The conversation and information about sustainability is steadily becoming a part of every room, and for good reason. It may have been dubbed as a passing fad a couple of years ago, but growing awareness of people within and outside the industry over the benefits of sustainability has proven that it is a conscious choice and a design trend that is here to stay. Founder of Mohh, Pritika Singh talks about the various development the interior décor industry has adapted to.
The beauty of this growing movement is that both parties, the seller as well as the buyer are equally inclined towards producing and buying sustainable products. In the interior design and home décor industry, this is being made possible via a myriad of ways.
In any space, it begins early with special consideration towards the raw materials used and employing efficient energy consumption patterns. The biggest tectonic shift in the vast interior décor industry has been the exploration and use of different materials, those which have never before been considered to add to a home and invention of new raw materials made by recycling waste.
Not letting go of the basics but being conscious about the sourcing of raw materials, it starts with ethically and sustainably procured wood. There’s also a growing acceptance towards what are termed as ‘synthetic materials’, as they’re created from waste. Instead of filling up landfills, there are companies which are spending time, money on research and development of long-lasting and durable materials, which can be used to make sturdy furniture or stand-out home décor accents. The building blocks of these materials are plastic or other waste, which find an alternative, long-term use and place in people’s homes, thereby creating a circular economy with waste. This approach works out well on multiple fronts – reliance on naturally occurring materials for home décor becomes lesser, for environmentally conscious buyers it’s an ideal purchase, more companies get motivated to innovate on how to use waste to create something useful and it adds a new design language or look to any piece. Today, in the market, there is an availability of raw materials which have been lab produced by processing single-use, multi-layer plastic and they’re good enough in stability, durability and design to create mainstream furniture and décor.
The most interesting development in the interior design industry has been the experimentation and acceptance of unusual materials to craft something truly unique and upcycled. Present majority consumers, aka millennials and future consumers, aka Gen Z are the most aware and conscious buyers due to their easy access to knowledge and growing conversation about climate change. Their decision to buy something can be influenced when they see something sustainably produced, recycled or upcycled. But more than that, their design sensibility is completely different from the previous generations – they like quirky, eccentric, unique and stand-out products.
The social awakening of interior décor industry towards creating products with recycled or upcycled materials is largely due to the rising demand from the consumers. And the demand is such that is has created an entire rustic aesthetic which is incredibly desirable – furniture or accent pieces made by recycling cycle parts, wheels, faucets, pipes, gears, glass bottles, etc. is just the tip of the iceberg. People are voluntarily opting for designs which use sustainable materials such as jute, bamboo, fabric made from recycled plastic bottles, cork etc.
The sustainability revolution in the interior design is just beginning, with not only acceptance but anticipation and eagerness towards purchasing unique designs made from sustainable materials or pieces which use recycled or upcycled elements. Everyone involved in the industry, from designers to manufacturers, should be poised to expand their sustainable offerings at competitive prices to their consumers so they can truly stand out and be a preferred brand!
