Sustainable Sourcing

Sustainability can mean different things to different people. As sustainable sourcing has become a priority in our built environments, those designing and specifying for them realize no solution is perfect. When choosing materials, there are always trade-offs. Each project has different priorities for designers and their clients. Weighing these trade-offs so designers can make the best decision which is why speaking about sustainability honestly is more important than ever.

As always, in order for manufacturers and producers to best service designers, it’s helpful to understand what they’re looking for.

When it comes to sustainable sourcing, three topics are trending with designers and specifiers:

Transparency

Interior designers know that when it comes to sustainability, there is no perfect solution. No material exists that is 100% sustainable in all ways, which is why designers want as much information as possible so they can make the best decision for their clients. Designers and their clients are better educated about sustainability and are suspicious of greenwashing. They don’t want more confusing biolingo, they want real information so they can make educated decisions for their projects.

Circularity

As designers and consumers have become more conscious about where their materials come from, they also want to know where they go at the end of their lifecycle. Will they get tossed into a landfill? Recycled? Upcycled?

Sustainable Materials

Many designers want to chose their materials from a place where sustainability has already been considered. Popular examples are products made from reclaimed wood, bamboo, recycled fibers and glass. They are also interested in using natural fibers that support sustainable farming techniques such as carbon farm planning.  

With these three topics in mind, designers can weigh all the important factors available to them to make the best decisions for their clients. As always, Design Pool is here to help. We believe strongly that making only as much of a material as you need, when you need it, is a vital step toward more sustainable sourcing.

Interested in sustainability? We’ve rounded up all our blog posts about sustainability in one blog post so you can find all our articles easily.