Is there such a thing as Green Eco-Friendly choices with Blinds?

Well, Green manufacturing is about minimising environmental impact while maximising the resource we have efficiently.

What does that mean for blinds? 

Fabrics: Make no mistake there are many varied blind fabrics available. Some are cheap and nasty. So thin and you can tear the blind fabric with your bare hands. There are other on the market that don't comply with our Australian blind manufacturing high standards and may contain harmful VOC's likeFormaldehyde and lead. A VOC is a volatile organic compound, which creates smelly vapours in your room.

We have many fabrics available at Premier Shades that have the GreenGuard certificate. An international standard that meets rigorous testing for safety.  We tend to stay away from the really cheap fabrics at Premier Shades. 

While a lot of blind fabrics are made overseas, certain reputable fabric manufacturers adhere to these strict guideline and produce GreenGuard certified fabric.

There are also fabrics available and made in Australia. Premier Shades can show both ranges of the quality imported fabrics and the Australian fabrics.  We can also show you the GreenGuard certification on the blind fabrics. 

We have external blind fabric that offers a renewable alternative that is lead and phthalate free and has lower greenhouse gas emissions as much as 40%.

Things to consider:-

OPTION 1;-

Australian Made Manufacturers: Minimizing your environmental impact means buying Australian manufactured goods whenever you can. When it comes to blinds, that would also mean eliminating as much transport costs. If there is a regional product, buy that first, then state, then Australian.  You are being kinder, reducing freight and fuel costs to the environment and stimulating the LOCAL economy.

OPTION 2:- Buy Cheap and PAY TWICE: Australian manufactured blinds carry spare parts and can even "reskin" external blinds if the fabric has worn. This is far better than the "disposable" society of buying cheap blinds, to only throw them out in a year or two because they are broken. Australian blind companies carry spare parts and can often repair your blinds at a minimal cost to you and the environment.

OPTION 3: Fabulous insulation: A blind is something you USE EVERY DAY. Your windows are one of the major areas that both HEAT and COLD come in and escape from your home. The more thickness or coverings you have on your windows the better. The best insulations are from the OUTSIDE IN. That is Aluminium Shutters and Fabric Awnings.  Then thick curtains, Plantation Shutters, Double (dual) roller blinds, and thick coated roller blind fabric. Even one roller blind on a window that is letting cold air into the room will make a difference.

What do we do with our waste?

Here at Premier Shades it's a work in progress believe me! We are trying to go paperless in our office, or at least reduce the paper we use.We recycle our aluminium off cuts as much as possible. This may mean also stripping old blinds and taking the aluminium off them so they don't end up in landfill. We have donated discontinued fabric to schools for back drops in plays or for use with craft.  We donate unusable wooden pallets to local charities to make furniture and sell for a profit.  We are very cautious of wastage in our factory and it is one of the KPI's to not waste. Keeping the factory clean and organised does help with this.