How to save the planet, one accessory at a time
We’ve all watched the documentaries, read the news and have hopefully started making changes in our own lifestyles that mean that our carbon footprint is edging ever closer to neutral. At Zen Interiors we are certainly trying our best to integrate more eco-conscious choices into our designs, so we are loving the new offerings by some international design brands who are making an amazing difference.
Textiles is one area of design where the use of innovative materials is the biggest trend. British company Weaver Green are turning plastic bottles into cushions, blankets, throws and rugs and since its launch three years ago have been responsible for recycling over 70 million plastic bottles. North American brand Duvaltex introduced a new product to the market at NeoCon last month, its Clean Impact Textiles were created to be the first biodegradable recycled polyester textiles for commercial interiors, cutting the time it takes to biodegrade to just over three and a half years compared to the 100 years polyester takes.
Recyclable, renewable and sustainable have been buzzwords in furniture design for a while. Philippe Starck’s Broom chair launched in 2012 was one of the first designer offerings to be completely recyclable, and since then many other brands have followed suit. Furniture giant Kartell have also joined the planet-saving party with its recent update of its famed Componibili storage unit, first created by Italian designer and Kartell co-founder Anna Castelli Ferrieri in the 1960s. The new and improved model is made with bioplastic, formed from, wait for it…agricultural waste.
Leading the way in turning the discarded into the beautiful is innovative firm Pentatonic who create new materials out of those that would ordinarily end up in a landfill site. Old aluminium cans, plastic bottles, DVDs, even cracked smartphone screens are all given the chance of a new lease of life as something else for your home – its glassware designs are particularly impressive.
Being stylish and environmentally-friendly at the same time has never been easier!