Budget Blinds

Consumers are seeking out and choosing eco-friendlier products for their homes. The results of Information Resources Inc’s 2007 Sustainability study revealed that “the consumer market for sustainable products and packaging is viable and growing.” The survey also revealed that “one-in-five U.S. consumers are ‘sustainability-driven’ in brand and store selection.”

Window Treatments Help Reduce Energy Consumption and Are Eco-Friendly, Too

 To better educate its franchisees and customers, Budget Blinds polled the manufacturers in its Vendor Alliance to determine which products would be good choices for its eco-conscious customers. The company was pleased with the findings.

“We learned that we have a growing list of products available for customers who want to purchase environmentally friendlier items for their homes,” said Tracy Christman, Director of Budget Blinds’ Vendor Alliance.

“We were thrilled to hear that our entire private label program, Signature Series™ by Budget Blinds is certified by Green Built Home,” said Christman.

Green Built Home is a Wisc.-based organization that reviews and certifies products and building products that meet sustainable building and energy standards.

In addition to the Green Built Home certification, Budget Blinds’ Signature Series™ products are manufactured in facilities that have adopted many eco-friendly practices, such as: using sawdust to fire kilns and heat the factory, recirculating water in cooling systems that saves over 90 million gallons annually and recycling 75% of the total waste in one of its plants.

In addition to its Signature Series products, Budget Blinds offers a variety of products from its other Alliance vendors for people who want to make more environmentally-conscious purchases.

Low Indoor Emissions

Budget Blinds has a number of products that have been certified by the GREENGUARD Institute, an industry-independent organization that established stringent standards regarding acceptable indoor air quality standards for indoor products, environments and buildings.

Consumers interested in these products should inquire about the following products: Shutters and wood blinds, Genesis II roller shades and panel tracks made from Sheerweave 2000, 2390 or 2500 or Mermet 3G material. Retractable screens are also made with the Mermet 3G material.

Renewable or Recycled Resources

If consumers are interested in purchasing products that are made using renewable or recycled resources, they should inquire about the following products:

Woven Wood Shades are made from grasses, reeds, bamboo and jute, all renewable resource crops. Certain wood shutters and wood blinds are made with wood obtained from a certified sustainable hardwood forest.

Budget Blinds also sells area rugs that are made from renewable seasgrass, mountain grass, sisal and wool. Additionally, it sells rugs that are made using Nylon 6, a cradle-to-cradle program that recycles nylon rugs instead of depositing them in a landfill. Aluminum and cardboard are recycled at nearly every manufacturer.