3 eco-friendly wall coverings for your next project

Each product we bring into our home is worthy of consideration. From gifts to groceries, we’re surrounded by plastics and toxic materials. So when it’s something as long-standing as the wall coverings in our space, it’s worth really putting a microscope on finding sustainable, and appealing, materials to surround ourselves with. Here are a few companies to consider. 

Kirei

Kirei offers a broad selection of acoustic products for walls, ceilings and partitions. Products come in dozens of colors and a variety of geometric shapes. The options include flat wall panels, baffled ceiling units, suspended circles, diamonds, wavy patterns and ridged designs. 

Related: Eso Studio creates modern wallpaper using all-natural dyes

“We chose the Japanese character ‘Kirei’ as our name because of its multiple meanings of ‘beauty,’ ‘clean,’ ‘purity,’ and ‘truth’ that reflect our dedication to beautiful, elegant, and respectful products for our environment,” the company writes on their website.

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Made from a material known as EchoPanel, a registered trademark of Woven Image, the product line can suit any space from floor to ceiling, adding acoustic excellence for schools, restaurants, hotels, healthcare facilities and offices. The products can be used in homes, too, with myriad aesthetics to match any type of interior design theme. 

EchoPanel is made from over 60% recycled plastic with each panel diverting the equivalent of 235 single-use bottles from the landfill and waterways. The brand has upcycled over 5,125 tons of PET since 2004, which equates to over 250 million water bottles.

Each innovative design contains low Volatile Organic Compounds and is certified free of Red List materials. For transparency, the company lists ingredients through Declare, a database for healthy products. EchoPanel is also third-party certified by Global GreenTag. 

This isn’t the first foray into sustainable materials for the company as they have been focusing on innovation, function and eco-friendly products since 2002. 

Carnegie Fabrics

It’s fabric for your walls, without all the nasty stuff that plagues the textile industry. Carnegie is a company of firsts. It is the creator of a material known as Biobased Xorel, which was the first plant-based textile product to earn the Living Product Challenge Certification. In fact, it’s the first bio-based high-performance textile ever on the market. In addition, it was the first company in the industry to declare itself proudly 100% PVC free. 

The company offers acoustical panels in a wide array of sizes, shapes and three-dimensional options. It also has textiles for upholstered walls and wrapped panel applications. Additionally, it offers vinyl alternatives and woven wall coverings. 

According to the company, “The Equilibrium collection by Carnegie Fabrics is inspired by the balance and harmony that both humankind and nature work to achieve.”

The type II wallcoverings celebrate nature in a variety of textures with low VOCs and no toxic finishes. The wallcoverings are cleanable and include recycled materials in the composition. 

The company is mindful of its transparency, providing Health Product Declarations on every product. This statement outlines information about the ingredients and their associated health impacts. All fabrics are also put through third-party certifications. The result is at least 10 certifications to date, including Cradle to Cradle, Facts, LEED, SCS Indoor Advantage Gold and Declare.

Carnegie Fabrics also earned B Corp certification in 2014, maintaining that status ever since due to its dedication to the worker, customer and health of the environment. It also made the Best For The World lists, which honor businesses scoring in the top 10% of certified B Corporations, in both 2018 and 2019. The company reports, “Carnegie is the only textile company honored among a total of 228 Best For Environment companies, spanning 72 industries and 25 countries.”

Artaic

Are you looking for wall tiles? Need a mosaic? Artaic is a leading mosaic tile manufacturer that sustainably produces customized mosaics for a range of applications. 

One type of tile, called Sintered Glass, is made out of recycled windshield glass. It is both durable and long-lasting. Plus, Artaic tiles are void of VOCs and any other harmful substance. They can be paired with GREENGUARD-certified adhesives and grouts that are also low, or void, of VOCs.

Like some other tiles, Artaic mosaic pieces are antimicrobial and hypoallergenic. Since Sintered Glass tiles repel water, they’re a great option for wallcoverings in any setting. They can also be used for flooring, counters, in pools or as a decking material. Sintered Glass is a great alternative for those seeking LEED or similar certifications since it’s made from recycled materials without harsh chemicals. Throughout their lifespan, Sintered Glass tiles can be maintained by cleaning with water, further reducing the need for chemicals. 

Tiles are also a great choice for passive house designs. With the ability to store thermal energy, tiles can absorb heat through a window during the day, hold onto that warmth and release it at night when temperatures drop. This innate ability to stabilize temperatures creates a comfortable indoor environment in a range of climates. 

For projects, Artaic is able to print tiles on demand. This innovative technology results in customized mosaic designs with the exact amount of tile needed and little residual waste.  

+ Kirei, Carnegie Fabrics, Artaic