At APM we are constantly looking at new sustainable suppliers to widen the range of choices when sourcing and supplying for clients. Seasonal design events such as Chelsea Harbour Design Week are a great opportunity to network and get to know new suppliers.
Last month, APM team members Sam and Zoe attended the spring design week at Chelsea Harbour (the London hub for supplier showrooms and specialist events accessible to all trades within the industry) – our plan was to seek out new sustainable suppliers who share our values in making as many areas of renovation as environmentally friendly as possible.
Our advice for those of you new to these events – it really helps to visit with an agenda in mind – you can research the exhibitors you’d like to meet beforehand, go with some outline questions (ours this time all eco related) and choose carefully which talks to attend.
Our agenda for this show was to find new suppliers but also learn more about the supply chain, direct material sourcing and production processes.
Here are our standout suppliers from Chelsea Design Week 2022:
Pluck Kitchens
Pluck has been on the kitchen market since 2007 and told us they’ve worked hard to minimise the perception that the use of sustainable materials/process will compromise a modern finish. Key credentials include:
The use of wood veneer & Plywood– Pluck explained to us that using wood veneer reduces the amount of wood used in their designs. Their supplier of veneer is FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) and PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification) registered to help ensure their supply chain is sustainable, comes from sustainably managed forests and meets European standards.
We liked that the veneer used is pressed using non-toxic solvent free adhesive and that other finishes are water based/ sourced from natural oils/waxes.
The use of birch plywood (their core material for the kitchen collections) is hard wearing and FSC/ PEFC accredited.
Factory process: All of their factories are fuelled by renewable energy
Their designs focus on creating timeless kitchens that outweigh current trends – for longevity and to minimise waste
Read more about designing your kitchen in one of our blogs here
Dedar Fabrics:
We’ve found that sustainable fabrics (for upholstery and window dressings) can be hard to come by. Dedar (a Milan based company) have widened their collections to include eco fabrics:
Linen Anthology – 100% pure linen, minimising the use of chemicals. The yarns are sourced from local European suppliers that are all OEKO-TEX accredited which means they have 100% European traceability and abolishment of any chemical usage.
ACACIA -100% recycled cotton, fabrics suitable for both window dressings and upholstery. We liked the bulky yarn weave as a means of adding texture to a space.
Modern British
*A brand new supplier alert* – Modern British is a Hampshire-based kitchen and furniture design company who focus on supplying handmade, design innovative, sustainable kitchens. They told us:
Their kitchens are made from British supplied wood, with many cupboard interiors created from offcuts – thus reducing waste.
Their system uses 50% less materials than conventional kitchen suppliers, with careful design helping to reduce material usage, floor area and units produced.
All electricity used within their factories is produced from renewable sources
There are numerous considerations to bear in mind when looking for environmentally-friendly products and suppliers. As with many colleagues in the interior design profession we’re working hard to bring these to the attention of clients, while finding beautiful, long-lasting finishes within a realistic budget. We’re really enjoying the process.
For advice/ help along the way we strongly recommend:
The BIID Sustainable Sourcing Guide and our recent blog on the guide itself
Interior Design Declares – sign up to be part of the movement and to find a constantly updated guide to resources and news.
Do you need help with your renovation in London or Brighton? Contact us now