Interior Design - Did you know the UK has the largest design sector in Europe?
It is now more important than ever to support British industry, what with Brexit and climate change these are both very timely reminders for us as conscious consumers to support our local communities and country.
And, we have very good reasons to.
🌿The design economy was worth 73% of the financial services and insurance industry - This is huge!
🌿"The new figures value the UK creative industries as a whole at £76.9 billion a year – contributing an incredible £8.8 million to the UK economy every hour, and it is important that this continues to be recognized". (Design Council report.)
🌿The interior decoration and interior design refurbishment market is worth around £14 billion with interior design contributing around £6 billion. (it's very difficult to find up to date data so bear with me)
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These are the five very important reasons to support UK design and manufacturing.👇
🌿 Bolsters our local economy - by supporting our local businesses and craftspeople
🌿 Decreases our carbon footprint - by cutting international shipping out of the equation
🌿 Exceptional Quality - expert craftsmanship translates into goods that last with less ending up in landfills polluting the environment.
🌿 Unique brands and products - curated products, individual to Britain, with a special story add meaning to our homes & spaces
🌿 Peace of mind - knowing ethical manufacturing practices are implemented & mandated under UK law (this is not the case for all companies)
We have some amazing creatives in the country from all over the world, creatives that have made the UK their home. We have an excellent reputation for producing cutting-edge designs as well as being innovative world leaders across many design sectors.
We also have a history of manufacturing quality products that are meant to last a lifetime. Many of these manufacturers have thriving businesses today and I feel have been somewhat overlooked and we need to shout about them!
See my list of some of the interior design industry sectors that do very well in the UK today...without costing the earth.
✴︎ Flooring - carpets
✴︎ Brassware - handles and ironmongery in general
✴︎ Fine furniture
✴︎ Kitchens
✴︎ Eco-friendly kitchen and bathroom worktops
✴︎ Modern furniture (such as Tom Faulkner and Tom Raffield)
✴︎ Beds
✴︎ Paints - low VOC water-based
✴︎ Lighting
✴︎ Radiators
✴︎ Sockets and switches
✴︎ Shower screens
✴︎ Roll-top baths
✴︎ Bathrooms sinks (more traditional)
It's worth knowing that even if you're buying British having the Made In Britain 'stamp' guarantees that is it actually all made in the UK. Some companies may send some of their components to China for manufacturing and ship them back creating a huge Co2 footprint. So it's worth doing some research first.
Having done a lot of research on this myself, I have come across some UK manufacturers making substantial efforts to manufacture in the UK and adopt cradle to cradle policies. One such company is Kanth who manufactures beautiful brassware for the bathroom going as far as taking back old product and recycling it. You can read more here.
🌿 57% of UK residents have said they wanted to be more eco-friendly in 2021 – whether that’s recycling more, eating less meat, or making home improvements to make our homes more eco-friendly or more energy-efficient.
I expect this trend toward buying British to increase in popularity and has in fact been talked about a great deal on the property grapevine as the way forward!
🌍 Let's not let making our homes beautiful cost us the earth 🌍
🌿Keep a lookout for my UK manufacturers and sustainable directory - it's coming soon!
If you need any further information on this topic, feel free to contact me here, I'm always happy to discuss a topic I'm passionate about!
Alternatively reach out to me via one of my many social media platforms or by email: susan@svminteriors.co.uk. I look forward to connecting with you. 💚
For exquisite interior design, eco-solutions and inspiring ideas join our Green & Glam community!