The essential guide to eco fabrics for the home

Are you someone who recycles religiously and carries a KeepCup? Do you read up on ways to reduce your carbon footprint and buy more sustainably?

What about the way you furnish your home?

The materials we use in our homes all have an environmental impact — some much more than others. Using eco fabrics in your interiors is a great way to minimize that impact and bring planet-friendly beauty into a space too.

Why choose eco fabrics for your home?

First off, let’s delve a little further into the why of eco fabrics.

They’re good for the environment, of course. Choosing an eco-friendly version of something you were already planning on buying is a sure-fire way to reduce your carbon footprint.

But did you know that eco fabrics are also good for you and your family? Many eco fabrics are naturally anti-bacterial and hypoallergenic. They also tend to be free of toxic chemicals that can otherwise harm our health.

So enjoy these benefits for both you and the planet by picking one of the eco fabrics on our list.

5 eco fabrics perfect for use at home

Bamboo

Chances are you have something made from bamboo in your home already. Bamboo furniture, tableware and even toothbrushes are incredibly popular right now.

But have you considered bamboo fabrics? You can get bed linen, towels and even throws for the sofa — all made from wonderfully soft bamboo.

Bamboo is a more sustainable option than synthetic fabrics. It’s also a better option than cotton, the growing of which requires a ton of water and lots of chemical pesticides. In contrast, bamboo needs very little water and is naturally pest-resistant.

Bamboo’s other eco-credentials? It grows super-fast, it’s really strong and it’s an incredibly adaptable plant too, meaning it can be grown pretty much anywhere in the world.

Just one word of warning. There are two processes for turning raw bamboo into fabric. One is a natural process that takes a relatively long time. The other production method is speedier (and therefore more cost-effective for manufacturers) but uses a nasty cocktail of environmentally damaging chemicals.

The former is obviously preferable for anyone with sustainability in mind, so do your best to find stores who are transparent about their bamboo fabric production.

Our favorite use for bamboo in home furnishings? We love it in kitchen accessories, like placemats and table runners.

Vegan leather

Spoiler alert! Vegan leather isn’t actually leather at all. It’s a synthetic fabric that mimics the texture and appearance of real leather. And these days, it actually looks pretty convincing!

The majority of vegan leather is made from plastic, which is obviously something of a sustainability no-no. However, the most environmentally-minded homeware brands will use recycled plastic in the production of their vegan leather products.

So why is vegan leather so good for the environment? 

Some researchers argue that going vegan is the single best thing we can do (as individuals) for the planet. That’s because livestock farming is responsible for deforestation, loss of biodiversity and greenhouse gas emissions, amongst other environmental issues.

So if you’re in the market for a leather sofa or armchair, go vegan! Even the classic Chesterfield now comes in a vegan leather variety.

Recycled cotton

Cotton is biodegradable, but that’s about all it has going for it in terms of sustainability.

Cotton is one of the least sustainable natural fabrics you can use, requiring lots of water (up to 2,700 litres to make a single t-shirt!) and chemical pesticides too.

Organic cotton cuts down on the chemicals used when growing cotton plants, yet still requires all those gallons of water.

Recycled cotton is a great eco fabric alternative. It’s made from old cotton clothing or textile manufacturing offcuts. As a result, it helps to reduce waste and requires fewer resources than growing cotton from scratch.

From rugs to bedspreads, throws to cushion covers, recycled cotton is used in a range of interior furnishings. 

Just be aware that recycled cotton is often blended with new cotton in order to improve its strength, so you’re unlikely to find 100% recycled cotton homewares, unless you avoid big retailers and buy handmade instead.

Jute

Jute is another plant-based, eco fabric, primarily grown in India and Bangladesh.

This fabric makes a more sustainable alternative to cotton because it grows quickly, without the use of fertilizers and pesticides. It’s happy with just natural rainfall and it’s completely recyclable and biodegradable.

Another amazing jute fact? It absorbs CO2 at a much better rate than trees, so it’s good for the environment while it’s growing too.

Jute is made by extracting long, soft and shiny fibers from the stem of the jute plant. These fibers are then spun into strong, coarse yarn. Textiles made from jute are really durable and won’t fade in sunlight, they’re also really good insulators. 

In the home, you’ll find jute fabrics used in carpets, rugs, curtains and storage baskets.

Lyocell/Tencel

Lyocell and Tencel are the same thing (Tencel is just the most popular brand name, like vacuum and Hoover). Lyocell is made primarily from eucalyptus wood, which is ground into a pulp, made into a liquid and then spun into a yarn.

Eucalyptus, like bamboo and jute, grows really quickly and doesn’t require any pesticides. It can also be grown on land that isn’t any good for growing food.

What’s more, this tree can be grown with around half the amount of water needed to produce cotton. All of this makes it a really sustainable raw material.

Textiles made from lyocell are incredibly soft and really breathable. Just take a snooze on lyocell bed linen and you’ll see what we mean! 

Other homewares with lyocell on the ingredients list include towels, carpets, upholstery and even mattresses.

Want to upgrade your space with a sustainable design? 

At Titanium Space, we’re all about creating beautiful and functional interiors that make you feel good.

And an interior design that exists in harmony with the planet — using materials that don’t put undue pressure on its resources — creates a sense of calm and wellbeing that just can’t be beat.

During a complimentary consultation we’ll get to know what you’re looking for and share our design ideas, starting a journey towards a sustainable space you can really love.