Category Sustainability

Merida tries to be as sustainable as possible by maintaining close relationships with the growers and weavers of our natural fibers. One local company with a similar business model is Taza Chocolate. Taza was founded in 2006 in Somerville, MA, to celebrate the tradition of Meso-American chocolate. The founders, Alex Whitmore and Larry Slotnick, knew from the beginning that they wanted to create a “company with a conscience” – they wanted Taza to be economically, socially, and environmentally sustainable – which of course are three of the same business goals that we have here at Merida.

Taza chocolate is USDA certified organic and has a relatively small number of “food miles” compared to other chocolates because all of the beans are grown in the Dominican Republic or elsewhere in Latin America, not in far-off regions like Africa or the South Pacific. The Taza team strengthens their relationship with producers by visiting each farm at least once a year and by adhering to their “Direct Trade” program. Taza Direct Trade is a commitment to respect the rights of all workers and to respect the environment. Growers are fairly paid for their work and Taza only sources from farms where workers are humanely treated. Taza’s Direct Trade practices are also third party verified to ensure that their model is sound.

Back in their Somerville factory where the chocolate is processed, an infrastructure is in place to ensure that everything is as efficient and eco-friendly as possible. Taza partnered with GoGreen Somerville to work towards a zero-waste operation. Their products are all shipped in 20-100% post-consumer recycled packaging and as much waste as possible is composted. Taza also makes an effort to have local orders delivered by bike, and further orders are shipped using UPS’s carbon-neutral shipping program.

What makes Taza Chocolate even more unique is that the final product is completely vegan! No, its not “milk” chocolate. It is completely free of animal products. Even the fertilizer in which the beans were grown contains no animal byproducts. The chocolate is also gluten free and contains powerful antioxidants, so you can feel good both about your health and about the production of the product.

photos courtesy of tazachocolate.com

Consumers want to buy products that are good for the environment, which is great, except that some companies are using marketing tactics to exploit this demand. People are often rushed when they shop, so they make a quick comparisons of products and a snap decision on what is best for their budget, their family, and the environment. Marketers know this and design big green labels that say “All Natural” in huge font. Even though an item is packaged in green with a leafy logo doesn’t necessarily mean it is the best option for the environment. That is why it is important to be aware of the true definition  of different “environmental” terms that may either be used to scam you into purchasing a not-so-green product or to help you identify the truly green options.

All Natural – There is no industry-wide definition of “all natural” which means companies may use the term differently. The FDA prohibits using misleading language on labels which should prevent companies from misusing the words “all natural”, however, the FDA does not provide specific regulations on the term so its use is still rather hazy.

Biodegradable –  A product made of natural materials that will eventually decompose back into the earth with the help of microorganisms.

Compostable – A material that breaks down to become dirt that contains no toxins and can support plant life.

Eco-Friendly – interchangeable with the term “green”. Referring to something environmentally preferable. On its own, this term provides no specific criteria.

Fair Trade – a certification code that verifies that farmers receive a fair price for their
products. Through Fair Trade programs, farmers receive credit and are given necessary assistance in order to eventually become a self-sufficient business.

GMOs – Genetically Modified Organisms, Organisms from bacteria, plants or animals which have been genetically changed in a laboratory through DNA technology.

Green – Vague descriptive term referring to anything environmentally friendly.

Organic – Grown without conventional pesticides, artificial fertilizers or sewage and processed without food additives. Food products from animals have not been subjected to routine antibiotics or growth hormones. A USDA Organic certified label means that the product’s claims of being organic were verified by a third party.

Post Consumer Recycled – A product or material that was sold or used by consumers and then reused or made into another consumer product.

Recycled – Can mean either post consumer recycled o pre-consumer recycled. A pre-consumer recycled item is a  product or material which has been recycled or reused before it has become a consumer product. For example, an item made from factory scraps or waste materials that have not yet been used or sold to the general population.

In our ongoing process to become 100% sustainable, Merida has implemented The Natural Step, a decision making framework, that educates employees about sustainability issues related to products and supply chain. The Natural Step was developed by a Swedish doctor named Karl-Henrik Robert. Over twenty years ago, Dr. Robert wrote his innovative theories in what he called The Consensus Document. This document details a model of decision making for communities and cities that would help accelerate change toward sustainability while still meeting the other goals set by the community. This document was so profound that it was praised by the King of Sweden and a copy was sent to every household in the country! The framework became the subject of a university masters program in Sweden and eventually became the purpose of the non profit organization: The Natural Step.

The Natural Step organization helps implement Dr. Robert’s unique framework in businesses, schools, cities, non-profits, and other institutions around the world. They do this by providing customizable e-learning courses, workshops, events, and speakers. Through the educational courses, the employees of a given company will learn how to make decisions that achieve business goals in a more sustainable way. This applies to small daily decisions all the way up to the strategic and creative planning of the company as a whole. What makes The Natural Step decision-making process unique is that problems are solved using a method called “backcasting” in which people start by thinking of the ultimate goal that they are trying to achieve and work backwards. Once the backwards goal-achievement process is laid out, then strategies are outlined, action is taken, and actions/achievements are monitored. By monitoring each decision and action, companies can make adjustments if outcomes are not aligning with their pre-determined goals.

Merida has adopted The Natural Step by educating employees and by becoming more aware of how to make our products and supply chain more environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable. The Natural Step has also helped broaden our overall understanding of how decisions made by businesses like ours can affect global issues and help make progress towards positive change. Our goal is to bring beautiful sustainable natural fiber rugs to consumers, and the Natural Step is helping us achieve this with a global outlook.

