Sustainable materials for your interior - By Native

Sustainable materials for your interior

05/05/2022

Synthetic fibres like polyester, nylon and spandex are made from petroleum and account for more than a third of the microplastics in our oceans. As the materials are washed, particles make their way from our wastewater via the rivers into the sea. Even our sewage treatment plants cannot stop all of this pollution.
But there are alternatives to the chemical substances that pollute our oceans. You can find natural materials and fabrics in a wide variety of designs for home textiles, decoration and furniture.
Read our article to find out which sustainable materials are available for your interior, what criteria they have to fulfil and how you can recognise them. We also tell you what Eco Design & Urban Living is all about and how you can support ethical working conditions and environmental protection.
 

What are the characteristics of sustainable materials?

It is not only with food, cosmetics or clothing that the choice of ingredients and materials is crucial for our ecological footprint. In our own four walls, too, it is not only important where our furnishings and decorations come from, but also what they are made of. 
Materials of natural origin can usually be produced in a more environmentally conscious way than man-made materials and therefore represent particularly sustainable materials. However, this only applies under certain conditions. They must be processed in the most energy-saving way possible and be obtained from renewable raw materials. A fair production chain is also crucial for them. In addition: the people responsible for extracting the materials and for their further processing must be able to work and live under fair conditions.

 

Sustainable linen bedding 

  

Certifications for safe purchasing

But how can you be sure that your home textiles, decorations and furniture are made from sustainable materials? We have compiled a list of certifications and seals that you can use as a guide. On the one hand, you can use them to recognise fair remuneration in production and a safe working environment, and on the other hand, a production that attaches importance to the responsible use of our environment's resources:

 

FSC and PEFC seal

They can be found on products that are characterised by sustainable forestry and responsible timber production.

 

The Blue Angel

The German government's eco-label stands for "high standards for the protection of our environment and health - independent and credible".

 

ÖkoControl

The seal of the Association of Ecological Furniture Stores checks, among other things, furniture, mattresses and home textiles made of natural materials for toxic pollutants that could harm our health or the environment.

 

GOTS certification 

It distinguishes organic textiles and demands environmentally friendly production and processing, fair labour conditions, a ban on hazardous additives such as heavy metals, and the use of fibres from organic farming.

 

Fairtrade Cotton 
The fair trade cotton label supports predominantly smaller, agricultural businesses through fair prices. A minimum price remains guaranteed to the farms, even if world market prices fall below it. As soon as world market prices rise, the new market price is paid. With these certifications, you can convince yourself of the environmentally friendly design of your furnishings when shopping. 
 

Which materials are sustainable?

Not only seals and certifications can help you choose. The type of material also plays a role, because some materials are more environmentally friendly than others.

 

Sustainable wood for your furniture

In addition to the FSC and PEFC seal, the type of wood can be decisive for sustainable furniture. The use of tropical woods such as mahogany or teak has long led to the deforestation of rainforests. Often, the wood is traded illegally, and its cultivation is entangled with human rights abuses. Sustainable alternatives include maple, cherry, oak or walnut from certified cultivation. Read more about this and why bamboo is a popular material for furniture in our article "What does sustainability mean for your home".

 

Sustainable fabrics for your home textiles

Colorful By Native Stonewashed Linen Pillow

Home textiles like linen pillows offer many opportunities to focus on sustainability

 

It is not only important to choose environmentally conscious and socially just materials for furniture. When it comes to blankets, cushions and other home textiles, you'll find a wide range of fabrics that not only add style to your home, but that you can also enjoy with a clear conscience:

  • Organic cotton: It is shown to be more environmentally friendly and sustainable than conventional cotton in more than one area. Less water is needed to grow it, no chemical pesticides are used and it is not genetically modified and therefore fertile, unlike conventional cotton. This means that farmers do not have to keep buying expensive seeds, but can sow seeds from their harvest.

  • Linen: This textile is derived from the flax plant and has been an important part of our fabrics for thousands of years. The plant thrives in a wide variety of locations and is not demanding. Linen is particularly suitable for home textiles due to its breathable, tear-resistant and dirt-repellent character.

  • Hemp: Fibres for textiles are obtained from the stalk of the plant, which are hard-wearing like linen. The fabric is also suitable for sensitive skin due to its antibacterial properties. Hemp is extremely uncomplicated to grow, as it requires hardly any water and no additives such as fertilisers, herbicides or pesticides.

  • Bamboo viscose: This fabric is now also popular because it absorbs moisture excellently, is breathable and temperature balancing. Bamboo viscose is similar to silk in its properties, as it not only feels supple, but also impresses with its shiny appearance.

In addition to these purely plant-based fabrics, fabrics of animal origin are also found in the home textiles industry. With them, it is particularly important to pay attention to the sustainable origin. 

For soft and fine cashmere wool, for example, there is The Good Cashmere Standard® seal. Its requirements are biodiversity in agriculture, which protects the environment, fair wages for the farmers and animal welfare. 

A similar certification is offered by Responsible Wool Standard (RWS), which ensures animal welfare in the extraction of sheep's wool. 

 

Ambience with style and quality with sustainable materials such as virgin wool, palm fiber and llama wool (Photo Credit: Lena Schreiber)

 

Living Consciously with Eco Design & Urban Living

Sustainable materials, fair labour conditions and an awareness of the environment - these ideals are also behind the concept of Eco Design & Urban Living. It brings fairly produced furniture and designs for sustainable materials into your home and shows us that environmental awareness and social responsibility create an ambience with style and quality. 

Sustainable design furniture and decor ensure fair wages, a working environment free of harmful substances and consideration of cultural know-how. In this way, traditional craftsmanship combined with modern design finds its way into our living room. 

The use of natural materials and sustainable manufacturing processes also ensures that we treat nature fairly and prevent harmful chemicals and microplastic particles from synthetic fibres from entering our waste water and further polluting the oceans. This is how you reduce your ecological footprint and bring sustainable style with a conscience into your living space with the design of your furniture.