eco interiors
Our pick of the most stylish sustainable interiors brands and why we love them
Eco-awareness has been weaving its way into all areas of design. So choosing your next paint palette can be climate-friendly, with these companies looking after the planet, as well as your interiors colour scheme.
WHO WE LOVE...
Long before most people had heard the term eco, Cheshire-based Earthborn Paints, founded in 2002, went looking for a true eco alternative to conventional paints. This forward thinking attitude now sees it with a beautiful range of colours, and its refreshingly honest approach is highlighted by the labels on the side of each tin listing every ingredient used. Virtually VOC free and free from acrylics, oils and vinyls, the company was awarded the first UK licence of the EU Ecolabel for Indoor Paints and Varnishes.
WHAT THEY SAY...
‘We’re proud that all paint finishes in both our Classic and Ecopro colour ranges are vegan and none of our products are tested on animals. Plus many of our products carry the Safety of Toys Standard, meaning they are safe to use in children’s rooms, cots and furniture as well as during pregnancy.’ Cathryn Helsby, marketing manager, Earthborn Paints
Bring a new lease of life to your living space with an update underfoot or soft furnishing revamp. There’s now a great range of responsible options out there which are so soft you’d never imagine their tough beginnings.
WHO WE LOVE...
With more than 100 million recycled bottles under its belt and a beautiful range of home textiles to show for it, Weaver Green is more than just a trailblazing company. Starting more than 10 years ago, when sustainability wasn’t such a ‘thing’, founders Tasha and Barney Green were inspired while travelling Asia, by a fishing rope made from plastic bottles. Seven years later they’ve perfected the perfect weave to create soft and practical, welldesigned rugs, throws, cushions and footstools.
WHAT THEY SAY...
‘Because we only use recycled plastic in them, all our products are also fully recyclable at the end of their useful life. Many
“eco” branded products use mixed materials and this makes the products impossible to recycle at the end of their use.’ Tasha and Barney Green, directors at Weaver Green
Allow beauty and integrity to combine as you contribute towards a greener planet by choosing eco-friendly home accessories. Quality, crafted pieces made ethically from renewable materials are now helping us to create a zero-waste home.
WHO WE LOVE...
Investing in high-quality, timeless pieces is itself a sustainable practice. Couple that with Denby’s eco credentials and you’ve got a truly earthrespecting company. Based in Derbyshire, where it began in 1809, the company uses only locally sourced clay, and was the first UK tableware manufacturer to claim zero process waste to landfill. Products are safe to use in the oven, freezer, microwave and dishwasher, making it ideal for daily use.
WHAT THEY SAY...
‘We’ve been committed to working more sustainably for over 200 years, and helping people to make more conscious homeware choices with stylish yet versatile ceramics that can be used throughout the home. Pieces are made to last and can be used for everyday and special occasions, meaning fewer pieces are needed.’ Hayley Baddiley, head of brand at Denby
Sleep with a clear ecoconscience as your boudoir can be both restful sanctuary and planet-loving haven. Sustainable choices will help you to respect and support nature.
WHO WE LOVE...
Hypnos is a 100-year-old British mattress and bed manufacturer with impressive eco credentials. It holds a Royal Warrant, meaning it makes beds for the Queen.
The first carbon neutral bedmaker in the world, it’s FSC and PEFC certified, ensuring timber is sourced from managed forests. It recently received the Queen’s Award for Enterprise for Sustainable Development.
If that wasn’t enough, its new Origins Collection, a partnership with Red Tractor-assured food standards, means that these mattresses contain 100 per cent British wool, traceable right back to Red Tractorassured farms.
WHAT THEY SAY...
‘By only using natural materials such as horse hair, latex, wool and cotton, we are able to create comfort with true integrity across all of our mattresses . We don’t use synthetic chemicalbased foams or memory foam, which can cause off-gassing.’ Richard Naylor, sustainable development director at Hypnos
If you’ve been obsessing over a new piece of furniture, but want a more planet-conscious choice, there are options out there that cleverly combine style with sustainability
WHO WE LOVE...
Committed to being part of the solution rather than the problem, John Lewis & Partners has made huge in-roads into environmental practices, which includes a handy sustainable homewares edit. In addition, it diverts waste from landfill by recycling sofas, mattresses and coat hangers. Its latest Java II sofas and armchairs are foam-free, meaning no toxic polyurethane, which most sofas are treated with, so breaking down the chair and repurposing the materials is far easier.
WHAT THEY SAY...
‘End of life thinking when it comes to homewares is something that is at the forefront of our minds, so developing products which utilise better design, materials and manufacturing processes has now become key. Buying once and buying well will become the watchwords for seasons ahead.’ Philippa Prinsloo, partner & head of product design,
John Lewis & Partners