Frequently Asked Questions

I have written up this blog to answer a few of the most frequently asked questions we get about our paints

• Is your paint natural?

Our paint is not clay or lime paint and therefore not natural. However, we do add natural minerals to our paints as part of the process, making our paint more natural than regular brands.

• Is recycled paint zero VOC?

Our paint is not zero VOC, however, to maintain low VOC we only manufacture using low (and even lower minimal) grades. We do not add any solvents in our processing and the addition of minerals further lowers the VOC.

• What makes recycled paint eco friendly?

Our paint is made from recycled content. Over 50 million litres of paint is unused each year, often ending up in landfill or incinerated, we are helping to prevent such huge quantities from going to waste. Our paint is sustainable and therefore eco friendly.

• Your paint is recycled, is it “seconds” quality?

No, our paint is meticulously tested in our laboratory and is returned to its original quality before being sold. The shelf life and wall life of our paints are as good as the main brands.

• Your paint is recycled, why is it not cheaper than virgin paint?

Our recycling process is very labour intensive and all done manually by the staff here at Newlife Paints, there is very little which is done by automated machinery, therefore unfortunately the price of the paint has to take this into account.

• Do you recycle gloss paint?

Unfortunately not at the moment, we are hoping to branch into this in the future.

• Can you paint your emulsion on wood?

Our paint can be paint onto wood and I know a few furniture upcyclers who use it as their standard, however it would not be quite as hard wearing as a wood paint.

• Can I bring all my half empty tins to you?

All of our waste stock comes from Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs), we are not able to take waste directly from members of the public. Unfortunately due to the huge quantity of waste paint and the small size of our company, we are not able to collect from all areas. If your local HWRC does not accept paint, then it could be donated to Community RePaint, who uses the paint for charities.

General queries:

• Is it safe to paint when pregnant?

All of our paints are low VOC and therefore should not affect your baby. However, the best advice is to get someone else to do the painting, and to ventilate the room well while painting.

• Can you paint a baby’s room?

All our paints are low VOC and waterbased, therefore as long as the room is well ventilated then it is perfectly safe for baby’s room.