Are wallpapers sustainable?
Wallpaper has been a popular choice for home decor for centuries, but in recent years, more and more people are becoming concerned about the environmental impact of their interior design choices. As a result, the question arises: is wallpaper sustainable?
The answer to this question is not straightforward, as it depends on several factors, including the materials used to make the wallpaper, the manufacturing process, and the end-of-life options for the product.
What to look out for when choosing Eco-Friendly wallpaper
Many wallpaper manufacturers are now accommodating the need for sustainable, eco-friendly and non-toxic wallpapers. This increasing awareness is great news for our health and environment but how do you know which wallpapers are embracing sustainable methods and what those methods are.
True sustainable and eco-friendly wallpapers need to be recyclable and unfortunately most are not. It can also be difficult to determine if wallpapers are eco-friendly unless they are marked as such by the manufacturer.
Look out for:
Wallpaper printed with environmentally-friendly water-based inks not solvent-based inks. Water based, PVC-free printing inks do not contain environmentally-harmful substances, allergens or heavy metals.
- A base paper that is PVC-free and is produced in the most environmentally-friendly way possible. Look out for the FSC label. This means the paper was sourced responsibly from FSC certified renewable forests.
- Look out for wallpaper and pastes with low or no VOC. This reduces the chemical content and the smell.
What is the best eco friendly paper?
Try using natural handmade materials such as grasscloth, cork and paperweave, which are renewable and biodegradable.
Notably Rasch, Borastapeter and Wallquest are brands we work with that have a firm take on their sustainability and environmental impact.
Wallquest papers are printed on paper from renewable forests or recycled sources. They use water-based inks. Wallquest takes an environmentally friendly approach toward wallpaper production. Our wallpaper collections are printed on paper from well-managed, renewable forests or recycled sources, using water-based inks. No excess ink or waste water is released into the public water system during the production process. All residual water and ink is thoroughly filtered by a third-party firm before it is returned to the environment.
Borastapeter have an all-encompassing view of our environmental performance means we are committed to reducing our carbon footprint, complying with all relevant legislation and regulations and developing more ways to contribute to a greener and better world.
Rasch does not use pigments containing heavy metals in its production of printing inks. Rasch has also switched to (up to 99,9 %) FSC®-certified substrates. This means that the backing papers and non-wovens of all Rasch wallpapers made from wood are manufactured from sustainably managed forests.
Wallpaper is more sustainable than paint
It is also worth noting that the longevity of wallpaper can make it a more sustainable choice than painting walls, which may need to be repainted more frequently. High-quality wallpaper, that is installed well, can last for years or even decades if properly maintained, reducing the need for replacement.