1. Tell us a bit about your founding story - how did the idea for COAT Paints originate?
We officially launched COAT in September 2020 having built it behind the scenes from the summer. We left our full time jobs in June 2020.
We didn’t plan to do it in a pandemic but hey, don’t think the rest of the world had a plan for that either.
We’ve both walked the path of buying our first and second homes and living through that decorating, DIY experience. And we hated it. Endless aisles of DIY stores; so many choices it was overwhelming; and impossible to get everything done in an effortless one-stop way. Nothing we saw either from a brand or experience perspective really resonated. To say nothing of sustainability creds. It all just felt way off-key for how conscious consumers buy these days.
So having been friends for over a decade, and career-long expertise in paint (Rob G) and Sales and Marketing (Rob A) - we decided to change the game.
2. You’re the first and only climate positive paint company. Well done on such an achievement! Can you tell us about your journey in getting there?
We put sustainability at the core of our business from day 1. The paint industry is a major contributor to waste and it has to change. There was no way we were going to launch with anything other than carbon neutrality, and now we’re proud to be the first climate positive paint company.
We’re accountable for our actions, and fully transparent with our credentials. When you get to know us and our business it’s baked in, and genuine.
Being truly sustainable or eco-friendly means making the right choices across the whole business - not just key product points (which we stand up proudly for). Being the only Climate Positive paint company in the UK, means we’ve analysed our entire business and our supply chain to measure and offset our unavoidable Carbon emissions. Not only that but we’ve decided to double-offset that Carbon figure by contributing financially to forest preservation projects, meaning we actually give back more to the planet than we (and our supply chain) takes.
We also think cleverly about waste reduction, by operating a unique Zero-Waste manufacturing system. This means we don’t mix any paint until a customer orders it. Most paint companies and retailers waste millions of litres a year in un-sold colours, which often go straight to landfill. Similarly we don’t make tester pots, but instead offer our Peel & Stick swatches which are uniquely solvent and adhesive free, use real COAT paint, and are entirely recyclable. They’re also 95% less wasteful than a traditional paint tester pot - using just 8ml of paint to make.
COAT has shown even more commitment to sustainability through committing to B-Corp Certification(pending) and signing The Climate Pledge, which means making robust commitments to achieving the Paris Agreement targets 10 years early.
3. What are you favourite paint colours currently?
Dark Greens and Warm Neutrals are perennially popular for us. Dark rich greens like Ditch The Tie, or Dark blue-greens like The Drink have been firm favourites this past year. On the neutral side, richer Taupe shades like Sunday Soul ,and subtly nuanced warm off-whites like Pampas are ever popular too.
The new challenger for 2022 - we’re pitching Factor Fifty , our new bare plaster pink for the win.
4. What trends are you predicting for 2022?
For sure, Greens are staying for the win. Alongside the trusty (and not at all boring) Greiges. Bringing the outside in and making homes restful and relaxing are definitely trends we keep hearing from customers, long after lockdowns.
Our new Greens like Yard Party and The Trail are honest, earthy greens that add to our cult favourites and really speak to those nature vibes; alongside some of our new Taupe entrants like Margot and Cold Brew.
.jpeg)
Let's not be mistaken though, 2022 is definitely showing signs of being the year of the bolds too, with Maximalist and 70’s nostalgia top of all the interiors’ inspo boards. Our new shades such as House Points ,a rich saffron yellow, and The Establishment, a classic inky blue, are bold new takes on well-established retro colours.
Ultimately though, whilst we can speak to trends and make sure we’re giving our community an informed opinion, we really want people to just feel like they can be themselves. If there’s a trend they want to jump on, then great, we’ve got the answers; but equally there are a lot of timeless colours in our palette that will stand the test of time while never going out of fashion.
.jpg)
5. Some pictures of your favourite COAT rooms?
.jpeg)
%20(2).jpg)
.jpg)
6. What advise would you give someone who isn’t sure how to pick the right paint colour for their space?
There are two killer questions someone should ask themselves. First, what direction is the room facing – where does the light come from? Colour can look completely different in varying light conditions. North-facing rooms have a cooler, more intense light and South-facing rooms are naturally brighter and warmer. Once you understand this, you can choose colours with the right undertones for the space. (It’s also why we think Peel & Stick swatches are a no brainer, because you can move them around).
And the second question is simply, how do you want to feel? And this really draws you into some psychology around colour. But ultimately, colour can make you feel calm, relaxed, energized etc. So there is lots of science and recommendations around this, but you can also just ‘do you’.
7. What’s next on the cards for COAT?
We want to get the COAT brand out there and keep growing our community. Our paint is incredible, and our eco-creds are light years ahead of others - so we really want more people to experience the COAT way of painting. We’ll launch new colours, new products(maybe floor paint, or wood stains) and continue our history of exciting collaborations too.
Browse our favourite COAT colours
