The Truth About ‘Sustainable’ Design—It’s Still Mostly Greenwashing
We need to have an honest conversation about ‘sustainable’ design.
Right now, the industry is flooded with brands making big claims about being ‘eco-conscious’—but most of it is just strategic marketing. Reclaimed materials that aren’t actually reclaimed. Carbon offsets instead of actual change. ‘Recyclable’ products that will never actually be recycled. The reality? Most of the furniture and decor labeled sustainable is just slightly modified mass production, dressed up in green PR.
And let’s not even start on ‘fast furniture’ brands jumping on the sustainability bandwagon. If your entire business model is built on low-cost, disposable furniture with a 5-year lifespan, slapping an ‘eco’ label on one collection doesn’t change anything.
The Real Problem: Longevity vs. Optics
Sustainability isn’t about what a brand says. It’s about what happens to the products after you buy them.
Longevity is the only real sustainability metric that matters. The more often something needs to be replaced, the worse it is for the planet—no matter how many ‘sustainable’ badges it wears. A poorly made table that breaks in five years and gets replaced with another one? That’s twice the raw materials, twice the shipping, twice the waste. A well-made piece that lasts 30 years? That’s sustainability.
But here’s the catch: longevity isn’t always sexy. It doesn’t come with flashy marketing campaigns or ‘limited-edition green collections.’ It comes from intelligent material choices, time-tested craftsmanship, and a fundamental commitment to making things that don’t just look good but actually hold up.
Sustainability Is an Afterthought—It Should Be a Baseline
azur confort - riviera collection - built to last
Here’s what we believe at Fabryka Studios: sustainability shouldn’t be a trend. It should be a baseline expectation. The brands we work with don’t chase green labels—they build products that last, full stop. Materials that wear in, not wear out. Finishes that get better with age. Pieces designed to be passed down, not tossed out.
If we’re serious about sustainability, we need to stop giving credit to brands for meeting the bare minimum and start demanding better. Design should be built for the long haul. That’s the only thing that’s truly green.