The future of sustainable design was crystal clear at this year’s 2019 Arch Digest show, which wrapped in New York City on Sunday. As four-hundred luxury brands gathered under one roof to represent a truly stop-in-your-tracks vision of function and gorgeousness – an encouraging number of these companies brought a lens trained on sustainability, with eco-conscious products and practices a big focus. Here are a few of the earth-friendly trends we loved.
Remodels That Give Back
Long before the first renovation contractor steps through the door, there’s room for responsible decisions. Exhibitors like non-profit show-attendee Renovation Angel, specialize in recycling luxury kitchens with precise, white-glove removals — clients get a hefty tax write off and incur zero disposal costs. Renovation Angel in turn sells your kitchen and does good with the profits: So far they’ve contributed 2.3 million dollars to charitable programs focused on youth at-risk, homelessness and addiction recovery.
Reclaimed and Repurposed Wood Flooring
Sourcing flooring that began life in another way with another purpose is at the heart of the mission of companies like Woodworks by Ted Todd. This firm salvages the unique flooring in their Rare Finds collection from teak floors of long-gone Dutch East Indies homes or from stately English gardens where storms felled centuries-old oak trees. Clients inherit a piece of history with their one-of-kind, repurposed choice.
Alpaca Everything
This quirky, meme-friendly mammal has quickly become the darling of the sustainable fabrics movement. Alpaca fiber is considered a more environmentally conscious choice than even traditional wool: Because of their hoof size, alpacas don’t destroy their grazing land and the fiber itself requires fewer chemicals to process than sheep wool does. Luxury design brands like show-attendee Alicia Adams Alpaca are turning these fibers into gorgeous, high-end, technicolor throws and blankets. Alpaca fiber is also naturally water-repellant and softer than wool making it perfect for a bunch of different home applications.