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The History of Eco Design in Fashion

The History of Eco Design in Fashion

In the last few years eco designed fashion has found its way out of specialist boutiques and onto the high street. Thanks to the support of top designers, like Stella McCartney and Katherine Hamnet, ‘eco chic’ can be seen paraded on the catwalks. The fact that Top Shop, Debenhams and Marks & Spencers all now stock eco fashion ranges shows it’s big business, and taking up increasing wardrobe space in eco homes.

So how did the eco design in fashion movement come about? Well, it’s due to a combination of concerns about the way clothes are made: the effect on consumer health, poor working conditions and the environmental damage of growing cotton.

Fears over the health of consumers

The roots of eco fashion can be traced back to the 1970s when woolly leggings and rugged tie-dyed hemp fabrics were trendy amongst the eco conscious. Initially concerns focused on the use of pesticides on cotton crops. But by the 1980s these fears grew to include the harsh chemicals used to make synthetic textiles, such as nylon and polyester, and their potentially damaging effect on people’s health.

This was the start of eco design’s influence on the fashion industry. In response to the outcry many manufacturers changed their processes, and started marketing their clothes as made from natural textiles or chemical free fabrics.

Working conditions

Unlike our grandparents, who’d repair old clothes before buying new ones, the 1990s saw an explosion in demand for cheap throwaway fashion. Big clothing brands were under pressure to find ways of cost saving. This meant many moved their manufacturing abroad where they could take advantage of cheap labour.

However, this led to a backlash when the working conditions in foreign ‘sweatshops’ starting becoming exposed in the media. Many of the big brands were implicated, as cheap throwaway fashion was shown to come at a high human cost.

Since the 1990s many brands have been pressuring their manufacturers to improve wages and working conditions. Many of them now promote their eco designed clothes as coming from Fair Trade sources where the manufacturer is a paid a fair price and the workers aren’t treated like slave labour.

Environmental concerns

Cotton is the most widely used textile, grown in over 60 countries and covering 5% of all cultivated land. It’s also seen as the most polluting, due to the huge quantities of pesticides used to kill insects. In fact, cotton crops are estimated to use a quarter of all the world’s pesticides, which harm the health of farm workers, seep into the water supply and damage the soil, making future crops potentially dangerous to eat.

Organic cotton, on the other hand, is farmed without pesticides, making it far less environmentally damaging. And whilst crop yields are typically lower than conventional cotton, the farmer can sell them for a higher price to balance their income.

At the moment nearly half a million tonnes of clothing is added to British landfill sites every year. Hopefully, as the eco designed fashion trend continues to grow in popularity, there will be far less throwaway fashion polluting our planet in the future.

Eco Upholstery Is Healthier for Wildlife, the Planet and Your Eco Home

Eco Upholstery Is Healthier for Wildlife, the Planet and Your Eco Home

When buying an eco sofa for your eco home one of your main concerns is probably whether it’s made from sustainably cut wood. But the way its upholstery is made is just as important.

The textile industry has always had a bad reputation amongst environmentalists. It generates huge amounts of pollution making synthetic textiles, like polyester and nylon. Added to this are the millions of gallons of water it pollutes from washing textiles in anti-creasing agents, fire retardants and chemical dyes, with the leftover residue poured into the local water system, poisoning streams for fish and other wildlife.

The manufacturing of leather upholstery isn’t much better. The process of ‘chrome tanning’, for converting animal hides into leather, is awash with toxic chemicals, such as formaldehyde, sulphides and acids. These chemicals combine to create a toxic sludge that’s also poured away into local lakes and streams.

Thankfully, the textile industry has started becoming more innovative in response to consumer demands for it to become greener. Eco textiles are now available for making eco upholstery that are luxurious and comfortable, and far less damaging to wildlife and the planet.

Eco textiles for making eco upholstery

There are a variety of sustainable textiles to choose from for making eco upholstery. Popular kinds include bamboo, organic cotton and hemp, which are all plant based and can be harvested sustainably. Bamboo stems grow back in less than a decade, whilst cotton and hemp can be harvested from the same fields over and over again.

