Chic, eco and with Meghan’s approval!
he Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been putting sustainability at the heart of many of the design decisions for their new home in Berkshire.
It is arguably the hottest trend this year. having been a hit in the fashion world and the food industry, sustainability is now big business in home interiors.
Meghan has enlisted the help of interior designer Vicky Charles to work on Frogmore Cottage on the Windsor estate ahead of the birth of her and harry’s first child.
So far, we know they have chosen a nontoxic, vegan paint for the nursery and a £50,000 eco-friendly boiler.
But while the demand for ethically sourced homewares is on the rise, it’s not necessary to spend a fortune to update your home with eco-friendly designs . . .
LOOK FOR LONGEVITY
URBAN Collective is a homeware brand that insists on sustainability, from sourcing to packaging. The brand offers recycled wool throws and bamboo bed linens — all in biodegradable packaging. These 100 per cent eco materials require fewer chemicals, energy and water in their production.
Karl Lindhe, brand director of Urban Collective, says: ‘ It’s not just about organic or recycled materials. Sustainability reaches all the way from production to social responsibility — it is about being long-term in everything you create.
‘The level of quality of our materials makes sure that you can use them for years to come.’ Throws start from £75.99 and bedding from £16.99 for a pillowcase and £83.99 for a duvet cover.
rise & Fall is another ethical bedlinen retailer. Its factory in southern India employs women and pays for them to finish school and university.
The cotton is traceable back to the area it was grown, water is recycled and the factory runs on 100 per cent green energy. Bedding starts from £25 for a pair of pillowcases and a donation of £3 from each set sold also goes to homeless charity Centrepoint.
RECYCLED RUBBISH
A GROWING interest in repurposed materials has seen more and more designers creating style from what is essentially rubbish. and it’s finding its way on to the high Street.
John Lewis stocks Weaver green rugs (£40 to £390, johnlewis.com) that are handwoven and made entirely from recycled plastic bottles. The rugs, which look and feel like wool, are waterproof, mouldresistant, easy-to-clean and hard-wearing — and reversible for an even longer life.
Marks & Spencer has launched the Multi Weave rug (from £19.50, marksandspencer.
com) as part of its pledge to reduce waste. The rugs are woven from cotton leftover from the manufacturing of its other rugs.
The retailer also sells cushion inners and seat pads made from recycled polyester, which is sourced from used plastic bottles.
recycled glassware is another firm favourite in the high Street, in the form of wine glasses, carafes, vases and lanterns available at John Lewis and next.
BREATHING NEW LIFE
WOOD can be easily repurposed. Ben adams, co-founder of online furniture firm rust Collections, sources salvaged wood from reclamation yards. ‘By using recycled wood, you give new purpose to a material that has already had a life and, in doing so, the carbon footprint is kept low,’ he says.
But you don’t have to buy reclaimed wood for it to be sustainable. at oliver Bonas, the Leading Ladies range of furniture is handmade in India from mango wood, which is a byproduct of fruit production.
Jenny Wanstall, ethical trade manager at oliver Bonas, says: ‘Mango trees are grown for their fruit for around 20 years. When the tree reaches its full height, it will stop bearing fruit. In the past, these trees were cut down and used as fuel or left to rot releasing carbon emissions. Farmers are now selling the wood, reducing waste.’
HOW TO ‘UPCYCLE’
The ultimate in sustainable living, ‘upcycling’ means saving something from landfill and using it to create something new.
In Joanna Thornhill’s new book, My Bedroom Is an office (Laurence King), the stylist and author explores upcycling around the home. ‘ Before replacing a piece of furniture that’s no longer to your taste, consider whether that could be rectified,’ she says. ‘Fussy Victorian pieces can be transformed by painting them in a contemporary colour or recovering them in a modern fabric.’
NATURAL PAINT
CHOOSING paint is no longer just about finding the perfect shade. There’s more to it. household paint brands tend to use milk or beeswax as a binding agent, which means it’s not vegan, and many use ingredients that have been tested on animals. The organic & natural Paint Co — the brand harry and Meghan reportedly used — is not only vegan, it’s also odourless, non-toxic, ecofriendly and infused with eucalyptus essential oils, said to enhance memory, boost the immune system and stimulate creativity. Interior designer and architect edward Bulmer has been working with specialist paint manufacturers for ten years to develop non-toxic paint. Many mainstream ones are made from chemicals derived from refined crude oil. Bulmer’s paint is made from raw materials such as plant extracts, chalk, minerals and linseed.