Timeless design & sustainable materials: Yorkshire interiors firm offers you confidence and a clear conscience

The answer is right here in Yorkshire of course, where Rodgers of York offer not only a wide range of furniture and furnishings from well-established names at reasonable prices, but where they go the extra mile to protect the planet and the earth’s natural resources.

Not only is Rodgers of York an environmentally-conscious retailer, but they also look for the same high ecological standards when it comes to choosing the brands they stock – whilst never compromising on quality or design.

Recycling is king here – from the paper, cardboard and other packaging which has to be disposed of, to the old furniture and carpets which they take away from their customer’s homes as part of the service. Just 15 per cent of the waste from Rodgers of York goes into landfill.

Even this second-hand furniture gets a new lease of life as Rodgers works with York Community Furniture Store, to give away furniture to those most in need.

If you want inspiration to give your dining area or living room a new look, are considering new flooring or need to track down the perfect lighting or accessories to create the look you want, then you’ll find inspiration here at Rodgers in their room sets and ranges.

Let’s take five

So what impact does sustainability and eco-awareness have on design? We took a look at some of the brands featured at Rodgers to see what materials are being used and how they are sustainable.

Ulster Carpets

Ulster are renowned as manufacturers of high-quality wool carpets. Wool, of course, is a rapidly renewable material with a sheep’s fleece regrowing in a year. Most of Ulster’s ranges are a mix of 80% wool with 20% nylon yarn. They have an un-dyed range called Natural Choice which is suitable for heavy wear in the home, but which has been designed to minimise any impact on the environment. Even their underlay is made from 100% recycled materials including old carpets and rubber tyres, which is good news for the environment but also for homeowners, as wool carpets provide insulation, improve air quality and have anti-allergy properties.

Woodpecker flooring

Staying on the floor we got down to brass tacks with Woodpecker Flooring. Wooden floors have long been in vogue and our passion for them shows no sign of waning. But with deforestation at the forefront of environmental concerns it’s good to know that the wood used by Woodpecker is from responsibly managed sustainable forests and is fully certified to the highest standards. They also manufacture flooring using versatile and strong bamboo – a super-sustainable option given this plant grows even faster after cutting and regenerates every five years. Woodpecker is aiming to be the first carbon negative flooring company by 2030, and it is also creating the Woodpecker forest of tomorrow, planting 50,000 saplings over 200 acres around their home in South Wales.

Stressless

This Norwegian furniture company is renowned for the elegant and supremely comfortable sofas and chairs they produce. But for Stressless being green is more than just a claim – it’s a way of life.

They re-use materials – collecting excess wood chops from making their European Beech chair bases – and burn it to heat their factory and offices. Scrap leather is not thrown away but sold on to other companies making smaller leather products and they carefully source sustainable materials such as water-based paints and lacquers used in finishing.

Not only are they made from sustainable materials but their furniture is made to be sustainable and, if looked after well, should last a lifetime.

Hypnos

You can sleep easy on a Hypnos bed knowing not only will you get a comfortable night’s sleep but safe in the knowledge that you’re helping protect the plant’s resources. They were the first carbon-neutral bedmaker in the world (indeed they were the only ones for a decade) and hold the Queen’s Award for Enterprise for Sustainable Development.

All their beds and mattresses can be recycled and they work with other organisations such as Red Tractor, Better Cotton Initiative and Cotton Connect when sourcing materials. Any timber used in bed bases is from managed sustainable forests and they were the first bedmaker to comply with ISO 14001 Environmental Management Systems.

Venjakob

Venjakob, a leading maker of high-end living room and dining furniture say sustainability begins with design. They were one of the first companies in the furniture industry to voluntarily offset their emissions in accordance with the ‘Clean Development Mechanism’. Wood is from carefully selected suppliers, furniture is naturally finished, and they make contributions to replanting of local deciduous forests. Economy and ecology are of equal importance – and their designs strive to be timeless so they not only last a lifetime but look good for a lifetime too.

Buy with confidence and a conscience

If you want to look at updating your home furnishings or floor coverings with minimal harm to the environment take a look at Rodgers of York, for inspiration.

They can be found at Monk’s Cross, York, YO32 9JR. Or browse their website here