Our Planet Pledge

Ultimately, we care about treading lightly.

Through our pledge with Ecologi we are involved in very worthwhile, well managed projects which help the planet. Some of these projects are in countries where some of our plant fibre materials are sourced. We are therefore actively giving back to these countries. 

Click here to view our Ecologi profile and the see projects we have already supported.

In particular, sisal is harvested in the dry arid areas of Madagascar. Here is the link to what we have achieved so far in supporting local re-planting, Mangrove planting in Madagascar, Ecologi. 

What else do we do? 

• All our carpets, rugs and runners are sent out in recycled and recyclable packaging.
• We use environmentally friendly packaging for our sampling and for all our marketing materials we use FSC accredited sources. 
• Our move to more digital communications is high on the agenda with 80% of financial and sales communications sent digitally rather than in paper format. 
• Alternative HQ has just refitted all its lighting to LED options. 

So far, we have planted over 28,200 real trees in our Alternative Forest. These are some of the projects we have supported:

• Reforestation projects in Mozambique
• Planting responsibly in Bosawas, Nicaragua
• Mangrove planting in Madagascar

How much carbon do these trees absorb?

Reforestation is widely understood as a major natural climate solution. From an ecological point of view we’re only just grasping the cost of what life is like without trees.

With our mangrove trees they capture up to four times as much carbon per acre than tropical rainforests. Three quarters of tropical fish rely on their root systems for nurseries and shelter.

The reforestation projects we fund aren’t certified as carbon offsets. The carbon emissions they will sequester will happen in the future, so for any reporting on offsetting a carbon footprint we only use certified offsets from our other projects (such as renewable energy). It’s this combination of making reductions today, and planning reductions in the future that is our approach to comprehensive strategy of limiting climate change.

We love promoting the well-being of everyone involved with Team Alternative, from our in-house team to every wonderful individual manu-crafting our products.

All our products involve people in their making. From the designers, farmers, scourers, dyers, spinners and weavers. Its not just a carpet and all of these people are needed to make and craft these beautiful textile floor coverings for your home. 

We pledge a monthly fee per employee to Ecologi which offsets the carbon footprint of every one of our employees, as well as offsetting any business travel. 

In total, this is 456 tonnes of CO² to be offset over the course of a year. 

We also encourage you to buy local. Support local communities and work with our local retail partners. 

Over 85% of our products are made from sustainable natural sources.  Our natural carpets are made from harvested plant fibres including sisal, seagrass, jute and coir, and sheep's wool. We try to be as transparent as possible about what our products are made from. 

Where hard-wearing synthetic fabrics are the only practical option, our timeless designs and production quality can be trusted to last, cutting the resource cost of wasteful replacements. We see it as smart sustainability. 

We are aware that every sample delivered to you will involve some kind of carbon emission. Thats why, through our partnership with Ecologi, we  pledge to plant a tree for every sample order you place online with us.

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