Journal

On 14 May 2024, I arrived in Switzerland for the first time.

It was cold, yet the day itself was remarkably bright and sunny. I had come to Switzerland to begin a new chapter of my life and pursue my bachelor's studies at the University of Zurich. Like many people arriving in Switzerland for the first time, I was immediately captivated by the country's natural beauty- the mountains, the landscapes, the calmness, and the remarkable sense of order that seemed to surround everyday life.

But something else gradually caught my attention.

It was not something I had specifically travelled to Switzerland to study. It was something I began noticing in everyday life: the way quality, functionality, simplicity and design could come together in ordinary things.

I became particularly interested in home accessories and interior products.

Some of the products I encountered had a quality that genuinely stayed with me. They were visually refined without feeling unnecessarily complicated. They were functional without sacrificing beauty. Their details appeared carefully considered, and many of the products I personally used remained useful and attractive over time.

That experience changed the way I looked at the objects we bring into our homes.

What Does Sustainable Really Mean for a Home Accessory?

The word sustainable has become extremely common in the world of home decor.

We see terms such as:

• Eco-friendly

• Sustainable

• Natural

• Green

• Recyclable

• Responsible

• Conscious

• Environmentally friendly

But a label alone cannot tell the complete story of a product.

A genuinely thoughtful approach to sustainability requires looking beyond one material, one marketing claim, or one stage of a product's life.

The United Nations Environment Programme describes sustainable consumption and production through a life-cycle perspective-considering resource use, production, distribution, consumption, reuse, and disposal rather than looking at only one stage.

That gives us a much better starting point.

Instead of asking:

Is this home accessory sustainable?

I believe we should ask:

How thoughtfully has this product been designed, produced, used and kept in circulation throughout its life?

That is a much harder question, but it is also a much more meaningful one.

Why Sustainability Is About More Than the Material

One of the most common misunderstandings about sustainable products is the assumption that the material alone determines whether something is sustainable.

It doesn't.

Imagine two products.

One is made from a material that sounds environmentally preferable, but it is poorly constructed and needs to be replaced quickly.

Another is carefully designed, durable, maintainable, and remains useful for many years.

Simply looking at the material would not tell us the entire story.

A product's environmental impact can involve raw-material extraction, manufacturing, transportation, use, maintenance, and what happens after the product is no longer needed. UNEP and the European Environment Agency both emphasize this broader life-cycle approach.

So when I evaluate a home accessory, I don't want to stop at:

What is it made from?

I want to continue with:

How is it made?

How long is it likely to remain useful?

Can it be maintained?

Can it be repaired?

Can it continue to be used by someone else?

What happens at the end of its useful life?

This way of thinking gives us a much more complete picture.

Start With the Materials but Look at the Whole Story

Materials are important.

The material used in a home accessory can influence durability, resource use, maintenance requirements, recyclability, and other environmental considerations.

But there is no universal rule that says:

Recycled = automatically sustainable

The reality is more nuanced.

What Should You Ask About Materials?

When considering a home accessory, ask:

• What materials does it contain?

• Is the material appropriate for the product's intended use?

• Is the product durable enough for that use?

• Is the material information clearly disclosed?

• Are multiple materials permanently bonded together?

• Can different components potentially be separated?

• Is there credible information supporting environmental claims?

This is particularly important when you encounter broad claims such as 100% eco-friendly.

A specific explanation is generally more useful than a vague environmental promise.

For example, knowing that a product contains a particular material, how much of it is recycled, or whether components can be separated gives a consumer more meaningful information than simply seeing the word “green.”

The European Environment Agency similarly emphasizes that sustainable consumption depends on better product information and design that supports durability, repairability, reuse and recycling.

The principle I follow

Don't choose a product because one material sounds sustainable. Understand the product as a whole.

Quality and Durability Matter

This is one of the strongest lessons I personally took from my experience with home products in Switzerland.

A beautiful object is easy to appreciate when it is new.

A truly valuable object is one that continues to serve you well after the novelty has disappeared.

That is where durability becomes important.

The European Environment Agency identifies longer product lifespans, durability, repairability and upgradability as important pathways toward more sustainable and circular consumption. Longer-lasting products can reduce the frequency with which new products need to be purchased and therefore reduce associated resource demand.

This does not mean that every durable product is automatically sustainable.

It means that longevity deserves to be part of the conversation.

What Does Good Durability Look Like?

Depending on the type of home accessory, consider:

Construction

Does the product appear appropriately constructed for its intended use?

Materials

Are the materials suitable for the stresses and conditions the product will experience?

Components

Are there parts that are particularly likely to fail?

Finish

Is the finish appropriate for how the product will be used and maintained?

Everyday use

Can the product realistically withstand normal use?

