Lick has built its whole identity around being a cleaner, more modern brand, and on the eco front it largely delivers. Their water-based emulsions are effectively zero-VOC (or very close), free from the nasty solvents that give old-school paints that headache-inducing pong. They're vegan-certified — no animal-derived ingredients or testing — and the packaging is recyclable. For a brand you can buy online and have through the door in a couple of days, that's a genuinely good environmental footprint.
It's worth being clear about what eco-friendly means here, though. Lick is a low-VOC, water-based acrylic emulsion — it's not a mineral or clay paint. If you want the *greenest* end of the spectrum, that's Earthborn (Claypaint, no acrylic, breathable, EU Ecolabel) or Edward Bulmer, whose paints are plant- and mineral-based with full ingredient transparency. Those are the proper purist options. Lick sits a notch below that but well above the bog-standard trade emulsions.
For everyday rooms where you want a clean, modern, low-odour finish, Lick does the job nicely. The whites are a good place to start — Lick White 01 (LRV 88, a crisp bright white), Lick White 02 and Lick White 07 give you a range from pure and cool through to a touch softer, all in that contemporary flat matt Lick is known for.
The one caveat: Lick's matt emulsion isn't the most scrubbable finish going, so for kitchens, hallways and kids' rooms you'll want their more durable range or a wipeable option. Eco credentials are great, but don't pick a finish that won't survive the traffic.
If low-VOC and a clean conscience are the priority but you also want bombproof durability, Earthborn for the breathable mineral route or a Little Greene Intelligent Matt for hard-wearing rooms are both worth a look alongside Lick. Order a peel-and-stick sample first — they're brilliant for testing colour against your light before you commit.