Forever Green?

Home Accents Today tackles the popular topic of green retailing on its blog, Designer Insights. Talking to a variety of designers, with specialties ranging from chandeliers to rugs and everything in between, the site tries to figure out if green living is here to stay. And the designers represent a wide spectrum of opinions.

''I definitely think the Green movement is more than a passing fad,'' said Emma Gardner, chief designer and principal at emma gardner design. ''It's evidenced by the flood of editorial in both consumer and trade publications and in the proliferation of Green products and Green building and design.''

'''Green' has become a buzz word that I don't think most people in our industry have an opinion on or have paid much attention to,'' said Mark Abrams of Mark Abrams Design. ''Over the last year or so, market centers, shelter magazines and trade publications have all spent space and energy focusing on green. It has made us think, or at least wonder about, recycled wood furniture, bamboo flooring, and the like. But at the end of the day, when you go out to the dock and look at all the boxes and packing materials used to ship the goods we buy and sell, do you think it really makes a difference? I know I may sound like a pessimist. I just remember when we studied recycling and conservation in my youth in Alabama. That was 20 or so years ago. Have we really changed that much since then?''

What do you think of the Green trend? Will is stick around? What are your customers saying about green products?

Comments

[Susan Dickenson]

Hi Kimberly, Thanks for taking note of Home Accents Today's Designer Insight GREEN discussion at homeaccentstoday.com. I also want to direct you and your readers to the retailer and manufacturer comments that ran in the same issue (the URL link is provided here)... green has definitely proven to be more than a trend in the home furnishings marketplace. I've been interviewing home accents retailers for a January In & Out feature (what's selling, what's not)... at the top of everyone's list: green, organic and American-made products.