Home decor trends come and go and changing styles generate inevitable product waste, which leaves many of us questioning the long-term sustainability and the toll our changing aesthetic takes on our planet. After all, the qualities that make upholstery fabric durable against years of wear in our home can translate into hundreds of years of gradual decomposition in a landfill.
Enter the emerging trend in home decorative fabrics: sustainable fabrics. Woven from plant-based, natural, or recycled materials, sustainable fabrics minimize the amount of synthetic materials in landfills while creating naturally beautiful spaces. Sustainable fabrics prove that what’s good for the planet can be good for your home, too.
Why Buy Sustainable?
Nylon, polyester, viscose, rayon. These synthetic fibers are rockstar materials for upholstery because they are highly durable, easy to produce, and cost effective for both manufacturers and consumers. Thanks to advanced weaving technology, synthetic fibers like polyester can be woven in an identical texture to linen or cotton. The result is an extremely durable product produced at a fraction of the cost but with a significantly longer lifespan after disposal.
Synthetic fibers like the kind that compose standard upholstery fabrics are not biodegradable and can take over 100 years to break down. Compare that to fabrics made from natural materials like cotton or linen, which usually take months, not years, to decompose. Sustainable fabrics like these reject the traditional avenues of home fabric production in favor of a long-term commitment to planet earth.
Some sustainable fabrics take environmental concerns to the next level and are produced from recycled synthetic materials such as plastic water bottles or recycled polyester. Instead of contributing to the backlog of synthetic materials in landfills, these fabrics repurpose existing products to create a highly durable product that is as good for the environment as it is for your home.
What Makes A Fabric Sustainable
Fabrics woven from natural fibers like cotton, wool, and linen are biodegradable and have a short lifespan after disposal, making them sustainable long-term. For a sustainable fabric option that is also highly durable, consider fabrics woven from recycled polyester, rayon, and nylon. Identifying a sustainable fabric is easy: just check the fiber content under the description and look for recycled synthetic fibers or plant-derived natural fibers like cotton and linen.
The Takeaway
Sustainable fabrics are available in a variety of colors, textures, and patterns. Thinking long-term for the planet won’t interfere with your interior design aesthetic, and may even add a little luster since you know you’re making a sustainable choice.
Ready to start an earth-friendly project? We offer a wide range of sustainable home decor fabrics available in store. Or, you can browse online here.