Sustainable Living Spaces are in: How Green is Your Home and Garden Brand?

For decades, we’ve witnessed consumers grow increasingly conscious about the impact their purchases have on the environment. 

In fact, a report by NielsenIQ found that 78% of consumers find it important to live sustainably. As a result, more and more individuals have chosen to incorporate eco-friendly practices into their lives by replacing everyday products with sustainable alternatives. 

Since “going green” has become a more widespread consumer behavior, we’ve seen shoppers grow loyal to brands that carry environmentally friendly products and promote their sustainability initiatives. According to our 2022 Global Consumer Report — which surveyed over 4,000 individuals — 84% of participants claimed they take a brand’s eco-conscious efforts into account when making a purchasing decision.

This year, sustainability is a major trend in the home, garden, and furniture industries. According to Statista, the furniture market is currently experiencing a demand for eco-friendly materials. The lawn and garden industry is seeing a similar spike — reflecting the increasing number of consumers incorporating sustainability in their living environments.

This eco-conscious surge has been on the rise for quite some time, and we only see it becoming more prevalent.

One of the best ways home and garden ecommerce brands can appeal to these consumers is by incorporating sustainability into their business model. Not only will this benefit the environment, but it will also attract the growing number of shoppers who make it a point to buy from eco-friendly brands — building customer loyalty and increasing sales.

Keep reading to learn how home and garden BigCommerce customers have successfully integrated sustainability into their businesses.

Incorporate eco-friendly materials

We’re seeing more consumers gravitate towards products made from natural materials. 

Specifically within the furniture industry, pieces made from resources like wood, bamboo, and recycled items are now the favored choice among many shoppers. Not only are these products made from nontoxic materials, but they’re also built to last — reducing the need for frequent replacements and minimizing waste.

Designerie — a furniture importer and distributor — carries a variety of sustainable pieces that demonstrate its commitment to environmental health. The brand masterfully showcases these items throughout its ecommerce site. Each product page has a list of specifications that include whether the piece is eco-friendly.

The company also has a sustainability page fully dedicated to Sika Design — a brand it carries that produces rattan furniture. The page deep dives into the brand’s efforts toward producing sustainable products built to last.

Finding ways to produce your products with natural materials minimizes environmental damage and shows consumers that you make eco-conscious business choices — attracting these shoppers to your online store.

Consider the full life cycle

Building your products with natural materials is a great way to become a more sustainable business. Still, there are other efforts that indoor and outdoor lifestyle brands can take to help the environment.

Sourcing.

How you source materials can have a negative impact on the environment — such as depleting resources, polluting, and destroying habitats.

Luxury furniture brand Burrow prides itself on sustainably sourcing the wood, steel, and leather used to make its products. This means it gathers materials in a fiscally responsible way that has a minimal impact on the environment and society.

Manufacturing.

Manufacturing is another aspect of production that can harm the environment. Mass-producing products designed for interior and exterior living spaces requires a significant amount of energy, which can be conserved by taking a more mindful approach to product development.

Designer furniture brand Jennifer Taylor Home employs craftsmen to build all its products by hand. This eliminates the need for heavy machinery used in mass manufacturing — saving a great deal of energy.

Gardening brand Sarah Raven is another company that focuses on efficiently producing products. In fact, the business has harvested six million liters of rainwater that it uses to grow its nursery.

Transportation.

Product transportation is known to omit greenhouse gasses and toxic pollutants into the air. Being mindful of how materials and products are shipped can minimize environmental damage — making your brand more eco-conscious.

QE Home — a bedding company based in Canada — has established a way to transport its items efficiently. The company vacuum seals products to maximize the amount of items it ships at once. On top of this, it takes advantage of freight train transportation to be more fuel efficient and minimize the emission of greenhouse gasses.

Considering the full life cycle of your products and finding ways to incorporate eco-conscious practices is a great way to make your home and garden ecommerce business more sustainable. Highlighting these efforts through a dedicated page on your online store will connect with consumers and help them resonate with your brand — building a stronger customer base.

Offer pre-loved items

There’s nothing better than a unique vintage item to add personality to your home. Antiques have always had a place in our hearts — some years more than others.

This year, we’re seeing an influx of consumers gravitate toward second-hand home decor and garden accessories over brand new products.

This is due to a variety of factors — one being styles from the 70s influencing 2024 design trends. However, with the increased popularity of going green, it’s no surprise we’re seeing consumers opt for less wasteful design choices.

Florist brand Botany offers a selection of vintage vases as part of its giftware. Not only does this provide customers with a one-of-a-kind statement piece, but it also re-homes existing items — reducing waste.

Finding a place for second-hand items within your product line is a great way to target your brand to a range of customers — from shoppers seeking out eclectic decor to those looking for eco-friendly options.

Go green with partnerships

If you’re having trouble joining the sustainability bandwagon, finding an environmental organization to partner with is a great place to start. Together, you can find ways to become eco-conscious that best align with your business.

UPLIFT Desk is a brand that partners with the National Forest Foundation to plant five trees for every wood desktop sold. Since October 2023, the brand has planted over 250,000 trees. This is an excellent contribution to the environment and helps replenish resources the brand uses to produce its products.

Similarly, Molly Mutt partners with The Climate Change Project to become a more sustainable brand. This organization helps businesses minimize their carbon footprint. Through this partnership, Molly Mutt has reduced its overall waste by making changes like replacing its packaging with recycled materials.

If you partner with an environmental organization, highlight this on your ecommerce site and regularly update it to reflect your efforts to go green. This helps consumers understand you’re actively working toward sustainability, making those who value this more likely to purchase from you.

The final word

When it comes to incorporating sustainability into your business model, the possibilities are endless.

With a growing number of consumers opting to purchase from ecommerce brands that practice going green, finding ways to align your business with their wants and needs is more important than ever. 

If your company already incorporates eco-conscious efforts, make sure to showcase them throughout your online store so you can connect with consumers and drive sales.

Check out our 2024 Global Ecommerce Report to learn other trends and predictions we expect home and garden online brands to see this year.