Ordinarily, cotton is quite damaging to harvest, due to the large amount of pesticides and fertilizers farmers spray on their crops. Organic cotton, on the other hand, is harvested sustainably without such heavy use of environmentally damaging chemicals. This makes it a much greener eco upholstery material for decorating eco sofas.

Eco upholstery is coloured with eco dyes

Conventional dyeing methods are far from environmentally friendly. A lot of water is needed which is then polluted with the toxic chemicals used to fasten the dye onto the cloth. This is then simply poured into the local water system. However, there are alternatives.

Low impact fibre reactive dyes have been around for decades. But there have been great advances in recent years, leading to their promotion as an environmentally friendly option for eco upholstery. Low impact dyes don’t contain toxic bonding chemicals but are still able to bond more easily to textiles than conventional dyes. This means they use far less water and consequently cause less water pollution.

Another eco friendly option is to use vegetable based dyes. These are harvested from natural, renewable sources, such as tree bark or dried fruit. Eco dyes typically use less water to fasten onto clothes, and because they’re not derived from petroleum they’re far less polluting to manufacture.

When eco dyes are combined with eco textiles you get an environmentally friendly eco upholstery material for decorating eco sofas, and other eco furniture, in your eco home.

Sleep with a Clearer Conscience in an Eco Bed in Your Eco Home

Sleep with a Clearer Conscience in an Eco Bed in Your Eco Home

We spend a third of our lives in bed and getting a good night’s sleep is vital for our health (as well as stops us from being grumpy in the morning). With this in mind, investing in an eco bed should be on the wish list of anybody wishing to live a greener lifestyle in their eco house. There are many ways in which eco beds are more environmentally friendly than conventional beds, including where they’re made and what they’re made from.

Eco beds are made from sustainable wood

Whilst eco furniture is growing in popularity all the time, eco beds are still more of a niche product built in small numbers in independent workshops. This offers two benefits: every eco bed is unique and the materials are locally sourced, minimising the eco bed’s carbon footprint.

The frames of eco beds are made from FSC certified wood, such as Ash, Oak, Pine, hardwood or Walnut. FSC stands for Forestry Stewardship Council and any eco furniture labelled with their green tree logo guarantees that the wood has been cut from a sustainably managed forest. In sustainably managed forests the cutting down of trees is carefully controlled to minimise the environmental impact and the trees are cut in a way so they can grow back.

Along with being made from sustainable wood, eco beds are treated with eco varnishes and paints which are low or VOC free (volatile chemicals). Eco varnishes are water based, biodegradable and don’t release harmful toxins, unlike varnishes which are solvent based. This makes eco beds ideal for anybody who suffers from breathing problems, such as asthma.

Eco beds use eco mattresses

It’s not just an eco bed’s frame that’s made from environmentally friendly materials. An eco bed’s mattress, pillows and bedding can also be made from green eco materials.

Eco mattresses offer a high level of comfort and support whilst also being kinder to the planet. There are a range of materials eco mattresses can be made from, including organic wool, eco foam, natural latex or a combination of eco materials.

Conventional foam mattresses can be very polluting to manufacture due to the use of petrochemicals. Eco foam, on the other hand, can be made using natural castor bean oil which is plant based and far more environmentally friendly.

Natural latex is another plant based material that can be used to make eco mattresses and eco cushions. The solidity of natural latex means it’s excellent for people who suffer from back pain, and its natural anti-bacterial, mildew and mould resistance makes it ideal for anybody who suffers from allergies.

With sleep so important to our health, an eco bed can offer you a better quality of sleep knowing it’s made from sustainable, environmentally friendly materials. Many workshops that make eco furniture will also be happy to recycle your old bed. So when you decide to upgrade to an eco bed in your eco home, you won’t be adding to landfill sites.

We spend a third of our lives in bed and getting a good night’s sleep is vital for our health (as well as stops us from being grumpy in the morning). With this in mind, investing in an eco bed should be on the wish list of anybody wishing to live a greener lifestyle in their eco house. There are many ways in which eco beds are more environmentally friendly than conventional beds, including where they’re made and what they’re made from.

Eco beds are made from sustainable wood

Whilst eco furniture is growing in popularity all the time, eco beds are still more of a niche product built in small numbers in independent workshops. This offers two benefits: every eco bed is unique and the materials are locally sourced, minimising the eco bed’s carbon footprint.

