More people than ever have become interested in sustainable practices like eco-friendly decoration. This is partly because there has been such an increase in consumption over the past few decades. Since 2000, material consumption has risen by more than 65%.
Because of this overconsumption, many people (with the means) are investing in eco-friendly decor options. However, not everyone knows what eco-friendly furnishings even are. And the people who know little about them do not always realize how many benefits they provide. So what are eco-friendly furnishings, and why do they matter so much?
Read on to learn all the most crucial things to understand about eco-friendly decorations and their benefits.
What Are Eco-Friendly Types of Decor?
There are many different kinds of eco-friendly furnishings, but they all share a focus on minimizing the negative impact they have on the environment.
This applies at every stage of the production process. It includes acquiring the raw materials to fabricate furnishings and how they are processed, transported, and marketed.
In short, eco-friendly furnishings try to have a positive impact (or at least a neutral impact) on the environment and our society. They are designed to benefit the person that uses them while not harming the planet or the person working to make them.
Why Eco-Friendly Decoration Options Matter
No one disputes that we have a limited quantity of non-renewable resources. People have different estimates for when we will run out of these resources, but everyone agrees that we will run out eventually.
As consumption increases, the time until we run out of these resources becomes exponentially shorter. On top of that, we are seeing more waste than ever before. The disastrous impacts of overconsumption and climate change are real and are happening now.
When considering interior design, eco-friendly decor options allow us to be thoughtful about our environmental impact while still having items that bring joy to our spaces.
Furniture in a landfill
Sustainable Home Decorations Decrease Consumption
As we have discussed, consumption is breaking records all the time. Sustainable furnishings are one small way to help lower total consumption.
Designing and manufacturing sustainable furnishings can help us conserve our non-renewable resources. Focusing on this action now can give us as a society the time to develop more renewable energy sources, textiles, etc. In the long run, investing in less consumption may prove key in helping us to navigate this difficult time in our history.
Eco-Friendly Decor Styles Battle Climate Change
Most of the ways we acquire and process resources generate greenhouse gases. These gases trap the heat of the sun on our planet. In the long run, this leads to higher planetary temperatures.
Global warming creates a long list of problems we cannot begin to delve into here. Still, for the purposes of this article, it is important to understand that eco-friendly decor made from renewable materials such as felt, cork, and wood can decrease greenhouse gas production and delay the advance of climate change.
Wool felt rolls and cork bark
The Right Home Decorations Conserve the Environment
Many production processes leave scars behind on the environment. These scars can appear on land, air, or water.
Many processes for acquiring raw materials also eliminate ecosystems. Some companies try to counter this problem by planting new trees through carbon offsets, but this action alone is insufficient in replacing the complicated ecosystems that have disappeared.
Sustainable furnishings aim not to cause the same kind of damage to the environment. People who care about the environment often feel disheartened about the damage caused by the traditional manufacturing of everyday products. But knowing eco-friendly brands' values and sustainable actions can make them feel better about buying these types of furnishings.
Sustainable Decorations Are Less Wasteful
Usually, the cheapest ways to create products are also the most wasteful. Brands creating eco-friendly products take the extra time and effort (and often money) to ensure their production processes don't generate huge waste in landfills.
Our wool felt being composted in Albuquerque
Eco-Friendly Ornaments Are Healthier
Not everyone appreciates the connection between sustainability and well-being. Sustainability is not just a focus on conserving resources. It can also be focused on creating clean products by avoiding toxic chemicals and processes. These items are healthier for those using them and not harmful to those fabricating them.
Eco-friendly furnishings are often made of felt, cork, wood, and other natural materials and use water-based and no/low VOC products. As a result, buyers can rest easy knowing that their furnishings aren't damaging their health.
Sustainable Options Can Benefit the Economy
Many people think of sustainable practices as an obstacle to a thriving economy. However, most of these analyses consider the short term. It may be true that creating thoughtful, eco-friendly products is more expensive than pumping out millions of items in the cheapest way possible. But in the long run, sustainable practices may also contribute to thriving economies. After all, conserving our resources today means we will have more access to them tomorrow. Likewise, a sustainability mindset inspires the research and development of new, renewable materials, like cactus leather!
Submaterial felt and cork coasters
Eco-Friendly Choices Are Symbolic
Most of the benefits of decorating your home with eco-friendly furnishings are concrete. However, the more abstract benefits of eco-friendly decor might be even more important. There is not anything a single person can do that will solve all of our environmental problems. With so many challenges in this world to focus on, it can be difficult to convince everyone to prioritize environmental issues. We have to find ways to work together to develop and support sustainable practices, and for-profit companies must be at the forefront, doing their part. People need good examples of brands that value sustainability and put that value into action.
Using buying power on eco-friendly furnishings is a concrete way to express a more abstract value. This is also why eco-friendly decor makes great gifts for people who care about environmental issues. They are a great way to express that you understand and appreciate the values of others.
Enjoy the Benefits of Eco-Friendly Decoration
We hope you have learned more about eco-friendly decor and why it is so important. In the world of Shein hauls and plastic everything, understanding the benefits of eco-friendly decor can help you decide if it is the right choice for your life.
Submaterial Wall Art Diade No. 5, made from wool felt
To learn more about how you can use eco-friendly furnishings to beautify your space, check out some of our sustainably-made products!
