12 Sustainable Lighting Brands Illuminating Your Eco-Home
Looking for ways to light up your home without harming the environment? Sustainable lighting brands are here to help. From recycled cardboard to upcycled materials, these brands offer a range of eco-friendly lighting options that are both stylish and sustainable. Here are 12 of the most sustainable lighting brands that can help you achieve a well-lit ambiance in your eco-home.
1. GRAYPANTS
Graypants is a design studio based in Seattle and Amsterdam that specializes in creating sustainable lighting solutions for homes, restaurants, bars, and offices. The studio’s Scraplights collection is made from recycled corrugated cardboard, which is partially recycled (at least 50%) and held together with non-toxic glue. The frames on the eco-friendly lamps are made from brass or powder-coated steel. Graypants also uses FSC-certified plywood, acrylic, aluminum, and forged iron for other collections. The brand is committed to socially and environmentally responsible production, and its sustainable lights are handmade in either Seattle or Amsterdam by makers valued for their work.
2. GOODEE
GOODEE is a POC-founded online marketplace that offers a range of sustainable living products, including sustainable lighting options. The marketplace features brands that report on their supply chain and labor standards, as well as their ecological footprint. GOODEE’s sustainable lighting options include woven lampshades made from a combination of PET recycled plastic bottles and natural plant fibers, handcrafted pendants made from Ghanaian elephant grass with polished brass fixtures, and eco-friendly lamps made from mouth-blown glass. The marketplace also sells energy-efficient bulbs by Tala that reduce energy use by 90% and last 10 to 15 times longer than traditional bulbs.
3. THE CARDBOARD BOUTIQUE
The Cardboard Boutique is a UK-based small business that creates environmentally friendly lighting fixtures from 100% recycled cardboard. The brand draws inspiration from the 60s and 70s, as well as Danish design, to create retro-inspired designs for every room in the house. The brand’s sustainable lighting fixtures are handcrafted in their small Nottingham studio, and any hardware used is made from steel.
4. BURROW
Burrow is a sustainable furniture brand that offers a range of eco-friendly lighting options, including table lamps and floor lamps. The brand uses eco-friendly materials such as bamboo, rattan, and reclaimed wood to create its sustainable lighting fixtures. Burrow also offers sustainable coffee tables and other furniture pieces that can help you create a well-lit and eco-friendly home.
5. RECREATED LIGHTING
Recreated Lighting is a sustainable lighting brand that creates steam-punk sustainable lights from recycled materials. The brand’s sustainable lighting fixtures are made from upcycled materials such as vintage materials, copper, and aluminum. Recreated Lighting’s sustainable lights are perfect for creating a well-lit ambiance in your eco-home.
6. STICKBULB
Stickbulb is a sustainable lighting brand that uses reclaimed wood to create its eco-friendly lighting fixtures. The brand’s sustainable lights are heirloom-quality and designed to last for generations. Stickbulb’s sustainable lighting fixtures include floor lamps, table lamps, and pendants that are perfect for illuminating your eco-home.
7. COLLECTIVISTE
Collectiviste is a sustainable lighting brand that creates eco-friendly lighting fixtures from sustainable materials such as bamboo and stained glass. The brand’s sustainable lights are perfect for creating a warm and inviting ambiance in your eco-home. Collectiviste also offers a range of sustainable home decor items that can help you create a well-lit and eco-friendly space.
8. BICYCLE GLASS CO.
Bicycle Glass Co. is a sustainable lighting brand that creates eco-friendly lighting fixtures from recycled glass bottles. The brand’s sustainable lights are perfect for creating a unique and eco-friendly ambiance in your home. Bicycle Glass Co. offers a range of sustainable lighting options, including pendants and table lamps.
9. LIKE MINDED OBJECTS
Like Minded Objects is a sustainable lighting brand that creates eco-friendly lighting fixtures from recycled materials such as scrap metal and reclaimed wood. The brand’s sustainable lights are perfect for creating a rustic and eco-friendly ambiance in your home. Like Minded Objects also offers sustainable furniture pieces that can help you create a well-lit and eco-friendly space.
10. DAVID TRUBRIDGE
David Trubridge is a sustainable lighting brand that creates eco-friendly lighting fixtures from sustainable materials such as bamboo and FSC-certified plywood. The brand’s sustainable lights are perfect for creating a warm and inviting ambiance in your eco-home. David Trubridge also offers a range of sustainable furniture pieces that can help you create a well-lit and eco-friendly space.
11. HONEY & IVY
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HOW WE FOUND THE BEST SUSTAINABLE LIGHTING
FINAL THOUGHTS ON ECO-FRIENDLY LIGHTING FOR HOMES
When searching for sustainable lighting options, the team looked at a variety of factors, including materials, supply chain and labor practices, green business practices, and community and charitable giving.
In terms of materials, the most sustainable lamp materials are those that are recycled and/or recyclable, such as scrap cardboard, glass waste, plastic bottles, and salvaged wood. When new natural materials are used, such as bamboo, wood, and shells, they should be responsibly sourced. Other infinitely recyclable materials include brass, glass, and aluminum. For bulbs, sustainable LED lights are the way to go. With 85% less power consumption than halogen bulbs, they’re energy-efficient and long-lasting.
When it comes to supply chain and labor practices, ethical lighting brands are small businesses that operate out of design studios/workshops and source locally available materials. While there is not yet the same level of transparency with the makers of the most eco-friendly lighting brands as there is with ethical jewelry or sustainable clothing brands, things are moving in the right direction.
Beyond sustainable materials, the brightest eco-friendly lights are those that are made-to-order to minimize waste, shipped in recycled packaging, produced using carbon-conscious methods, and designed to last a long time. While not a necessity, brands that give back to charity or environmental initiatives certainly add a warm glow to any eco-friendly bedroom lighting.
So, what are the most sustainable lights? As always, they’re the ones you already own (without the halogen and incandescent bulbs…). A key aspect of sustainable interior design is using what you already have followed by preloved acquisitions. While it may only be a small light at the end of a long tunnel, supporting eco-friendly lighting companies when you do need to buy new is one step toward a brighter future.