The frames of eco beds are made from FSC certified wood, such as Ash, Oak, Pine, hardwood or Walnut. FSC stands for Forestry Stewardship Council and any eco furniture labelled with their green tree logo guarantees that the wood has been cut from a sustainably managed forest. In sustainably managed forests the cutting down of trees is carefully controlled to minimise the environmental impact and the trees are cut in a way so they can grow back.

Along with being made from sustainable wood, eco beds are treated with eco varnishes and paints which are low or VOC free (volatile chemicals). Eco varnishes are water based, biodegradable and don’t release harmful toxins, unlike varnishes which are solvent based. This makes eco beds ideal for anybody who suffers from breathing problems, such as asthma.

Eco beds use eco mattresses

It’s not just an eco bed’s frame that’s made from environmentally friendly materials. An eco bed’s mattress, pillows and bedding can also be made from green eco materials.

Eco mattresses offer a high level of comfort and support whilst also being kinder to the planet. There are a range of materials eco mattresses can be made from, including organic wool, eco foam, natural latex or a combination of eco materials.

Conventional foam mattresses can be very polluting to manufacture due to the use of petrochemicals. Eco foam, on the other hand, can be made using natural castor bean oil which is plant based and far more environmentally friendly.

Natural latex is another plant based material that can be used to make eco mattresses and eco cushions. The solidity of natural latex means it’s excellent for people who suffer from back pain, and its natural anti-bacterial, mildew and mould resistance makes it ideal for anybody who suffers from allergies.

With sleep so important to our health, an eco bed can offer you a better quality of sleep knowing it’s made from sustainable, environmentally friendly materials. Many workshops that make eco furniture will also be happy to recycle your old bed. So when you decide to upgrade to an eco bed in your eco home, you won’t be adding to landfill sites.

Eco Fixtures and Eco Fittings for Saving Energy, Heat and Money in Your Eco Home

Eco Fixtures and Eco Fittings for Saving Energy, Heat and Money in Your Eco Home

Turning your house into an eco home isn’t just about the big items, like eco furniture and eco appliances. It’s about the little things too. Here’s a guide to some eco fixtures and eco fittings which can help your eco house to save energy, to save money and to protect the environment all at the same time.

Eco heating fixtures

Radiator insulation panels – These fit snugly behind the radiator and help to conserve heat. They work by reflecting heat from the back of the radiator, which would otherwise be wasted, back into the room. Radiator insulation panels are estimated to provide energy savings of up to 20% on the heat emitted by a radiator, which more than covers the cost of this eco fixture in under a year.

Hot pipe insulation – Insulating hot water pipes is estimated to reduce heat loss by up to 80%. Not bad for a simple piece of foam you can snap onto your hot water pipe in seconds.

Solar power heating – It’s estimated that a solar power heating system can supply eco homes with up to a third of their hot water per year, and up to a 70% reduction in hot water energy bills. Solar power heating systems comprise of solar panels of typically 4-5m² on the roof connected to a heat transfer system and hot water cylinder.

Solar evacuated tubes can be used in replacement of solar panels as an eco fixture on your roof. A row of these cylinders can generate heat even when the sun isn’t shining; they also require less maintenance and last longer than solar panels. The drawback is that they’re generally more expensive.

Eco lighting fixtures

Solar powered security light with motion sensor – When fitted with motion sensors security lights only switch on when they’re needed, rather than waste electricity illuminating the driveway throughout the night. Security lights are now available which are solar powered. These don’t require mains power but instead charge up their rechargeable batteries during the daytime, offering even more savings on your eco home’s energy bills.

Energy saving bulbs – Lighting is estimated to account for 10-15% of our energy bills. With this in mind, it makes economic as well as environmental sense to invest in energy saving light bulbs. A normal bulb uses 60 watts and lasts up to 1000 hrs. An energy saving bulb, on the other hand, uses only 9 watts and lasts up to 10,000 hours. With these figures in mind, it’s no wonder the sale of older incandescent bulbs are now banned in the UK and energy savings bulbs will soon be a common eco fitting in every home.

