This month at the Australian Industrial Ecology Conference 2018 we explored the various concepts required to get to circularity. The solutions posed were exciting and innovative and offer an inspiring vision for the circular economy.

Despite that comforting feeling underfoot, carpets can have a range of environmental and health impacts just like any other product. We’ve put together this handy guide to make life easier when you’re shopping for a sustainable carpet.

While we all need clothes to wear and furnishings in our homes and workplaces, textile products can have negative impacts on the environment and human health. So, what does it mean for a textile to be environmentally and socially preferable – as well as safer for your health?

Paints and coatings can have significant impacts on the environment and human health, depending on what ingredients and components they contain. For example, if a paint uses organic solvents rather than a water base, it will release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the surrounding air. Solvent-based paints can also contain about 50 percent more embodied energy.