Interior design

Helping the Planet by Choosing Recyclable Venetian Blinds

As the world realises global warming is real and that the exploitation of resources and unregulated product disposals are significant causes of the problem, people have been slowly shifting toward environmentally friendly products. Conscious consumers, in particular, are now paying attention to the manufacturing process of many products and determining how such products can potentially harm the environment. 

Seeing as they are also players in the movement, the window covering industry has also devised solutions to be more environmentally friendly. Manufacturers have increased the use of natural materials and introduced products like bamboo blinds and natural grass weave shades. More and more of their processes are also becoming recyclable, while incorporating them to traditional product offers.

If you want venetian blinds for your new home improvement project, here are some ways you can make sure you’re making environmentally sound choices every step of the way.

How to Choose Your Recyclable Blinds

If you got this far in the article, recyclability is obviously important to you. It’s a good thing venetian blinds are made of several types of eco-friendly, reliable, and blackout materials for blinds that are also great for privacy, light-blocking, and insulation. Some of the recommended types are aluminium blinds, bamboo blinds, and natural grass weave blinds. Homeowners always love their unique aesthetics.

The most common types of venetian blinds are made of PVC, metal, or wood. There are also various ways to recycle them. If you are the crafty one, you can even find other uses for these materials— repurposing them into another household item.

How to Make Sure Your Venetian Blinds Are Recycled

This is a simple but rather inconvenient process, especially if there are no recycling centres in your area. Regardless, this extra step is part of doing your role in saving the environment.

Search your neighbourhood to find out if there is a recycling centre close to you. If you have the time and energy, widen your search to surrounding areas if you can’t find a centre near you. Ask them if they accept blinds and if they only accept specific materials. 

However, if you don’t want to go out of your way to get to a recycling centre, you can approach your seller and ask them if they’re going to take back your used venetian blinds and repurpose it back to their manufacturing line. 

What to Do If You Can’t Find a Recycling Centre

If you can’t find a recycling centre, you can always give your blinds away to friends and family. Of course, you have to make sure that they are still in good condition. Donating them to charitable organisations is also an option.

You can also choose to be more creative about the whole thing. Repurpose your blinds into a new décour! The internet is full of DIY blogs and YouTube tutorials on fashion new items from your venetian blinds. Some examples are labels, pot decorations, frames, headboard covers—it’s all up to your imagination! 

Conclusion

If you want to reduce your carbon footprint, recycling your household items like venetian blinds is one of the most efficient ways to do it. Even if you think this practise is a minor contribution to the overall green movement, you’re still helping the environment and affecting positive change in your own small way.

It’s vital to choose a brand that can support your goal in helping the environment recover for the better. This is why we at Direct Fabric supply quality fabrics for hotels, care homes, schools, and more. We do both faux wood venetian blinds and metal venetian blinds. Get one of the best venetian blinds in the UK by ordering from us today!

Top 3 Blinds to Elevate Your Home Office

More people are embracing remote work as the pandemic revealed how productivity could happen anywhere, but finding an ideal space at home to fuel your motivation can be tricky. A dedicated home office has become a must to ensure the set-up is designed to support work-related activities comfortably, especially since the chaos of home life can detract from your focus. 

Converting an underutilised room into an office space for remote settings will need ergonomic furnishing and other upgrades, but other than desks and chairs, the area will need the right lighting to help cast a beautiful glow from the afternoon sun. With more lighting also comes the need for the best window treatments like blinds to reduce the glare on your screen and give you better control over the room’s brightness. 

If you’re wondering what kind of blinds you should buy for your home office, then the list below should help point you in the right direction!

The Best Blinds for Home Offices

1. Roller Blinds

Casting a sleek silhouette to any space, roller blinds are a classic choice that offers timeless beauty by creating an illusion of spaciousness even in small rooms. They’re a great option for minimalist remote environments since roller blinds can easily be tucked out of view thanks to their slender build. 

You have the option to go for see-through cotton fabrics for a lighter feel or heavy-duty curtains for those who want a more dramatic mood, relying on office lamps to set your working scene. With the wide range of fabrics available, it’s hard to go wrong with roller blinds for your home office. 

2. Roman Blinds

Adding understated elegance to your home office with its airy vibe, roman blinds uses fabric that stacks on top of itself as you roll it up, making your windows more visually striking. It’s a contemporary take on roller blinds, one that comes in different shades and styles. Simple, sleek, and sophisticated, roman blinds can work well with larger home offices.