Eco water fixtures

Water saving taps – Did you know that running a tap for 2 minutes whilst brushing your teeth can use up to 12 litres of water? So it’s no surprise that water saving taps can save literally 1000s of litres of water every month in an average household. Unlike taps you twist, water saving taps are activated by lifting and lowering the nozzle, which means you tend to only use water when needed.

Flush control – When you consider that flushing the toilet uses up to 13 litres of water, it’s no wonder that toilets use around 30% of our household’s water. Thankfully, it’s possible to vastly reduce the amount of water used per flush. Displacement devices can be placed in the toilet’s cistern which sits beneath the float to reduce the amount of water used by up to 3 litres. The saving offered by this eco fitting can amount to saving thousands of litres in the average eco home over the course of a year.

Water saving shower heads – Many people think having a shower uses less water than having a bath. But with the popularity of water intensive power showers, it’s quite often the reverse. However, people can reduce the amount of water their shower uses without compensating on water pressure. Energy saving showerheads reduce the flow of water coming through the shower head, which can provide water consumption savings of up to 60%. Water saving shower heads are a cheap eco fitting everyone can use in their eco house to make huge savings on their water bills every year.

Eco Kitchen Appliances for Cutting Energy Bills in Your Eco Home

Eco Kitchen Appliances for Cutting Energy Bills in Your Eco Home

The amount of energy we use is fast becoming one of the key considerations when buying household appliances, which applies particularly to the ones we use in the kitchen. This is one of the reasons why eco kitchen appliances are fast becoming a must have kitchen accessory.

In fact, in a recent survey (by fitted kitchen supplier Sigma 3) eco kitchen appliances ranked ahead of TVs and American style fridges as the most sought after kitchen item. And if the shocking headlines that energy bills could increase by 60% in the next ten years come true, this is a trend that’s only going to continue.

Here’s a guide to some of the most popular eco kitchen appliances for cutting your eco home’s energy bills, and to help save the planet at the same time:

Eco washing machine – It’s estimated that if everyone in the UK starting using eco washing machines it would save almost £1 billion and cut 40,000 tonnes of carbon emissions a year. In fact, The Energy Saving Trust (EST) estimates that eco washing machines can save 45 kg of carbon per household and provide 86 extra washes for the same amount of energy as a conventional machine. With these figures in mind, it’s easy to understand why, although they’re more expensive upfront, eco washing machines offer substantial long term savings on your eco home’s energy bills.

Eco dishwasher – Eco dishwashers use only around 12 litres of water per wash, which is less than what you’d probably use to fill your sink. The EST estimates that every eco home equipped with an eco dishwasher would produce 90 kg less carbon emissions per year and have enough energy for 170 extra washes. This makes them a very green and energy efficient eco kitchen appliance.

To maximise your eco house’s energy savings, only use your dishwasher for full loads. Running it for half a load uses the same amount of water and over half the amount of energy as a full one.

Eco cookers – The technology available for cooking food has advanced a lot in recent years, and particularly in the field of energy conservation. Eco cookers are now available that can cook food using electromagnetic waves. These cook the food directly without having to heat up a saucepan or the cooker’s top, reducing the energy consumed by this eco kitchen appliance.

Eco cookers can also be fitted with a triple glazed door to prevent heat loss, and lit with halogen bulbs so that food can be checked without having to open the door and release heat.

Eco fridges – After lighting, fridges and freezers make up the biggest proportion of our energy bills, at around 15%. However, there are now eco fridges available which can help to vastly reduce your bills and don’t produce damaging CFC gases (chlorofluorocarbons). In fact, modern fridges consume only a third of the energy of those used ten years ago.

It’s easy to check the energy savings credentials of eco fridges, and other eco kitchen appliances, as they all must now have an EU energy label. These are graded from G (the worst) up to A++ (the very best). You can also look out for the Energy Saving Trust’s distinctive blue ‘recommended’ label, which is only awarded to the very best environmentally friendly eco kitchen appliances for use in your eco home.

18 Eco Kitchen Energy Saving Tips for Your Eco Home

18 Eco Kitchen Energy Saving Tips for Your Eco Home

The kitchen is one of our home’s most energy intensive rooms. If you want to reduce your eco house’s carbon footprint, you need to think about how you use energy in your kitchen and find ways of reducing it. Saving even small amounts of energy each day can amount to big savings on your eco home’s energy bills by the end of the year.

