The eco-conscious consumer is a powerful force. Not only are they striving to save the planet by doing their bit on a daily basis, but they also play a key role in a much wider scope of living.
From household recycling to eco-friendly shopping, the furniture industry is taking note, and what’s more, providing solutions to this growing market.
Did you know that 45% of the UK population now actively seek products that are considered environmentally friendly? According to Statista 2022 data, this movement will only increase.
The report revealed that around 61% of consumers would be willing to pay more for eco-friendly DIY & Home products, while 65% would be willing to spend up to 20% more on eco-friendly products.
The appetite is there, and consumers are hungry for eco-friendly alternatives to the past norm of just design and practical-pleasing furnishings.
In fact, 69% of 18–44-year-olds would be willing to spend more on eco-friendly products and 50% of those aged 45 and over. This means that different generations are shifting their mindset to being greener.
So, with theme of green in mind, who is striding forward in the front line? Staingard.
Traditional protectors have relied upon chemical processes and technologies that are now being scrutinised in both America and Europe regarding emissions and lack of degradability. Staingard’s ethical commitment to the environment has led the company to be the first to launch an environmentally friendly alternative to the UK market.
Paul Aiston, Staingard’s Managing Director, revealed: “The protection of household items such as carpets and furniture combined with the need to protect our precious environment has led to the Staingard’s latest innovation, for me, it is vital that our business is ensuring a healthy environment for our grandchildren and the generations to come.”
Introducing Staingard’s new Eco Fabric Protector.
Taking the best of traditional compounds and combining with a new cleaner technological process, Staingard have stepped away from Fluorocarbons and created a non-toxic to the environment process, based upon polysiloxane chemistry. With its bio eliminating properties no harmful products seeps back into rivers or landscapes.
When it comes to fabric or carpet protection, oil and water are the foundations of permanent damage, Staingard eco has been laboratory tested and provides the shielding that enables total peace of mind for its customers.
“We will provide full support in stores promoting the environmentally friendly ethos of our retailers and a positive talking point for the sales teams. We will highlight the benefits as part of your instore experience,” Paul said.
Instore promotion has been carefully designed so that eco branded swing tickets adorn carpets and upholstery. This helps both the retailer and consumer easily identify greener products, as well as boosting that ‘feel-good factor’ when completing a sale.
Staingard have built up a strong reputation for quality of performance, product ranges and customer care with many years of research anticipating customers needs and finding the solution.
“We worked tirelessly testing alternative products until we formulated the same high-performance protection we are known for, whilst utilising an environmentally friendly production process and end user formula,” Paul added.
“Our retailers and their customers expect the best and that involves quality products and ethical solutions to make our lives easier and protect our environment for a brighter future.”
Staingard recently launched its new Eco Fabric Protector at the Furniture Show in Birmingham last month, where the reaction was overwhelmingly positive.
Paul continued: “The response to the launch of the Eco protector was very positive and a significant number of retailers pledged their support for this initiative. We are currently broadening our instore promotional tools regarding Staingard Eco Fabric Protector, as its clear many retailers are passionate about developing a strong eco-friendly message both instore and online. It’s not just about the product range, customers are looking at the ethos of a company- and looking for environmentally friendly solutions.
“We were delighted with the response at the Furniture Show, it was apparent in these tougher retailing times new clients are looking for the best commercial terms combined with the security of a robust and reliable supply chain. The depth of the Staingard proposition combined with trust in the Staingard brand prompted many retailers to expand their existing portfolio of Staingard products and even more to become new customers. Footfall was undoubtably down on the last show, which was to be expected, however top buyers were present and in an optimistic mood prompting some good order commitments. Overall, we’re very happy with the show.”
The show success adds to a positive year so far, with the business continuing to perform well, driven by constant awareness and their ability to provide solutions.
“Furniture Care has been largely unaffected as retailers strive to improve margins which as a consequence has provided us with significant growth,” Paul revealed. “Care Plan Policies in particular show an upward trend as consumers look for usage longevity and appearance retention on large household purchases.
“Matressgard and Floorgard are both significantly up year-on-year as consumer awareness and retailer activity drives sales of these all-important additional products. As with our Eco protector consumers seem happy to invest in high performing solutions when it comes to easy living and care of the home.”
Looking ahead, Staingard reaffirmed it wants to promote its message and product, while also teasing with some future projects in the pipeline.
“We know the environmental impact of relying purely on Flurocarbon technology for the protection of household items, so our mission is to make a difference with our Eco Fabric Protector,” Paul said.
“Our message for 2022 is clear, become a Staingard Eco partner and united we can make a difference! Environmentally sound packaging and products are fast becoming part of our ethos, so expect further developments on this as the year goes on.
“We are also looking at some exciting innovations to create immersive in-store experiences – that’s all we can say at the present! Keep an eye on our website and social media pages for announcements on how we are supporting retailers and inspiring consumers for brand loyalty.”
For more information, visit staingard.co.uk.