(BPT) – Sustainability isn’t just a trend. According to a 2021 study of more than 10,000 people in 17 countries, 85% said they had changed their shopping habits to be more sustainable. Also, 34% of respondents said they were willing to pay more for sustainable products and services. The rising demand for sustainable products has shifted the focus of many industries, including the interior design sector.
You may not associate sustainability with design, but these concepts aren’t mutually exclusive. In fact, many sustainable home design products are artful and unique because of how they’re created and used.
If you’re looking to refresh your home’s style while minimizing your impact on the planet, check out these four eco-friendly ways to spruce up your interior design.
1. Go antiquing
One of the easiest ways to be sustainable is not buying new products. Antique furniture and decor give your interior design an elevated look without creating new waste. By buying antiques, you can find unique pieces with history and save them from the landfill. Also, many antique items have a longer lifecycle than modern design pieces, so you can enjoy them for years to come.
2. Use reclaimed products
Reclaimed goods are used or leftover materials or products that can be repurposed for the same or different use. For example, reclaimed wood that once made up an old barn or crate can be used as the base of home decorations, shelving and tables. Using reclaimed materials and products can give your home a rustic charm while using existing items, keeping materials out of the landfill and reducing the demand for new products and the waste created when they’re made.
3. Buy recycled products
While reclaimed and recycled may sound interchangeable, reclaimed goods aren’t altered from their original state. Recycled products are items made from used materials that have been processed or molded into a new item for a new purpose. For example, many manufacturers are creating products using recycled plastic.
The Abstra Collection™ by Kohler WasteLAB® is a bespoke tile collection that demonstrates the intersection of art and ecological science. This is also an example of Kohler’s commitment to achieving net zero waste to landfill by 2035. Kohler WasteLAB, one of several success stories to come out of Kohler’s startup Innovation for Good, and its team of designers, ceramicists and engineers, rely on factory waste as the primary medium for the Abstra designs. These sustainable tiles are made from more than 99.5% landfill-bound materials including recycled wastewater sludge and glaze overspray from the company’s Wisconsin pottery factory. This innovative process leverages a way to convert materials that were once headed to a landfill to instead produce a tile of remarkable beauty and depth.
‘Abstra has a fluidity that is continuous, yet ever-changing in its contrasting surface details,’ said Dana Morales, Senior Designer – Kohler Co. ‘There are the raised and relief patterns, multiple geometric shapes, a soft, matte color palette based in nature, and subtle surface undulation that create complexity and depth. Through these new WasteLAB designs, we provide the tools to create an imaginative canvas and explore new ways to express yourself.’
Depending on the glaze selected, the tiles can be used in showers and other wet areas. They’re also resistant to freeze/thaw conditions, so also an exceptional choice for many outdoor installations.
4. Choose sustainable materials
When purchasing new products, make a difference and choose ones made from sustainable materials. Bamboo has become a popular material for furniture and decorations because it is a renewable material that doesn’t require much water, pesticides or labor to create compared to traditional wood products. Other sustainable materials include jute, a natural plant fiber used for woven rugs and other home textiles and cork, which is made by harmlessly harvesting tree bark.
Your individual choices as a consumer matter and can make a positive impact on the environment. One way is to invest in the earth’s future by seeking out earth-friendly, recyclable-based designs for your home.
The Abstra Collection by Kohler WasteLAB is available at ANN SACKS Tile & Stone Showrooms nationwide. Please visit www.annsacks.com for further information on the collection or to find your nearest showroom location.