Here are 20 eco kitchen energy saving tips for cutting your energy bills and helping to save the planet at the same time:

  1. Use energy saving eco kitchen appliances, such as an eco dishwasher, eco fridge or eco cooker, which have a blue Energy Saving Trust logo. Although they might cost more upfront, they offer long term savings which will more than cover the initial investment
  2. Only use your washing machine, tumble dryer or dishwasher when it’s full because one full load uses less energy and water than two half loads
  3. Instead of using a tumble dryer, which is a monster at eating up electricity, dry your clothes in your eco house’s garden. This will leave them smelling fresher too
  4. Try and keep your fridge and freezer filled up. Leaving them empty means they use more energy keeping food cool
  5. Defrost your freezer regularly to reduce the amount of energy it needs to keep food cold
  6. Switch off and unplug eco kitchen appliances when they’re not in use. This stops them continuing to sap electricity for powering the standby light. The average home is estimated to waste 25% of its energy on appliances plugged in unnecessarily
  7. When you’re making a cup of tea only boil the water you need. So don’t boil a full kettle when you’re just having a cup
  8. Keep your kettle clean and de-scaled. This will help it to boil more quickly and use less energy
  9. Clean filters in tumble dryers to help them work more efficiently
  10. A dripping tap will waste enough water to fill half a bath every year. So it makes sense to get leaking taps fixed throughout your eco home
  11. Opening the oven door to check your food reduces the oven’s temperature by 25 degrees. This means it will then use more time and energy than it needs to reheat again. So keep the oven window nice and clean, and use a timer so that you only open the door once the food should be cooked
  12. If you’re using an electric oven, turn it off 10 minutes before the food is due to be cooked. The oven’s heat will finish it off without needing any extra power
  13. Modern washing powders are more technologically advanced than ten years ago. They can work at lower temperatures, so try running washes at 30º instead of 40º
  14. Wash fruit and vegetables in a bowl rather than under the tap to save on your eco home’s water bill
  15. Chop vegetables into smaller chunks because this helps them to cook quicker
  16. Defrost food in the fridge instead of heating it up in a pan. This will also provide free cooling for your fridge. Similarly, don’t put warm food in your fridge because this will heat it up
  17. Put the lid on pans when cooking. This will help them heat up quicker and use less energy. In fact, it’s estimated that heating food without a lid uses up an extra 30% of energy.
  18. Putting pans on the right sized hob helps them cook quicker as well

Start implementing some of these eco kitchen energy savings tips in your eco home today and watch your energy bills, and carbon footprint, reduce.

Eco Sofas

Eco Sofas

Here are a couple of facts for you: felling rainforests is estimated to emit 20% of all climate-crisis gases and the UK is the largest importer of illegal timber in the EU.  If you find these facts shocking you might be wondering what you can do to help combat the illegal timber trade. One way is persuading manufacturers to stop using illegal timber, and choosing to invest in an eco sofa for your eco home is a good place to start.

Eco sofas are just as attractive, durable and comfortable as conventional sofas, but are far less damaging to the planet in how they’re built.

When shopping for an eco sofa for your eco house there are a variety of characteristics you should check to ensure they’re ecologically constructed, and not contributing to the illegal timber trade:

Made from FSC certified timber – Eco sofas should be made from hardwood timber that has been ecologically sourced. This means it has been cut from a sustainably managed forest and will be marked as FSC (Forestry Stewardship Council) certified.

Constructed with water based adhesives, paints and stains – Most glues and varnishes used to assemble and decorate sofas contain chemicals that emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air. Water based glues, however, are far healthier for both the planet and your family’s health. They contain a low amount of VOCs or none at all, which means they’re less damaging to breathe and don’t pollute the air in your eco home. Water based adhesives are also biodegradable, and can be easily disposed of without contaminating the ground.

Upholstery made from eco textiles – Conventional sofa upholstery is usually made from synthetic materials, such as nylon or polyester. These are derived from petroleum and are very polluting to manufacture. Eco textiles, on the other hand, are made from natural plant fibres which can be sustainably harvested and are less polluting to convert into cloth. Popular eco-textiles are hemp, organic cotton, silk and wool, and are much greener textiles for upholstering your eco sofa.

