Sustainability
The environment, and our impact on it, is something we take seriously. That’s why we make every product here in the UK, using local suppliers, businesses, and tradespeople. Our wallpaper is predominantly derived from natural materials, and we source from sustainable substances wherever possible. Our paper comes from forests that are FSC certified. Non-toxic materials are used in its manufacture and colouration. Our wallpapers are designed to have a long lifecycle, and we hope that the wallpapers you choose will be loved for years to come. When you’re finished with them, many can be recycled, decorated over, or disposed of safely. Our studio waste is zero to landfill, 75% is recycled and the remainder is turned into energy.
Reducing environmental impact is critical to our wallpaper suppliers too. Plans are being put in place for their factories to be run only on green energy, with goals to be carbon neutral in the coming years. Dedicated teams work to minimise waste using lean manufacturing techniques. Where there is waste, the vast majority is recycled by trusted suppliers to avoid it going to landfill. And, as a smaller wallpaper brand, we often print to order, minimising our environmental impact.
Ensuring a sustainable supply of trees is an in-built necessity for forest owners. This is managed by regular replanting over a 20-year growing cycle. Modern timber logging techniques and management systems make sure that only selected trees are felled, allowing biodiversity to be maintained. Timber is sourced from northern softwood forests accredited to ISO 9001, together with EU Timber Regulations.
Every time we sell a roll of wallpaper, we will plant a tree on your behalf. We’re working with our partner Ecologi, who plant trees and fund the world’s best climate crisis solutions. We’re doing this to reduce our carbon footprint in the long term and contribute to fighting climate change. We’re so excited to be building our CommonRoom forest tree by tree from 2022. Find out more by visiting our forest. You can literally plant trees as you shop with us! It’s common knowledge that one of the best tools to tackle the climate crisis and keep our temperatures from rising above 1.5C is to plant trees. They are also crucial to preventing ecological collapse.
So, finally, let’s talk about our packaging. Nearly every piece of CommonRoom packaging is recyclable, including the tape that we wrap orders with. The shrink wrap that surrounds a roll of wallpaper is RIC 4: Low-density polyethylene, which isn’t domestically recyclable, but it can be taken to store drop-off locations, such as some supermarkets. CommonRoom is committed to climate positivity. We will implement more initiatives along the way which will offset our carbon emissions and continue to reduce our impact on the environment.