With the production of any type of product, there is bound to be waste. Companies, like Merida, that consider sustainability a core company value, make sure not only that their waste is as minimal as possible, but also that, when feasible, their waste is put to good use. In Merida’s case, scrap material from the rug manufacturing process is donated to three worthy causes: Heading Home, Habitat for Humanity, and  left over wool yarn from our factory in Fall River, MA is donated to a local knitting group that weaves clothing for the homeless.  These three initiatives are big steps in our effort to make the production process 100% sustainable.
Heading Home is a program striving to end homelessness in the Greater Boston Area. They focus on providing permanent housing for individuals and families in need. Especially during the current economic downturn, the services provided by Heading Home are in great demand. In fact, there are approximately 5,000 homeless people in the Boston area alone. Since Heading Home’s goal is to provide very low income people with truly permanent housing solutions, they are reliant on donations of both funding and material goods. Merida is happy to help the program by providing scraps from the Fall River factory that can be used as quality area rugs and doormats. With donations of furniture, clothes, and appliances, Heading Home helps turn bare living spaces into warm cozy homes for those who need them most.
Habitat for Humanity also accepts donations of building materials and furniture. The international organization has many ReStore locations across both the United States and Canada where people can both donate and purchase building materials. There are four Habitat ReStores in Massachusetts, located in: Carver, Fitchburg, Pittsfield, and Worcester. The ReStores are basically thrift shops of home building materials and appliances. They sell items that would normally end up in a landfill and raise money for their housing program at the same time. So scraps of Merida rugs are sold for extremely discounted prices at ReStore warehouses for a good cause.

And since many of Merida’s natural fiber area rugs are made from wool, there ends up being extra wool yarn available at our Fall River factory. Wool is very versatile and can be knit into many types of clothing or blankets for people in need. We are happy to donate this scrap yarn to local knitting groups so that they can create quality items for the area’s neediest families.
Merida’s affiliation with these programs helps our company engage in community development and support causes we believe in, while also helping our products be as environmentally sustainable as possible.

At Merida, we understand the link between human health and the environment. That is why our Pure line of area rugs focuses on providing the best balance of quality, safety, sustainability, and beauty to consumers. But, of course, living a healthy and sustainable lifestyle isn’t just about rugs, which is why we keep an eye out for products that sync with our mission. Our latest find is Bobble water bottles.

Bobble provides the convenience, portability, and purity of traditional bottled water without wasting ridiculous amounts of plastic. Bobble bottles are reusable, BPA free, water bottles that small have a built-in water filter. They are basically portable Brita filters. Much like the larger Brita filters, Bobble uses a carbon filtration system. The powerful filters come in fun colors and last two months or for 40 gallons of water. Filtering water makes it taste and smell better while also removing potentially harmful organic compounds and some metals. This is great for people that are concerned about their home having old lead pipes or their city water having too much chlorine or other impurities. Plus, the bottles are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Filter

Bobble bottles are sustainable because they are made from BPA-free recycled plastic, and are intended to prevent people from purchasing disposable plastic bottles of water. Even though the bobble filters are disposable, they are equivalent to approximately 300 traditional bottles of water! This is incredible, especially because, according to the Mother Nature Network, bottled water creates 1.5 million tons of waste per year. Whats worse, is that while this plastic is recyclable, most people don’t take the time or effort to properly recycle the bottles. In the end 80% of them are simply thrown away and sent to landfills or incinerators. And since plastic is derived from petroleum, the bottled water industry is responsible for the use of 47 million gallons of oil per year in order to produce their one-time use bottles. This is waste we can do without, which is why we are so impressed by Bobble’s innovative design.

            Besides beautiful natural fiber area rugs by Merida, it can sometimes be tricky to decide which eco-friendly materials and products are right for your home. Greenwashing is prevalent these days making it difficult to distinguish responsibly made products from wannabe-green products. DESIGN New England magazine has been particularly helpful in highlighting quality green companies– in the past few issues they did a great job profiling sustainable materials and companies. One company in particular –Fireclay Tile — caught my attention.

Fireclay creates beautiful ceramic tiles from recycled materials. They are dedicated to using both sustainable materials and sustainable manufacturing processes. They recycle heat from their kiln and reuse water as much as possible. Some of their tiles are created using as much as 70% post-industrial recycled content – mostly granite dust. Unlike many ceramics, Fireclay never uses lead in their glazes, so the tiles are no environmentally friendly and safer for home use. 

Handmade Tiles

One of my favorite products by Fireclay is their BottleStone countertop tile. 80% of the BottleStone tile is made from post-consumer recycled glass bottles! Incredible! In 2008, BottleStone was named the Most Innovative Green Building Material at the California Cleantech Open. It does not emit any VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) and production of BottleStone uses 42% less carbon dioxide than comparable products. Plus, use of BottleStone makes your project eligible for LEED credits. Sadly, BottleStone isn’t openly available on the market just yet because the materials are still in the final stages of development. Fireclay claims that BottleStone is scratch, heat, and stain resistant making it perfect for home or commercial use. I eagerly await its release and am excited to read consumer testimonials.  

BottleStone Countertops

Another great product by Fireclay is their Express Series Recycled Ceramic Tile. Developed after people expressed concern about Fireclay’s high price points, the Express Series Recycled Ceramic Tile is the much more affordable for everyday consumers. Like the more expensive models, the Express tiles are made from 60%+ recycled materials, but cost about 25% less. Express tiles are all made in the United States and are eligible for LEED points. The Express Series is a great example of a product that was created with both the Earth and consumers in mind.