“Reclaimed material is not only a sustainable choice, but a poetic one,” says Stickbulb founder Russell Greenberg, whose New York lighting brand sources its light fixtures from the city’s old water towers. “Our mission is to raise material provenance to the same stature as form and function in the design community.” From cotton fiber DNA testing and rapid tree replacement to resourceful repurposing of scrap metal, invasive plants and more, these 13 brands are tough to beat when it comes to transparent sourcing. (Shopping with ethical manufacturing or low-impact production in mind? Find the rest of BOH's green shopping guide here.)
Homepage photo: Courtesy of Stickbulb. Product photography: Skylar Morgan, Andrew Thomas Lee; all others courtesy of brands.
Scott Group Studio: The rug brand sources wool for products like its Agata carpet from New Zealand sheep raised at high altitudes on a diet of nutrient-rich vegetation, resulting in softer, stronger fiber.
Watermark Living: The natural pole rattan used to make the company’s Hammond lounge chair is harvested from routinely reforested vines.
Bloomist: The new, hyper-targeted e-commerce site carries artisan-made decor inspired by the natural world, like the Beach match striker, which is made of stones collected along the New England coast.
Stickbulb: The Chime chandelier incorporates redwood from a former water tower on Brooklyn’s first skyscraper: “Our mission is to raise material provenance to the same stature as form and function,” says founder Russell Greenberg.
Mitchell Black: With its new Organics collection, the company’s wallcoverings are printed on PVC-free vinyl and LEED-certified paper made of natural fibers and recycled content.
Skylar Morgan: Regional lumberyards and land plots razed for construction in the Atlanta area provide reclaimed Louisiana sinker cypress—which would otherwise be discarded—for the company’s Hillock armoire.
Flaneur: The bedding brand hires a third party to do DNA testing on its fibers to ensure that each of its products, like the Tricolor Tie-Dye collection, is made of 100 percent U.S.-grown Supima cotton.
Greenington: The brand’s furniture, including the Sitka dining table, is made of rapidly renewable moso bamboo gathered and manufactured in northern China.
Havwoods: The brand’s European white oak flooring is all certified through the Forest Stewardship Council.
Artefacto: The Indiana chaise lounge features timber that’s immediately reforested in Brazil.
Nathan Anthony: The Pow! ottoman is upholstered in high-performance Ultrasuede fabric, the first nonwoven suede made of partially plant-based polyester, which is derived from sugarcane in India.
Hartmann & Forbes: Renewable materials are a hallmark of the brand’s sourcing, including bamboo for its Junsei Colourweave shades.
Hannah Beatrice Quinn: The San Francisco artisan assembles raw materials from flea markets, lumberyards and scrap-metal yards into her collection of household tools (like this broom) in her 300-square-foot studio.
