PINTEREST’S HEAD OF HOME MATT SIBERRY SHARES THE PLANET-SAVING IDEAS THAT PEOPLE ARE ‘PINNING’ THE MOST THIS SEASON
Sustainability, once seen as a new trend, has become embedded in all areas of life, from fashion buys to what mode of transport we take to work. We are thinking about how our decisions today may impact future generations, with a communal responsibility making us keen to do our bit. And although many decisions in the home tend to feel more long lasting, there’s still new ideas we can adopt to avoid damaging the planet.
As home and interior enthusiasts, the environmentally friendly choices available to us are really rather large. From the pleasure of upcycling, to buying from B Corp-certified businesses (which meet high standards of social and environmental performance), investing in energy-saving insulation, or choosing furniture made with sustainable forest-friendly wood, or cork, jute or coir. We’ve seen people on Pinterest saving guides on how to upcycle wood for interiors projects, and it’s also exciting to see more start-ups that will help us all achieve our sustainable dreams.
One I’ve recently come across is Re-Style (re-style.co.uk) a platform that connects you with tailors to help you alter, repair and re-style your clothes. And we’ll no doubt see similar services pop up for pieces of furniture that need a new lick of paint.
RAINSCAPES
We’re seeing more people taking water conservation to new heights and this trend doesn’t just apply to drought-stricken environments. People everywhere are investing in ways to harvest rainwater, be it through barrels or changing their garden landscape.
On Pinterest, searches for ‘rock drainage landscaping’ and ‘drought-tolerant landscape design’ have increased by 70% and 385% respectively*. Embracing this trend means that maintaining a luxe home aesthetic and a small ecological footprint don’t have to be mutually exclusive. So, instead of plastic or fibreglass gutter pipes, people can look to natural materials to help them safeguard their spaces against the forces of nature. If you’re already ahead of it with a rain barrel, consider a rain chain, a decorative way to channel water from your guttering to a water butt.
CHEAT SHEET…
n Swap your cleaning products for eco versions. Some, like the Eco Egg for laundry (ecoegg.com), don’t need separate detergent and can last up to 70 washes.
n Stop using single-use plastic wherever possible. Carry a reusable water bottle or coffee cup with you and ditch single-use bags and cling film for compostable alter
