British interior brand One Nine Eight Five celebrates UK manufacturing’s growing use of innovative materials in homewares, placing sustainability high up on their agenda. We explore the insights behind how the brand is positioning itself as an antidote to 'fast' manufacturing trends, with its products that are made from recycled materials.
While great emphasis has been placed on the harmful effects fashion, food and energy consumption has on the environment, sustainability in the home has received less attention. That's why "luxury British ethical homeware" brand One Nine Eight Five has placed eco-consciousness front an centre of their brand's ethos, making collections using recycled cottons and fabric remnants to create home furnishings from scratch. The brand's mentality is a response to "fast" manufacturing trends and wants to serve as a remedy to its wastefulness. "We have always been an advocate for recycling and everyone doing their bit, but after working in the fast fashion industry it really hit home that more needs to be done," says founder Eleanor Nadimi.
People are becoming more aware of the importance of sustainability in a holistic sense – looking beyond fashion choices to integrate a greener approach to daily decisions. With an emphasis on slow lifestyles, wellness and eco-first living becoming more apparent, brands are responding to this desire. For example, IKEA – who have received negative press for making furniture with short lifespans – has launched a recycling disposal service for old homeware, while they also collect plastic waste to make components to build their furniture ranges, such as turning plastic bottles into kitchen cupboards.
Sophie Robinson is a research intern and recent social anthropology graduate at Canvas8, which specialises in behavioural insights and consumer research.