These questions are more useful than simply asking whether something looks premium.

Because premium appearance and genuine quality are not always the same thing.

Timeless Design Can Encourage Longer Use

There is another form of longevity that is often overlooked.

It is not physical.

It is emotional and visual longevity.

A product can remain physically functional but still be discarded because its owner no longer wants it.

Why?

Sometimes the design was built around a short-lived trend.

Sometimes the product no longer fits the person's changing space.

Sometimes it simply loses its appeal.

The European Environment Agency describes this concept as emotional durability- designing products in ways that encourage people to keep them because they remain appealing or can adapt over time.

This idea is particularly important to me.

I have always been drawn to the idea that a beautiful home does not need to constantly change with every new trend.

To me, timeless design means:

• simplicity without being empty

• elegance without unnecessary decoration

• functionality without visual compromise

• character without excessive complexity

• beauty that can remain relevant over time

A timeless accessory has a better opportunity to remain part of a home rather than becoming something that is quickly replaced.

And that is one reason I believe sustainability and beautiful design do not need to be opposites.

Functionality Is Part of Good Sustainable Design

A home accessory should have a purpose.

That purpose might be practical, decorative, organizational, atmospheric, or a combination of several things.

But I believe every object should answer a simple question:

Why does this deserve a place in my home?

This is where good design becomes important.

A beautiful object that performs its intended function well can become something we genuinely value.

A product that looks attractive but provides little useful value may be much easier to replace or forget.

Think About Function Before Purchase

Before buying a home accessory, ask:

What problem does it solve?

What does it add to my space?

Will I use it regularly?

Does its design support its purpose?

Would I still want it if the current trend disappeared?

This is not about turning every home into a purely functional space.

Our homes should also bring us beauty, comfort, personality and emotion.

It is about making sure that the things we bring into those spaces have meaningful value.

Good Design Starts Before the Product Reaches Your Home

A product's sustainability story does not begin when you open its packaging.

It begins much earlier.

It begins at the design stage.

Design decisions can influence:

• material selection

• product lifespan

• repairability

• disassembly

• maintenance

• recyclability

• resource consumption

• packaging

• eventual reuse

The European Commission's Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation establishes a framework aimed at improving product sustainability characteristics, including durability, reparability, recyclability and resource efficiency for products within its scope.

UNEP also emphasizes that circularity begins with design and seeks to keep products and materials in use through approaches such as reuse, repair, refurbishment, repurposing and recycling.

This leads to an important principle:

The best time to think about sustainability is before a product is manufactured, not after it becomes waste.

What Happens When Something Goes Wrong?

No product lasts forever.

Even a well-designed home accessory can eventually experience wear, damage, or component failure.

That is why I believe we should ask an important question before purchasing:

If something goes wrong, does the entire product have to be discarded?

Where practical, repairability can extend a product's useful life.

Consider whether:

• components can be replaced

• parts can be accessed

• the product can be safely disassembled

• maintenance information is available

• small failures can be addressed without replacing everything

The EEA identifies repairability as one of the characteristics that can help extend product lifespans, while UNEP places repair and reuse within its circularity framework.

Not every home accessory will be repairable, and not every product needs complicated repair mechanisms.

But when repair makes sense, it is worth considering.

Maintenance Is Part of the Product's Life

We often talk about how a product is made.

We talk less about how it is treated after purchase.

But maintenance can matter enormously.

A product that receives appropriate care has a better chance of remaining functional and attractive for longer.

Simple Habits Can Make a Difference

Depending on the product:

• follow the manufacturer's care instructions

• use appropriate cleaning methods

• avoid unnecessary exposure to damaging conditions

• inspect components when appropriate

• address small problems before they become larger ones

• store products appropriately when they are not in use

The EEA identifies careful use and preventive maintenance as actions that can contribute to longer product lifespans.

This is an important shift in mindset.

Sustainability is not simply:

What did the manufacturer do?

It is also:

What do I do with the product after I own it?

Packaging Matters but It Is Only One Part of the Story

Packaging is one of the most visible aspects of sustainability.

And yes, unnecessary packaging should be avoided where practical.

But I don't think sustainability should be reduced to packaging.

A product with beautifully designed packaging is not automatically a responsible product.

Likewise, reducing packaging is not enough if the product itself is poorly made and quickly discarded.

A more thoughtful approach considers:

Is the packaging necessary?

Packaging should protect the product, but unnecessary material should be avoided where practical.

Can it be reused?

Reusable packaging can potentially retain value beyond its first use.

Can it be appropriately recycled?

This depends on the material and the waste-management system available to the customer.

Does the packaging protect the product?

This is important too.

If inadequate packaging causes a product to arrive damaged and require replacement, the environmental picture becomes more complicated.