Cushions made from natural materials – Natural latex is made from rubber trees and is a greener, more ecologically sound alternative to polyurethane foam, which is made from petroleum. An eco sofa’s cushions should also be stuffed with a natural material, such as soybean oil, to reinforce its green credentials.

So when purchasing an eco sofa, and doing your bit to combat the illegal timber trade, make sure it ticks most of the boxes above.

You should also consider how you can best dispose of your old sofa. Rather than dump it in a landfill site, consider offloading it on eBay, donating it to a charity or giving it to an eco furniture shop. Many eco furniture manufacturers will refurbish old sofas so they can still get plenty of use in someone else’s eco home.

Cut Your Eco Home’s Energy Bills with Eco Window Dressing

Cut Your Eco Home’s Energy Bills with Eco Window Dressing

The cost of gas and electricity has shot up in recent years. So being able to reduce how much energy you use to heat your eco home can offer great savings in your household bills.

Eco window dressing offers a great way of cutting your energy bills and caring for the planet at the same time. Whether you need blinds for your bathroom or curtains for your living room, there are plenty of great eco window dressing options to choose from for decorating your eco house.

Eco blinds

Eco window dressing blinds made from reeds, bamboo, grasses and other natural plants are an environmentally friendly option that’s ideal for bathrooms and kitchens.

As well as being made from renewable, natural materials, which can be harvested over and over again, they’re handcrafted using natural finishes, such as sun bleaching or oven baking. This means they’re biodegradable and won’t contaminate the earth in landfill sites if they ever need to be replaced.

Eco curtains

Curtains are enjoying a renaissance at the moment because they can add a touch of elegance to people’s homes. Elegance can also be partnered with being green thanks to eco curtains made from natural, sustainable fibres.

Many curtains are made from synthetic textiles, such as polyester and nylon. These are very polluting to manufacture and are non-biodegradable, which means they’ll pollute the earth when dumped in our already clogged up landfill sites.

Eco curtains, on the other hand, are made from natural plant fibres, such as hemp, organic cotton or linen. These are far less polluting than synthetics to manufacture, and when combined with natural dyes they offer elegant, biodegradable eco window dressing for your eco home.

 

Thermal linings cut your eco home’s energy bills

 

It’s estimated that 80% of your eco home’s heat is lost through your windows. This can be reduced by 30% with thermal curtains, so investing in thermal linings can offer great savings on your heating bills.

A thermal lining consists of an additional layer of cloth on the back of the curtains. You’ll often find thermal linings on hotel room curtains. The additional layer helps to block the sun to keep rooms cool in summer and to retain heat in winter.

Whilst more expensive than standard linings, thermal linings offer long-term benefits both in reducing fading causing by the sun and in reducing your energy bills. This makes them an economical and environmentally smart eco window dressing option for decorating your eco home.

Eco Shutters

Having discovered new research conducted by the BBC (see full article here) we can see that heat loss from windows can also be reduced by installing interior window shutters. Whilst curtains and blinds have a similar eco appeal, one of the benefits of fitting shutters in your home is that you can source FSC wooden shutters, which means that not only are you benefiting from sustainable wooden window treatments but also keeping the cold out of your house. Two benefits from one solution which we think works really well and can create a really modern stylish window treatment for home owners. Read more about the Forest Stewardship Council and their environmental work here which is having a lasting effect on our forests and hopefully climate change.

 

Eco Textiles Help Reduce Pollution for Your Eco Homes

Eco Textiles Help Reduce Pollution for Your Eco Homes

Buying eco textiles for your eco home not only says something about your green views, but can also help pressure the textile industry to be more environmentally friendly.

The textile industry is the world’s number one industrial water polluter. It uses millions of gallons of water to dissolve chemicals, dyes and detergents, which are then poured into the local water system where they can damage plant life, wildlife and seep into the groundwater.

Consequently, textile manufacturers are now being pressured to adopt more environmentally friendly manufacturing practices, such as being more energy efficient and recycling water. A lot of this pressure is being applied by the clothing industry, because eco textiles are becoming more popular all the time, both for use in fashion and in eco homes.

