Green & Gorgeous: 23 Eco-Friendly Vendors You Should Know About
/Interior designers wield a unique power to shape a healthier planet through their design choices. From sustainable materials to energy-efficient solutions, every decision in the design process can contribute to a greener, more sustainable future. So, I’ve been on the hunt for vendors that supply products that are non-toxic, ethically and sustainably sourced, and overall better for the earth and its inhabitants–while still being stunning! Here are my findings.
Furniture
The era of fast furniture is on its way out. Offer your clientele high-quality pieces that distinguish themselves through superior, non-toxic, and ethically derived materials. Make choices that resonate with our collective well-being and are engineered for lasting durability.
Maiden Home, a woman-founded brand, offers an array of sustainable and ethically sound furniture, which, in addition, boasts an incredibly stylish and timeless aesthetic.
West Elm uses a glossary of symbols to indicate the fair trade, handcrafted, and sustainably sourced attributes of their products, helping you make informed sourcing decisions.
Medley specializes in crafting exquisite sofas, beds, and other furnishings using domestically sourced hardwoods from forests certified by the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) and solid bamboo, placing ethical craftsmanship at the forefront.
The Citizenry showcases a delicious assortment of ethical furniture created from thoughtfully selected quality materials like vegetable-tanned leather, solid wood, and linen, alongside decorative pieces.
You may know Etsy for things like monogrammed gifts, but more and more sellers who reclaim and upcycle furniture are diversifying their unique offerings, and it’s a great way to support small businesses.
Textiles
Look for textiles created using environmentally conscious methods, including the use of sustainably sourced materials like organic cotton, hemp, or recycled fibers, and gentle dyes.
MadeTrade offers a whole host of “ethical, sustainable, and beautiful” furniture, decor, and textile items, including bedding and rugs.
Armadillo introduces minimalist, elegantly designed rugs crafted from sustainable materials such as wool and jute, proudly holding the distinction of being a Certified B Corporation™️.
Minna, another certified B Corp, collaborates with artisans from Central and South America to create exquisite home goods utilizing traditional techniques and vintage, as well as natural textiles.
Lorena Canals presents a stunning collection of non-toxic, machine-washable area rugs handcrafted by artisans in northern India who exclusively use recycled and natural fibers and non-harmful dyes.
Lighting
The notion of sustainable lighting implies the use of energy-efficient LED light bulbs, materials derived from local and natural sources, or repurposed and recycled materials.
Schoolhouse specializes in crafting enduring, energy-efficient products for various areas within homes, spanning fans, clocks, and lighting fixtures.
Stickbulb offers lighting systems which are crafted from sustainable materials locally sourced from the greater southern New York region, resulting in a sleek, minimalistic collection of fixtures.
Sin has a fascinating terracotta and stoneware collection, while klaylife has clay beaded lighting created by a community of women in Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa.
Flooring
More environmentally conscious flooring options may involve sustainable materials such as wood, stone, recycled glass, natural linoleum, or even cork. Traditional flooring can introduce VOCs (volatile organic compounds) into the air, including known and suspected carcinogens like formaldehyde and benzene.
Interface provides a range of flooring solutions encompassing luxury vinyl tiles and carpet tiles, all of which carry a series of certifications endorsing their eco-friendliness.
Aged Woods collaborates with designers to achieve visually striking reclaimed wood flooring.
True to its name, Sustainable Flooring offers diverse sustainable flooring alternatives, from cork to bamboo.
Paint
Eco-friendly paints exhibit minimal or zero presence of toxins and VOCs, promoting both human health and environmental well-being.
Benjamin Moore has their Eco Spec line with zero VOCs and zero emissions.
Sherwin Williams has a couple of Zero VOC Interior Latex options within their ProMar line.
ECOS Paints delivers non-toxic, Zero VOC paints for a wide variety of applications, including an Air Purifying Paint.
Portola Paints offers both Low and Zero VOC paints, depending on the finish.
Wall Finishes
Opt for wall finishes without harmful chemicals, and that leave a minimal environmental footprint throughout their lifecycle.
Burke Decor carries a large number of eco-friendly wallpapers under their own name, as well as from several other manufacturers.
Tile Club has numerous recycled glass tile options to choose from.
Naturewall is an FSC® accredited business offering wallcovering solutions such as reclaimed wood planks and panels, among others.
Many of the above-listed vendors also carry eco-friendly items in other categories, so I would encourage you to look around each website. I hope I’ve helped to prove that it’s possible to choose environmentally kinder options without sacrificing style. It’s a win for all of us!
xx, Danae