3.Vertical Blinds

If you’re going for a unique home office that takes inspiration from the bold, trendy decade of the 1980s, then vertical blinds can create interesting silhouettes that are unlike any other. They add a vintage charm that can complement modern and monochrome home offices, plus they’re the perfect choice for areas with glass doors as you can move them from side to side without having to roll up the entire fabric. 

The Bottom Line: How Blinds Improve Style and Bring Productivity for Your Space

The right lighting and blinds can do wonders for boosting productivity at work—be it in the office or at home! The ideal blinds can help you save energy, reduce sun glare, and give you more room to play around with your lighting, so you can set up the perfect spot that lightens your mood. When done right, adding blinds to your home office can take your space’s visual appeal and functionality to a whole new level. 

How Can We Help You?

If you're looking to enhance the functionality of your windows and workspaces, it's best to reach out to Direct Fabrics and explore our wide range of Flame retardant Blinds!

We are a fabric supplier for hotels, care homes, schools, and other types of businesses. From stage curtains to hotel room curtains, office blinds to cubicle curtains and tracks—we're here to help brighten your space in more ways than one. 

What to Know About the Maintenance of Sun-Damaged Blinds

Most homeowners and business owners must know that window treatment upkeep and repair are required regularly. To add, cleaning your office blinds keeps them appearing new and appealing. Unfortunately, even the most diligent housekeeping can't keep fading blinds at bay. Read on to learn all about the maintenance of sun-damaged blinds.

What Causes Sunlight to Turn Blinds Yellow?

The sun has taken its toll on your blinds. This armour, like all others, wears out over time. UV rays chip away at any protective layer. If they aren’t covered, the blinds could become yellow. Follow these steps on how to clean yellow blinds:

1. Submerge your plastic or aluminium blinds in two to three cups of bleach if they contain tenacious stains. You can do this in a bathtub. Soak for at least ten minutes.
2. Remove the blinds once you're satisfied with the colour. 
3. Dry them gently with a clean cloth, being careful not to damage the slats. 
4. Reinstall the blinds so that the room can dry naturally.

Bleach and chemicals can also corrode wooden blinds. Instead of soaping them, use a moist sponge to dust and clean them. They should keep their colour if you tend to them often.

To preserve blinds from the sun, today's window treatment makers cover them with a UV-resistant coating. This covering will wear down over time. Regular cleaning helps extend the life of the original colour of the blinds.

The Sun and Faux Wood Blinds

Faux wood blinds seem like real wood blinds, but they are less expensive. These blinds are often made of polymer vinyl composite. Less costly faux wood blinds may have a softer foam composition. However, they may fade as a result of constant sun exposure.

Blinds with Faux Wood and UV Protection

During the production process, many faux wood blinds are UV-protected. This therapy protects against the sun. However, it is not indestructible. Vinyl blinds are more susceptible to sun damage than wood blinds. After a few years, the light-facing side of the blinds may fade or yellow. To keep your blinds from fading, place a fade-resistant curtain between them and the window. Cotton, polyester, acrylic, and rayon are examples of fade-resistant fabrics.

Sun-Warped Wood Blinds

Is it possible for sun-exposed wood blinds to warp? In a nutshell, it is dependent on the blinds. There are three types of wood blinds available: real wood, composite wood, and imitation wood blinds. Certain blinds are more resistant to UV rays and moisture than others.

Real Wooden Blinds

Real wooden blinds are entirely composed of natural, untreated wood. They are made from natural hardwoods such as oak, basswood, and cherry. Natural wood blinds are the most resistant to direct sunlight and heat, so they do not warp.

Composite-Wood Blinds

Composite-wood blinds are made from polystyrene, plastic resins, wood pulp, and PVC. While some of them are made of wood, it is not the major material. Plastic is the primary component of composite wood blinds. They are long-lasting, but their high plastic content makes them susceptible to warping in direct sunlight.

You should avoid dark-coloured slats because they absorb the greatest heat. If you wish to increase heat reflection, use off-white or plain white slats. Furthermore, extreme heat induced by high humidity will have little effect due to plastic's moisture resistance.

Conclusion

Investing in quality blinds is not merely about adding a decorative element to your space. With blinds, you provide yourself with privacy, luxury, and protection from natural elements outdoors. That is why you should know how to clean and maintain the different types of blinds. In knowing all these useful tips, you’ll be sure to avoid and treat sun damage to your blinds and keep your business looking appealing to potential customers.

Are you searching for commercial blinds? Direct Fabrics is the leading fabric supplier for almost any institution in the UK. Here, we provide you with countless flame-retardant choices for hotels, schools, and more. Contact us today and get your free quote and fabric samples!