Livette’s wallpapers are widely used in nurseries and bedrooms, so we are very conscious of the materials we use for our products. In this blog post we are answering often asked questions about what materials we use, how safe are they to use in nurseries and if they are recyclable.
1. What is vinyl and why we don't use it
I wanted to start with explaining what vinyl is and why we don’t use it. Vinyl is one of the most popular wallpaper materials, as it is very durable, affordable and washable. However there is one big but and it is the composition of the material. Vinyl is, in very simple words, made of backing layer - paper or fibre, and a plastic upper coating. The upper coating is what makes it toxic and extremely environmentally unfriendly. "According to the Center for Health, Environment & Justice (CHEJ), PVC plastic is one of the most hazardous consumer products ever created. PVC is dangerous to human health and the environment throughout its entire life cycle, at the factory, in our homes, and in the trash." What this means is that at every stage of this materials life, harmful toxins are released into the air we breathe and leaves, at first maybe unnoticeable, but negative impact to our health. For example, in the EU it is prohibited to use vinyl in toys that are meant for children under the age of 3 years. I trust this brief overview of vinyl shows that it is something we should avoid to use when decorating our homes where we and our loved ones spend so much time.
2. What materials we use and what are the specific features of them
The material we use for our self adhesive wallpaper is textile based wallpaper that is PVC-free and doesn't contain any plasticisers, glass fibers, heavy metals or formaldehyde and that includes the adhesive and the backing paper too. It is the same story with our traditional wallpaper material, as we also offer our designs as traditional wallpaper. It is a 100% non-woven material, that also doesn’t contain any of these harmful components. All very important elements that are suggested to avoid for a non toxic interior.
The inks we use to print our patterns have GREENGUARD Certification. Inks that have been provided with this certificate are regulated to have lower chemical emissions. Which means that the inks have been recognised as non-hazardous to health and don’t affect indoor air quality.
Lastly I would like to mention that both of the wallpaper materials are eco-friendly and 100% recyclable. This is also a very important feature as environmental issues are becoming more and more alarming every day.
I hope all this information has reassured you that Livette’s Wallpaper is the choice for your next wallpaper project! Are you planning a nursery or maybe your bedroom needs a little spruce up? Livette's wallpaper could be exactly what you are looking for! If you have doubts about which of the two materials you would prefer for your project see this blog post we recently created feature all the differences!
Image courtsey of @ciarachanelself