The growing popularity of eco textiles in fashion

The fashion industry has a bad reputation for designing throw away clothes at the lowest cost to producers, whilst at a high cost to the environment. But now the trend towards sustainability is influencing the clothes people buy on the high street.

Now trendy labels, top designers and catwalk models all want to be associated with a more sustainable way of manufacturing textiles. This means a greater availability of eco textiles for your eco home.

Ethical fashion encompasses reducing child labour, improving wages for workers in third world countries and making textiles from sustainable materials.

Eco textiles are more sustainable

Synthetic textiles, such as polyester, acrylic and nylon, are all made from petroleum, which is very energy intensive and polluting to manufacture. However, there are greener materials available though for use in your eco house.

Eco textiles are made from natural materials. This includes animal wool and plant fibres, such as organic cotton, hemp, jute, bamboo or linen. Eco textiles can be harvested over and over again and are more energy efficient to produce than synthetics.

Cotton, for example, is the most widely grown textile material in the world, but is also the most chemically intensive to harvest. It’s estimated that cotton crops use a quarter of the world’s insecticides and 10% of its pesticides.

But organic cotton is far more environmentally friendly. The greener harvesting methods used to grow organic cotton means it’s free of toxic chemical fertilizer and pesticides.

So when buying textiles materials for your eco home, make sure they’re eco textiles. This will help keep pressure on the textile industry to be more environmentally friendly in how it operates.

Why Eco Lighting Can Reduce Your Eco Home’s Bills

Why Eco Lighting Can Reduce Your Eco Home’s Bills

Previously, eco light bulbs have had a bad reputation: taking ages to heat up and even then only providing a drab, flickering light. Well, a lot of progress has been made in eco lighting in recent years, and the latest generation of eco light bulbs can help dramatically reduce how much energy your eco home consumes – and reduce your energy bills at the same time.

It’s estimated that £1.9 billion is spent every year in the UK lighting people’s homes, with it accounting for 10-15% of our energy bills. With this in mind, it’s unsurprising that the government banned the sale of 150 watt incandescent bulbs earlier this year. The aim is to phase out incandescent bulbs (which still use the same technology Thomas Edison invented nearly 130 year old) altogether by 2011. In fact, they’re banned already in Ireland.

The availability of low energy bulbs means eco lighting is a great way in which everyone can help reduce carbon emissions, whether or not you live in an eco house.

Why everyone should invest in eco lighting

Normal light bulbs last 1000 hours and on average use 60 watts of electricity. Energy saving CFL (compact fluorescent light) bulbs, on the other hand, use only 9 watts and can last 10,000 hours.

When you consider that the average house has 15 bulbs, investing in energy saving eco lighting can offer enormous savings on your energy bills. Homes also emit 30% of the UK’s carbon emissions, so adopting eco lighting makes smart money and environmental sense.

As well as CFL bulbs, LED (light emitting diode) lighting is now available that’s even more efficient. LED lights can last 100,000 hrs and use only 2 watts (they can even be set to change colour). LED lights use 75% less energy, 80% less heat and are 100% recyclable because they don’t contain mercury or lead.

CFL bulbs and LEDs might be more expensive initially than conventional incandescent bulbs. But when you consider the cost savings over their lifetime (one estimate is that CFL bulbs can save you £90) and the fact that you’re dramatically reducing your carbon footprint, eco lighting is a great way everyone can help to look after the planet.

Eco light shades and Sun Jars

To cover your eco light bulbs you could use recycled light shades. These are available in a wide range of funky designs and materials. This includes polypropylene (the most recyclable plastic) and recycled cardboard. Light stands are also available made from environmentally friendly wood that’s cut from sustainably managed forests.

Another type of eco lighting you might like to use in your eco home are sun jars. These were voted the Eco Gift of the Year in 2007, and are a great way of providing night lights in your garden or in your bedrooms.

They don’t require plugging into a wall because they generate all of their own electricity. Simply leave them outside during the day and the solar cell inside will recharge its battery.

The jars also have diffused frosted glass which gives the impression of there being captured sunlight inside, making them an attractive way of eco lighting your eco home.