Clare

What Clare does

Clare (legal entity: Clare Paint LLC) is a direct-to-consumer premium interior paint brand founded in 2017 and headquartered in New York, United States. The company sells an ultra-premium, water-based acrylic interior paint formulation certified zero-VOC and GREENGUARD Gold, organized as a curated 88-SKU palette across 12 color families. The core product line is interior wall paint ($77/gallon) and trim paint ($77/gallon), extended with Interior/Exterior Primer ($49/gallon), Ceiling Paint, themed peel-and-stick Swatch Kits, a physical Color Fan Deck, and professional-grade supply kits priced $32–$43. Underlying proprietary features include the Zero VOC formulation, GREENGUARD Gold certification (testing for 360+ VOCs annually), self-priming application technology, and sustainable manufacturing using recycled shipping materials and water treatment at the factory.

Clare operates an exclusively DTC e-commerce model on its owned storefront (clare.com), distributing within the United States only. Its go-to-market combines product-led growth—an online shopping experience with the Clare Color Genius quiz and mess-free peel-and-stick swatches—with community-led growth through the Clare Collective, a five-person brand ambassador network of interior designers and content creators. A Design Trade program targets professional interior designers as a secondary channel, and the company supports a $10 referral incentive program. Customer segments are DIY homeowners (primary), interior designers and stylists, and health-conscious consumers drawn by zero-VOC and GREENGUARD Gold positioning.

The company has raised approximately $12.25 million across four disclosed funding rounds from 2017 through February 2022, with investors including First Round Capital, Pendulum Holdings, Imaginary Ventures, Secocha Ventures, Able Partners, Brooklyn Bridge Ventures, and Bullish. No revenue, ARR, or employee count disclosures are available; the firmographic employee range of 501–1,000 appears anomalous for the funding scale and likely overstates true headcount. Clare Paint LLC is privately held with no disclosed parent organization or known institutional majority owner.

Name

Clare

Legal name

Clare Paint LLC

Website

https://clare.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Clare is a US-based, direct-to-consumer premium paint brand selling zero-VOC, GREENGUARD Gold certified interior paint and supplies online to DIY homeowners, interior designers, and health-conscious consumers via its curated 88-color palette.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Paint Sales: Core revenue from selling premium interior paint in gallon and quart sizes, with separate wall paint (eggshell finish) and trim paint (semi-gloss finish) options. Paint prices at $77/gallon with swatches at $3 each.
2. Paint Supplies & Tools: Revenue from complementary painting supplies including roller kits, brushes, tape, drop cloths, and accessories. Kits range from $32-$43 with individual items from $3-$27.
3. Primer Sales: Interior/Exterior Primer sold at $49/gallon, covering 225-275 sq ft per gallon.
4. Newsletter & SMS Marketing: Email and SMS subscription for 10% off first order plus ongoing inspiration and tips. Subscription-based customer acquisition with consent-based marketing.
5. Referral Program: $10 referral incentive for existing customers who refer friends, driving customer acquisition through word-of-mouth.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

Clare sells premium zero VOC, GREENGUARD Gold certified interior wall paint in 88 designer-curated colors across 12 color families, in gallon and quart sizes, with eggshell (walls) and semi-gloss (trim) finishes. The company also sells peel-and-stick sample swatches and themed swatch kits, zero VOC interior/exterior primer, zero VOC ceiling paint, a color fan deck, professional painting kits, and individual painting tools and accessories. Products are sold directly to consumers online at clare.com and shipped nationwide in the United States.

Product overview

Clare is a direct-to-consumer premium paint company offering a curated portfolio of zero VOC interior paints and painting supplies. The core product is Interior Paint (88 designer-curated colors), sold alongside complementary supplies including Primer, Ceiling Paint, and professional-grade tools organized into value-priced kits (7-Piece and 5-Piece Paint Kits). Color selection is organized by family (White, Red, Greige, Beige, Green, Gray, Blue, Pink, Purple, Black, Yellow), with themed Swatch Kits enabling easy sampling. The ecosystem includes Clare Color Genius (interactive quiz for personalized recommendations), Clare Collective (brand ambassador community), and Digital Gift Cards. Paint is delivered directly to consumers with free shipping on orders over $200.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Interior Paint Premium zero VOC, GREENGUARD Gold certified 100% acrylic water-based interior wall paint sold in 88 designer-curated colors across 12 color families (white, red, greige, beige, green, gray, blue, yellow, brown, pink, purple, black). Available in gallon ($77) and quart sizes with eggshell finish for walls and semi-gloss finish for trim. Self-priming with one-coat superior coverage, durable washable finish that resists dirt, grime, and mildew, and LEED compliant.
• Interior/Exterior Primer Fast-drying, multi-surface zero VOC primer that applies easily to conceal imperfections and block stains while providing a long-lasting bond. GREENGUARD Gold Certified, low odor, suitable for drywall, wood, stonework, and hard-to-stick surfaces. Covers 225-275 sq ft per gallon at $49.
• Ceiling Paint Premium zero VOC ceiling paint that applies easily with minimal splatter and high-hiding power to conceal surface flaws.
• Paint Supplies and Kits Professional-grade painting tools and accessories including the 7-Piece Paint Kit ($43, saves over 15%), 5-Piece Paint Kit ($32), roller covers from $6, extension poles ($27), roller frames ($11), metal trays ($7), painter's washi tape ($8), plastic tray liners ($3), drop cloths ($4), 2" angle paint brushes, and Paint Roller Duo ($17). Kits bundle roller frame, cover, tray, tape, drop cloth, and brush.
• Peel-and-Stick Paint Swatches and Themed Swatch Kits Mess-free peel-and-stick paint swatches at $3 each that adhere directly to walls to test colors in actual lighting without traditional sample-pot mess. Available individually and as themed kits including Whites & Lights, No-Fail Neutrals, Dream Greens, Go-To Grays, Kids' Room, Bathroom Colors, Living Room Colors, Bedroom Colors, Best of the Blues, and Sunset Shades. Free shipping on orders of 5+ swatches.
• Clare Color Fan Deck Physical color fan deck for sampling and selecting from Clare's curated palette of designer colors.
• Digital Gift Card Digital gift cards redeemable on clare.com for premium paint, primer, supplies, and accessories.

