Throw pillows are like the icing on the décor cake. These little gems of plushy goodness provide the perfect finishing touch for nearly every room in the house, and they’re a guilty pleasure some hardcore decorators might even deem mandatory. Fortunately, you don’t have to sacrifice style for compassion because we have some eco-friendlydecorative throw pillows that will seriously rock your world. But you know, softly.
Whether you plop them on your bed, sofa, floor, or your favorite wingback chair, toss pillows add much needed layers of color, texture, and warmth throughout your home. They are relatively inexpensive and have the potential to create serious design impact. Plus, choosing unique patterns and images can really allow you to express your personality without taking big risks.
Sadly, many pillows manufactured today contain some less than savory materials. Down feather inserts, wool, alpaca, synthetic materials, and chemically laced dyes are just a few of the obvious obstacles that we’re faced with when shopping for cushions. Not only can these be harmful to our health, but the animal derived materials are seriously cruel. If you need further proof, check out this article from PETA on the abuse of geese for their feathers to make down filling.
On the bright side, we don’t have to support these heartless manufacturers in their quest to inflict all sorts of pain and suffering on the human and animal populations because we’ve rounded up some conscious retailers with several beautiful and decorative cruelty-free pillows.
If you’re a fan of Australian wildlife, or any sort of cute animal really, then you’ll fall in love with these pillows featuring wombats, possums, and even crayfish. The graphic designer and printmaker who runs this little shop has brought her original designs to life in the form of charming, creature themed cushions and the occasional abstract image.
Bursaria Workshop uses recycled PET fiberfill whenever possible (which seems to be very often, if not all the time), utilizes organic hemp and organic cotton regularly, and prints using water based inks.
It goes without saying that these pillows would fit right in nestled on the bunk bed in a child’s room, but these are also great for the kid at heart. Add one or two of these among a small sea of cushions atop your sofa, or isolate and call attention to a single piece of furniture that holds a special place in your heart.
2. Zleep Shop
Bold geometric patterns and colors more your thing? Then look no further than the modern Zleep Shop. This small retailer contains a limited selection of designs, including the ever popular chevron, stripe, polka dot, scallop, and abstract printed encasements. Hand crafted from natural and eco-friendly materials, the pillows from this shop are made from exclusively organic cotton fabric.
Although bold and contrasting, these pillows are actually very versatile – just as easily as they are able to stand out, will they also blend in – it really just depends on the atmosphere and the overall design goal you’re interested in achieving.
Black and white geometric patterns are excellent safeguards to utilize when getting your feet wet with pattern mixing. These are generally neutral territory despite the contrasting images, but the basic color, or lack thereof, keeps them very grounded in a sea of other colors, images, and patterns. I recommend trying the chevron or scallop in black and white.
Finally we have the perfect shop for you to pick up your organic and sustainable fabric-based pillows from that has simple and modern cottage living in mind. With softer patterns and a more subdued palette, River Oak Studio definitely understands how to appeal to the masses.
The designs are sophisticated and look like they belong in a West Elm or Pottery Barn display for sure, although they can be a tad on the rustic side. Fortunately, this shop owner has good intentions with her use of eco-friendly water based inks for printing and organic cotton GOTS certified sateen.
These would be the highlight in a quaint and quirky bohemian abode, especially the patterns leaning more toward the organic side, like the feather, dahlia, and even bunny rabbit prints. When decorating for this laid-back style, eclectic is best, so it may be better to buy your pillow patterns singly, rather than in matching pairs.
With that said, this shop’s offerings really are so versatile that many of the pillow designs could be used in a variety of applications – from the nursery to the beach house, to the apartment of an avian obsessed fan – do spare a moment to check out this well-intentioned online shop.
We really hope you enjoyed our decorative eco-friendly pillows compilation. What did you think? Let us know your thoughts on the EcoSalon Facebook page!
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Image of Pillows on Bed via Shutterstock