As consumers, we all want to make the right choice when it comes to buying products. That choice is even more crucial when one is an environmentally inclined shopper. And a large segment of those shoppers belongs to the home decor market.
Many 'environment-friendly' brands are notorious for not giving you facts and figures by the process of greenwashing you.
So here are a few indicators for you to truly make the right choice for your homes and planet-
-Choose the right fabric-
Choosing the right fabric is pivotal. Widely used fabrics like conventional cotton and polyester harm the environment drastically. With conventional cotton amounting for more than 25% of pesticide usage globally and polyester relying on more than 1.30 billion barrels of oil for it's production annually. One can only imagine the effects they leave on the environment. The fact that they usually end up in landfills and not decompose for more than 200 years only makes it worse.
Go for fabrics like linen, hemp, lyocell, and organic cotton. Organic cotton requires 11 times lesser water compared to conventional cotton and 80% of it is just through natural rainwater irrigation. Lyocell requires half, and hemp requires 4 times lesser water where most of it is again, natural rainwater. But to better that, when linen is grown in the right conditions, it only needs natural rainfall water for irrigation. All of the above require minimal to no use of synthetic pesticides or fertilizers. They are also bio-degradable fabrics that help us to decrease the landfill waste which is rotting our planet. They are truly environment-friendly, and are easily accessible in the present day. They are what we call fabrics for the future.
-Look for Certification-
One should always look for certification in a product. That ensures that the product you're buying is truly what it claims to be. Even environmentally friendly fabrics might vary in purity. The certification indicates that the purity of the fabric used is optimal.
Choose your brands wisely-
Many brands, even large multi-national corporations are greenwashing you into thinking that they are eco-friendly. They make vague points that mislead a consumer. Look for brands that present the right facts, figures, and certifications. All of them are indicators that you're truly buying the right product.
Environmentally inclined shoppers are increasing as each day passes. Let's make sure that they aren't greenwashed for profits. And are well informed to support the right brands and procure the right products.
