Green is definitely the new black across the design world. More and more, people around the world are demanding that companies, producing the products we consume, take an environmental stance. To celebrate the increasing importance and use of sustainability across the design world, we’ve launched a #LIVsustainably series examining, highlighting, and celebrating the intersection between design and sustainability.

First, a look into incorporating sustainable design options into your home. Below are 8 sustainable design brands, everything from sustainable furniture to housewares, known for their part in creating enduring, authentic value through their products, minimizing production footprints, and paving the way towards a more sustainable future through design.

Sustainable Furniture

Tacchini

We love Tacchini’s passionate commitment to locality.  All of its beautiful furniture products are manufactured in the countryside between Milan and Como near company headquarters. In addition, all of the materials and semi finished products are sourced from within a 50 km radius of the Tacchini plant limiting the emissions and energy consumption required to transport raw materials to a minimum.

Emeco

What began as post-war efficiency extends to good, sustainable business practice today at Emeco. In 1944 this American company created the 1006 Navy chair from salvaged aluminum from US Navy submarines. Today that chair is still in production as are many other design forward chairs. 

All of their aluminium products are built using 80% recycled aluminum and are 1005 recyclable but the most sustainable aspect, is their inherent durability – approximately 150 years! Other versions of the Navy chair are also produced using plastic from reclaimed bottles successfully diverting 30 million bottles from landfill since 2010. 

The red one pictured below is the result of a collaboration with Coca-Cola® and celebrates the iconic aluminum, to create a version of the original from soft, recycled, PET plastic instead.

Sustainable Lighting

Tala Lighting

Committed to proving that “good design can help mitigate climate change”, this innovative British lighting brand specializes in low-energy LED lighting products that emit the beautiful warm glow of old fashioned incandescents. In addition, the company is committed to reforestation donating a portion of its revenue to tree planting programs worldwide in an attempt to counter carbon emissions generated by its production facilities which are all powered by a renewable energy supplier.

Mater

Founded in Copenhagen in 2006, Danish company, Mater, collaborates with designers to create high end furniture and lighting – sustainably. Ultimately, they strive to source all material ethically including recycling aluminum from old car and bike parts. And they are committed to only using wood from the fast-growing mango fruit tree. It is only cut down once it stops bearing fruit and another is planted in its place.

The exquisite Terho pendant lamp below is made of FSC certified wood from responsible European forestries and the glass is mouth blown in Poland.

Sustainable Housewares

Kartell

Kartell has married innovation and design to create a fully sustainable version of their best selling storage unit, Componibili. The Italian manufacturer of furniture and houseware teamed up with a bioplastics producer and manufactured these revamped eco friendly units from a plastic derived from agricultural waste. 

MAiK

This London based housewares brand is dedicated to ethical, sustainable practices throughout their production supply chain and have gone to great measures to ensure they have control over every step of the manufacturing process creating beautiful items for the home – placemats, trays, dishtowels etc. From the woven fabric used in their placemats, made in east London by marginalized women to the decision to ship product wrapped in recycled pulp fibre tissue instead, MAiK is doing the right thing.

Sustainable Flooring

Tarkett

The over century old Swedish flooring manufacturer (wood, textile and linoleum) is committed to achieving a circular economy minimizing waste at every point in the production chain. All of their flooring products are:

• Manufactured with low or ultra low volatile organic compounds (VOC) to improve indoor air quality
• Disassembled and recycled at the end of use; and  
• Manufactured using a limited amount of water in a closed loop system powered by green energy sources.

Bolon

Founded in 1949 in Sweden, Bolon has always been thinking progressively. Initially the company produced rag rugs made from waste material collected from local factories. Today, they manufacture vinyl rugs using best-practice PVC, 100% Phthalate free, materials that are made and recycled in Sweden.

Don’t miss our next post in our #LIVsustainably series and subscribe to our newsletter list here.

Want to see more from LIV Design? Read some of our latest articles:

Take The Throne – Beautiful Bathroom Design
Up, Up And Away – Airports Soar Into The Future
High Concept, High Style

Cover Image Source: Unsplash