The One rangeWe’re always looking to source new suppliers, and once we find them we work hard with them and offer free advice to help them meet our environmental criteria. From reclaimed oak benches to cosy sheepskin rugs, we’ve tried to think of everything you might need to make your home beautiful, comfortable and environmentally friendly. And we can’t wait to get started designing and developing more products to fill in the gaps.
We aren’t just fussy when it comes to allowing eco products into our range. As designers, we have high standards about the appearance, aesthetic, and tactile qualities of products. The idea is to give you furnishings that make you feel good in every way.
It’s important that you know exactly what you’re buying so we tell you everything we can, from the sustainability of the raw materials to the conditions in the workshops where your product was made. You’ll notice that each of our products is clearly labelled with the information provided by our suppliers during their assessment.
Hidden nastiesWe’ve discovered that there’s a lot more to furnishings than meets the eye. What looks like a simple sofa may be not only full of toxic chemicals but also its manufacture might have contributed to environmental damage and worker exploitation. We’ve posted all our learnings on the site in the eco library section and we’re always adding new information to let you know which materials to look for and which ones to avoid when refurbishing your home.
Passing our eco testAs our authority on all things eco, Kate Millbank is the brains behind our sustainability assessment process. Every one of our products is thoroughly checked against her supplier questionnaire and scorecard system before we add their products to our range. Call us pedantic, but we think it’s crucial to look behind the claims and check and double check everything, so we always ask for copies of FSC or Soil Association certificates and fair trade status.
Suppliers must complete our eco questionnaire for their products and all products must score over 50% within each category to be awarded the category symbol. We only carry products that have been awarded three or more eco symbols.
When you’re looking at a product, you’ll see the eco symbols it’s achieved, and you’ll find more detailed information about its credentials when you click through to the product’s own page.
*percentage contents are measured by volume.
Over 50%* of the product or material must have been produced organically and be certified by the Soil Association or an equivalent certifying body. Products without certification will not be awarded this symbol.
For a product to be awarded a natural symbol, the product must be made from between 50%-100%* natural materials.
A product must be made with between 50%-100%* of raw materials that are from a renewable and sustainably managed resource (ie the materials are not being consumed at a rate that exceeds their natural rate of replacement). Suppliers must demonstrate how the raw materials are renewable and sustainably managed. For wood-based products we require proof of FSC certification (Forest Stewardship Council).
The use of waste or reused material (for example reclaimed oak), is not included in this category as we believe these are not indefinitely renewable. This is instead covered under the reducing waste symbol.
We believe that as well as being kind to the environment our products should also be good for you. Therefore we ask about any finishes and treatments (such as wood preservatives, flame retardants etc) and whether there are any VOC's (Volatile Organic Compounds) or other substances that can off-gas into the home.
We care about the people who make our products and check whether the workers have been subjected to dangerous working conditions and potentially harmful substances during the extraction and/or production of the product or its raw materials.
Water is increasingly becoming a precious resource. At One we ask suppliers to show how their products save water either during use or production. We actively encourage the use of water that has been harvested from rainwater or grey water recycling systems.
Carbon Dioxide (CO2) emissions are a major contributor to global climate change. At One we actively try to reduce CO2 emissions and look for products that help to save energy during their use.
We also ask suppliers about the transportation history of products and any raw materials and whether they are traveling by road, rail, sea or air freight.
In addition to transportation energy we also look at the processing energy involved in making a product - from the production of raw material to finishing the item.
We encourage the use of energy and transportation from zero carbon and renewable resources such as solar, wind, biodiesel and hydro power. We strongly discourage the use of air freight and will only make exceptions for products that have been produced in the developing world under fair trade conditions. This allows our customers to choose whether they wish to make a stance about flying fair trade products themselves.
At One we work hard to reduce waste – in terms of resources and materials being sent to landfill. The reducing waste symbol looks at whether a product and its raw materials have been reclaimed, reused or contain any recycled content. We also consider durability, maintenance and life expectancy as an integral part of a product’s life cycle and aim to list products that are well made and can be used again and again.
We look too at whether a product is re-useable and recyclable in the future, although this is not included as part of our scoring process as it relies upon the end user to fulfill the promise.
At One we try to minimize the use of packaging materials. However, this is not always possible as products need to be protected during transportation. Where packaging is required we try to use eco alternatives such as biodegradable or recycled packaging material. Many products will be delivered to you directly from our suppliers. We unfortunately have no control as to what packaging material suppliers use, other than to make suggestions. Therefore please make sure you recycle or reuse packaging as appropriate. For advice on this please do not hesitate to contact us.
We believe it is very important to protect and promote wildlife and habitats to maintain a healthy eco-system, and to ensure that animal based products have arrived to us cruelty free. We always ask suppliers for details on animal welfare and encourage organic status for animal based products.
We look to see if products or the production of their raw materials have helped to promote healthy habitats and biodiversity and if they have posed any threat to the immediate landscape.
We like to support local goods for two reasons: to reduce carbon related transport emissions and to boost local and rural economies.
Due to a general lack of production in this country we have decided to expand the local symbol to also include the EU. We feel that this is justified for the time being as we trade in a global economy with products being manufactured all around the world. By trying to opt for local products from both the UK and EU, we feel we are helping to reduce transportation costs as much as is possible. The majority of goods traveling from the EU to the UK will be transported via road and sea freight.
Obviously where possible we prefer to use UK production and should this pick up the UK we will review this policy. When a product is awarded a local symbol this is accompanied by the symbol: UK or EU, to help identify where it has come from.
As well looking after the environment, we want to use products that have supported the people who have made them, both in the UK and abroad. This includes the people growing and harvesting the raw materials to the designers and makers.
When awarding this symbol, we ask whether a product is supporting a new designer or small local and/or rural based business.
For items made in the developing world we want to know if the products and raw materials have been produced using fair-trade labour policies, and if they have been accredited by the Fair Trade Association, or equivalent.
If not produced in the developing world (so the 'fair trade' labeling does not apply), we want to know that working conditions are both fair and safe.
The copyright, trade marks and all other rights in “One Eco Home” and the “eco symbols” appearing in this website are the exclusive property of Free Spirit Interiors Ltd t/a One Eco Home. All rights reserved.