Williams-Sonoma Inc. Launches GreenRow
MILAN — Amping up its commitment to sustainability, home retailer Williams-Sonoma Inc. said Monday it has launched GreenRow, an internally designed and developed brand that incorporates sustainable materials and manufacturing practices to create “heirloom” products.
With longevity at the heart of the new label, GreenRow aims to produce colorful, vintage-inspired quality products that will be on display on GreenRow.com.
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Home to Pottery Barn, Pottery Barn Kids, Pottery Barn Teen, West Elm, Williams Sonoma Home, Rejuvenation, and Mark and Graham, Williams-Sonoma Inc. said this latest launch will feature living, bedroom, and dining furniture as well as rugs, bedding, bath, baby, lighting, pillows, throws, curtains, table linens, dinnerware and décor, all crafted using low-impact materials wherever possible, including responsibly sourced linen, cotton, wood and recycled materials. The debut collection features handmade, artisanal products.
In line with Williams-Sonoma Inc. practices already in place, GreenRow has partnered with third-party organizations to certify products against industry-leading standards such as Textile Exchange’s Global Recycling Standard, Fair Trade USA and Nest’s Ethical Handcraft Program, to promote more sustainable production and worker well-being throughout the supply chain. Customers who purchase a solid wood furniture product from GreenRow will also participate in Williams-Sonoma Inc.’s tree planting program, which plants a tree for every piece of wood furniture sold.
Last year the retailer doubled its tree-planting aims (from 3 million to 6 million trees by 2023) and took a spot among “Barron’s 100 Most Sustainable U.S. Companies,” being recognized as a top 10 global leader in responsibly sourced wood by the Sustainable Furnishings Council for four consecutive years.
Home and interiors has not avoided criticism as the ongoing environmental crisis unravels. A recent report by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on durable goods found that furnishings waste destined for landfills has risen nearly 400 percent compared to 1960. Across the board, big retailers and niche brands alike have been working to reduce the industry’s negative impact on the environment, reducing textile waste, limiting water pollution and unsafe labor conditions. Zara Home, which is owned by Inditex, has embraced natural materials like linen, cotton and oak, upcycling offcuts and reusing discarded materials.
In April, Italian bedding, bath, living and leisurewear-maker Frette stepped into the sustainable arena with a capsule collection that was showcased during Milan’s Design Week here.
Frette said the capsule collection is made of 100 percent organic cotton, utilizing a chemical-free dyeing process that employs dried poppy petals, and it celebrates the brand’s heritage, craftsmanship and commitment to quality.
Led by Jaimee Seabury, Williams-Sonoma Inc.’s vice president of strategy and business development, the GreenRow team worked in close collaboration with craftspeople in the U.S. and globally to design and develop products for the new brand.
“GreenRow is focused on creating modern heirlooms by combining bright colors and thoughtful details into sustainable materials,” Seabury said in a statement. “In addition to designing into a timeless aesthetic, we also committed to utilizing sustainable manufacturing practices and teaching our customers how to care for our products in order to ensure their longevity.”
“By utilizing our in-house design capabilities, sourcing teams, vendor relationships, purchasing power and our world-class supply chain, we were able to develop a new brand that addresses white space within the aesthetic of our portfolio and embraces our unwavering commitment to sustainability,” said Williams-Sonoma Inc. president and chief executive officer Laura Alber in a statement.
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