Sustainable Interior Styling Guide and Design Directory 1 | Page 21

HEMP Hemp is often considered an environmental super fibre. Hemp fabric is made from the fibres in the herbaceous plant of the species cannabis sativa. It’s a high-yield crop that produces significantly more fibre per acre than either cotton or flax. Hemp textiles are lightweight and durable with three times the tensile strength of cotton. Take a Look Inside: Fillings And Mattresses There’s no point purchasing eco-friendly soft furnishings if the item is padded with a synthetic fill or wadding. Look for inserts made with 100% PET fibre, which is derived from recycled water bottles. They look and feel similar to polyester inserts, but have more durability and longevity. 100% feather inserts are another option as long as the feathers have been responsibly sourced. This means that birds, commonly ducks and geese, did not suffer as a result of live-plucking. Toxin-free foam made from natural latex is also a good choice for sofas, mattresses, cushions and pillows. Consider Toxicity Of Inks and Dyes Opt for designs printed naturally with non-toxic, low-toxic, vegetable, plant or water -based inks. Natural dyes are a renewable resource and not dependent on petroleum as are many synthetic dyes. Candles Candles don’t use electricity, they create wonderful mood lighting and the scented ones smell great. Unfortunately, a burning candle also releases a cocktail of chemicals into the air. Avoid paraffin based candles - they release a number of carcinogens including acetaldehyde, acrolein, benzene, formaldehyde, polyaromatic hydrocarbons and toluene as well as the greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide. On top of that, paraffin is a by-product of petroleum, so you’re hurting the planet. Thankfully, there are eco-friendly alternatives, based on clean-burning vegetable waxes like soy or beeswax. Always check the ingredients. Beeswax is non-allergenic, non-toxic and smoke-free while soy wax candles are both toxin-free and long lasting thanks to their cooler burning temperature. If a candle contains palm-oil make sure it’s supplied by members of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), which help to reduce the environmental impact of palm oil production. 21