Quantifiable outcome

• Fewer pollutants and healthier indoor air quality through GREENGUARD Gold certification testing for 360+ VOCs and hazardous chemicals

Named customers9 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Clare Collective (Brownstone Boys)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerBrownstone Boys is a design duo in NYC with a passion for color and historic homes. They serve as Clare brand ambassadors, creating design content and promoting Clare products through their platforms.
• Clare Collective (Orlando Soria)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerOrlando Soria is a celebrated interior designer, author, and TV host living in L.A. He serves as a Clare brand ambassador, providing design expertise and content creation.
• Clare Collective (Lauren Hom)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerLauren Hom is a creative from the midwest who brings expertise in working with paint. She serves as a Clare brand ambassador creating content and inspiration.
• Clare Collective (Ashley Whiteside)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerAshley Whiteside is a Raleigh-based interior stylist and artist with a penchant for bold hues. She serves as a Clare brand ambassador showcasing bold color applications.
• Clare Collective (Hema Persad)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerHema Persad is a California-based interior designer with a fashion-forward POV. She serves as a Clare brand ambassador providing design inspiration and product promotion.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves2 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Backdrop: Backdrop is a direct-to-consumer premium paint brand offering a curated color palette with low-VOC formulations, sold exclusively online — the closest comparable to Clare in business model, target customer (design-conscious DIY), and product positioning.
• Farrow & Ball: Farrow & Ball is a premium, designer-led decorative paint brand known for a tightly curated, signature color palette and high unit pricing — directly comparable to Clare in premium positioning and design-led brand identity, though more established globally.

Broad incumbents

• Benjamin Moore: Benjamin Moore is one of the largest North American paint manufacturers and retailers, offering thousands of SKUs across premium and contractor tiers; a broad incumbent whose Natura and Aura lines overlap with Clare's zero-VOC, premium positioning.
• Sherwin-Williams: Sherwin-Williams is the largest US paint company, with national retail stores, contractor channels, and premium sub-lines (Emerald, HGTV Home); a broad incumbent that defines the category scale Clare is competing against.
• Behr: Behr is a leading mass-market paint brand sold through Home Depot with a broad portfolio including low-VOC offerings; a broad incumbent whose Premium Plus line competes on price-performance against Clare's premium DIY proposition.
• Glidden: Glidden is a mass-market paint brand sold through Home Depot and Walmart at value price points; a broad incumbent that defines the low-end of the category against which Clare's premium positioning contrasts.

Emerging players

• ECOS Paints: ECOS Paints is a smaller specialty paint manufacturer focused on zero-VOC, non-toxic formulations; an emerging player with overlapping health-and-sustainability positioning but a more technical/specifier customer base than Clare.
• Annie Sloan: Annie Sloan is a designer-led decorative paint brand built around chalk paint and a tightly curated palette, with strong DIY/upcycling community and education-led content — an emerging peer in the design-led, curated-color category.
• Romabio: Romabio specializes in mineral and lime-based paints with a designer-friendly aesthetic and DTC distribution — an emerging player in the natural/decorative paint space with overlapping design-conscious DIY customers.

Others

• Havenly: Havenly is an online interior design service that connects consumers with designers for room makeovers, often specifying paint and furnishings; an adjacent ecosystem participant that shares Clare's design-led, DIY-friendly customer but does not sell paint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/clarepaint
• Facebookfacebook.com/clarepaint
• Instagraminstagram.com/clarepaint
• Pinterestpinterest.com/clare_paint
• TikToktiktok.com/@clarepaint
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/clareinc

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds4 records

Investors7 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Clare