If eco-friendly decorating isn’t new, today it’s accelerating with amazing finishes that care for the environment in style.
Why and how to get started with eco-friendly decor?
When it comes to interior decorating, there are options for those who want to take even better care of their health and that of the planet.
Pollution is invading our interiors
That’s a fact. The air we breathe inside our homes is polluted. The culprits include a host of chemical pollutants that make indoor air even more hazardous than outdoor air. Carbon monoxide, VOCs, SVOCs, or cigarette smoke, pesticides, insecticides… the list goes on, unfortunately.
Materials, furniture, and other decor items are inevitably implicated because they emit a large share of these pollutants. This is why, in recent years, manufacturers have been required to label their products according to their pollutant emissions.
Bringing natural materials in
Fortunately, decorating is seriously turning green. Today, you only have to stroll through home decor aisles in stores to see that natural materials have earned a prominent place. Wood comes from forests that are managed sustainably. Rattan, straw or raffia give a welcome natural touch to interiors. And of course, eco-friendly paint continues to gain ground.
But that’s not all!
While natural materials are essential elements of a decorating approach that’s kinder to health and the environment, the materials must also be recyclable and even better, recycled. Let’s also consider the place of manufacture of the materials and objects as well as their manufacturing processes if we want our indoor decor to be truly eco-friendly.
The eco decorating approach is therefore global and corresponds to a different way of thinking about decorating.
Spotlight on wallpaper
Wallpaper has charmed the walls of homes for generations. After a period when it was quite shunned, wallpaper made a big comeback a few years ago. In the meantime, it’s even become eco-friendly!
The benefits of wallpaper
With patterns ranging from the most restrained to the boldest, colors both vibrant and soft, and often stunning effects, wallpaper appeals to everyone. It’s also the favorite wall covering in France.
You have to admit that wallpaper is unmatched at masking small or large wall imperfections, all while being relatively easy to install, even for the less handy among us.
But there’s always a caveat: traditional wallpaper isn’t ideal from an ecological standpoint.
Three types of wallpaper
There are three kinds of wallpaper.
The traditional or non-vinyl wallpaper is the most affordable but also the most fragile. It doesn’t emit pollutants but cannot be installed everywhere because it’s only suitable for dry rooms (living room, bedroom, hallway…)
The vinyl wallpaper is made of a thin layer of PVC glued to paper. It’s very durable and waterproof but emits VOCs.
The non-woven wallpaper, soft to the touch and ideal for walls that are damaged because it’s thick. It’s mainly made of cellulose but sometimes also contains PVC. Nevertheless, non-woven wallpaper also exists in 100% natural form, and sometimes contains a large share of recycled paper into which natural fibers and binders have been added.
Eco wallpaper for a healthy home
To enjoy the joys of wallpaper in a healthy atmosphere, there is eco wallpaper. But what exactly is eco wallpaper?
First, it’s wallpaper without PVC. Most of the time, eco wallpaper is made from recycled paper or at least paper from responsibly managed forests. It is, of course, recyclable to limit waste production.
Finally, when it comes to wallpaper, there are patterns or colors. The inks must also be safe and therefore solvent-free.
Eco wallpaper is ideal because it can be washed and is even capable of absorbing humidity. Not only does it no longer pollute indoor air, but it also helps make it healthier.
