Filed under: Your Home, Design, etc, News & Trends
Some of Canvas's ecologically responsible wares. Photos: Canvas
When English couple and designers Andrew Corrie and Harriet Maxwell Macdonald decided to open their Soho store Ochre in 2005, they focused on beautiful, high-end lighting and accessories for the architect and designer market. As the store was flooded with foot traffic, they decided to create more affordable accessories that appeal to a wider audience.
Andrew Corrie at the Ochre store. Photo: Canvas
What makes Canvas interesting -- besides the gorgeous products -- are the stories behind the company's fair-trade principals. Corrie believes helping people help themselves is the key to building a better, more sustainable world. Canvas's reach is widespread as a result: The bath towels are made by a weaving cooperative in Southern India; gold glazed bowls are made in Peru; paper mache bins are made in Haiti and alpaca throws are made by a group of female weavers run by Marcela Contrera, general manager of Weavers and Designers.
"The groups we work with are local people who happen to have skills in a certain craft," says Corrie. "Frequently there is an amazing skill level that the participants already have, for instance, textiles in India." The goods are bought at market price, which is typically more expensive, but Corrie believes that customers are willing to pay for timeless, well-made and unique products.
When asked about what it means to be an eco-conscious and sustainable company, Corrie's answer is a bit unexpected -- it is clear that being totally green is complicated, to say the least. For instance, if a shopper buys organic cotton sheets, they might think they're making a green choice. However, producing cotton organically requires almost three times as much water as non-organic, commercial cotton. In an area with significant droughts, like certain parts of India, buying non-organic is actually a smarter choice.
Many of Canvas's goods are created by far-flung artisans. Photos: Canvas
Corrie is drawn to other shops that try their best to be green and sustainable, and he's a big advocate of the Green Depot, which is "basically a Home Depot, but selling green products." He also loves ABC Home, noting, "Paulette Cole, the head of ABC, is a visionary. She's been banging the green drum consistently for years." He's also a fan of BBDW, where he says the founder "knows more about wood and making things than anyone I've ever met." Ted Muehling, a Manhattan store where all products are made on the premises, is another favorite.
Corrie admits that his shopping picks are on the more expensive side, but he believes that those companies have more leeway to choose how the items they sell are produced. For more affordable, green picks, Corrie advises shoppers to head to local flea markets and craft fairs, the very places Corrie found some of the artisans that contribute to Canvas.
Besides asking questions and remembering to not take the "green" label at face value, Corrie says the best way to be eco-conscious is to shop thoughtfully, and avoid buying things just because they are cheap -- and just because you can. Corrie and Canvas strive to "make beautiful things that people will keep for a lifetime." Says Corrie: "We want to make something that lasts, gives pleasure, and most importantly, won't end up in a landfill." We couldn't imagine a more noble mission for a home brand.
Can't get to New York to visit Corrie's shop? No problem. Here's an in depth look at Canvas's new website.