The interior design market is one of the bigger contributors to not only polluting and exploiting the environment but also humans. From sweatshops to unethically made furnishings, the interior design market is in the need of serious reform.
Most of the décor and furniture items are fast made by machines and are not environment friendly at all. A lot of these items end up in landfills because of their inability to be recycled or upcycled.
It has, therefore, become extremely important to become a part of the sustainable movement and employ Environmentally Sustainable Interior Design (ESID). If you are a part of the movement and looking for ethically sourced and sustainable furnishings and décor, but having a tough time finding them, read on to our tips and tricks!
Buy fair or thrift
One of the easiest ways to ensure that you are being sustainable and environmentally friendly in your interior design is by getting your choice of products through businesses that are known to sell fair or, better yet, thrift them! Buying fair is a good choice for those who want to ensure that their furniture is sustainably made with recyclable materials.
However, this can often be costly and is not suited if you don’t want to spend a lot. If you would like to save up on money, but still be sustainable, you can thrift! Often, you might end up finding your dream sofa or dream antique mirror that just needs a little love and upcycling to be completely new again.
Thrifting is also a great way to ensure that those products don’t end up in landfills. And one of the biggest benefits? You will be helping a charity out in the process! You can also thrift at estate sales, where you can end up finding good pieces that are barely damaged. Thrifting also gives you the choice of being creative and DIY-ing pieces back to life. A mix of buying fair and thrifting will ensure that all the things in your house are sustainable and eco-friendly for the most part.
Sustainably sourced materials
When it comes to creating furniture for home interior designs, a lot of waste and energy is generated by the industries as most of them are factory-made. What’s worse is that most of these pieces are unethically sourced- employing the use of unpaid or unfairly paid labour in the industries, stolen designs from third world country designers and a lack of recyclable materials that make them fast furniture.
Fast furniture, much like fast fashion, causes a lot of wastage and damage to the environment. Most of the material that is used for furniture making is unethically sourced from third world countries, which are often exploited to give up these materials (mostly wood). Often, they are not paid enough for the materials and all the people involved in the obtaining of the material are also taken advantage of.
In another scenario, this material is obtained by harming the environment- major deforestation and deliberate destruction of forests are the sources.
Sustainably sourced material refers to ethically obtained material that does not damage the environment or causes very low damage, even after its discarded. You can opt for reclaimed wood to get your furniture made, as that ensures that no new trees are being cut for the furnishings.
Recycled metal and bio-glass are other options that ensure that your designs remain sustainable. Incorporating natural fibres like jute over synthetic fibres also ensures a sustainable choice.
Employ ethical businesses
One of the easiest ways to be sustainable in your home interior designs is by employing ethical businesses to design and build your home. This includes everything- from TV wall mounting to getting your CCTVs.
Ethical businesses can be defined as businesses that source their material ethically, partake in proper care for their employees and ensure that their practice is sustainable. You can click here to be directed to an ethical business that can help with everything from tv wall mounting to installing security.
By employing ethical businesses, you ensure that the workers are paid and taken care of, and the company employs ethical practices for them. Ethical businesses, apart from looking out for employee safety, also ensure that their materials are responsibly sourced. Their products are, therefore, longer-lasting as the focus is more on quality rather than quantity.
Eco-friendly Paint
Colour is the most important part of home interior designs. It’s the paint colour that brings the whole look together. However, they contain a bunch of toxins and materials that are not only unsustainable but also bad for you. Normal paint contains VOCs, which stands for ‘Volatile Organic Chemicals’ and it’s been observed that they have several short- and long-term effects on the health of individuals. Eco-friendly paints have very low to 0 amounts of VOCs, making them way less toxic and harmful. Moreover, it’s made with ethically sourced materials such as clay, proteins etc.