsty, dries fast, and you can't overwork it — keep a wet edge and lay it off cleanly or you'll get patchy lap marks. It's also not the most scrubbable finish, so for high-traffic hallways or kitchens you're often better with Earthborn's Eco Pro or a more wipeable supported brand.
My advice: use Earthborn where its breathability genuinely earns its keep — old walls, lime plaster, nurseries. If you just want a tough, easy-rolling matt in a modern plasterboard house, you won't get extra value from it, and Little Greene Intelligent Matt or COAT would serve you just as well. Buy the right tool for the wall, not the brand name.