The objective should therefore be appropriate packaging, not simply as little packaging as possible.

Look at the Entire Product Life Cycle

This is perhaps the most important framework in this entire discussion.

Instead of viewing a home accessory as something that begins when you buy it and ends when you throw it away, think about its entire journey.

Stage 1: Raw Materials

Where do the materials originate?

What resources are required?

Stage 2: Manufacturing

How is the product produced?

What processes and resources are involved?

Stage 3: Distribution

How is it packaged and transported?

Stage 4: Use

How long can it remain functional and useful?

Stage 5: Maintenance

Can it be cared for properly?

Stage 6: Repair

Can components be repaired or replaced where appropriate?

Stage 7: Reuse

Can someone else continue using it?

Stage 8: End of Life

Can it be refurbished, repurposed, dismantled or appropriately recycled?

This is life-cycle thinking.

UNEP specifically describes sustainable consumption and production as requiring consideration across the full life cycle, including extraction, production, distribution, use, waste management and reuse.

The Swiss Federal Office for the Environment likewise emphasizes circular product design and considerations such as durability, repairability, separability and recycling.

Why this matters

A product can have a positive attribute at one stage and still have other impacts elsewhere.

That is why I am cautious about simplistic statements such as:

This material is sustainable, therefore this product is sustainable.

Real sustainability requires context.

Reuse and Repair Before Recycling

Recycling is important.

But recycling should not necessarily be the first solution we think about.

If a product can continue being used in its current form, its existing value remains in use.

If it cannot be used as intended but can be repaired, that may extend its useful life.

If it can no longer serve its original purpose, perhaps it can be repurposed.

Only after these possibilities have been exhausted does recycling become the more relevant end-of-life pathway.

UNEP's circularity framework includes a hierarchy of value-retention approaches such as reducing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing, remanufacturing, repurposing and recycling.

In simple terms:

Keep useful things useful for as long as reasonably possible.

That is one of the central ideas behind circular thinking.

How Can You Tell Whether a Sustainability Claim Is Meaningful?

As sustainability becomes more important to consumers, sustainability language has also become a powerful marketing tool.

That makes transparency particularly important.

When you see a claim such as:

Eco-friendly.

Ask:

Why?

When you see:

Sustainable material.

Ask:

Which material? In what way?

When you see:

Environmentally responsible.

Ask:

What specific information supports that statement?

Look for Specific Information

A stronger product description might tell you:

• what the product is made from

• what proportion of recycled material it contains, if applicable

• relevant certifications, where genuinely held

• care requirements

• durability information

• repair or replacement options

• packaging details

• relevant sourcing information

The more specific and verifiable the information, the easier it becomes for consumers to make informed decisions.

This is especially important because sustainability is not a binary label.

It is a set of characteristics and decisions.

The Most Sustainable Home Accessory May Be the One You Truly Need

There is one question that comes before materials, packaging, recycling, and everything else:

Do I actually need this?

This question is easy to overlook.

We can spend enormous amounts of time searching for the “most sustainable” version of something we never really needed in the first place.

A more thoughtful approach begins with consumption itself.

Before purchasing, consider:

Do I already own something that performs the same function?

If yes, perhaps a new purchase is unnecessary.

Will I use it regularly?

If not, think carefully.

Does it genuinely improve my home?

Beauty and atmosphere are valid reasons, but they should be intentional.

Will I want to keep it?

This is where quality and timelessness become important.

The EEA identifies consuming differently and consuming less, including through longer product lifespans and reuse, as important pathways toward more sustainable consumption.

For me, this is one of the simplest expressions of sustainable living:

Choose thoughtfully before you buy.

My Personal Framework for Choosing a Home Accessory

After my experience in Switzerland and the way it changed my perspective, I developed a simple mental checklist whenever I think about a home accessory.

I don't consider it a scientific certification or an absolute formula.

It is simply the framework I personally find useful.

1. Purpose

Does it have a meaningful purpose in the home?

2. Quality

Does the construction appear appropriate for its intended use?

3. Function

Does it perform that purpose well?

4. Longevity

Is it designed to remain useful rather than encourage frequent replacement?

5. Design

Will I still appreciate its appearance when today's trend has passed?

6. Materials

Do I understand what it is made from?

7. Maintenance

Can I realistically care for it properly?

8. Repair

If something goes wrong, is repair or component replacement possible?

9. Reuse

Could it continue serving someone else after I no longer need it?

10. Transparency

Does the information provided allow me to make an informed decision?

And finally:

11. Overall Value

Is this something genuinely worth bringing into my home?

This final question brings everything together.

Because sustainability should not be an exercise in chasing perfect products.

It should be about making better, more informed choices.

Sustainability and Beautiful Design Can Belong Together

I don't believe sustainable living should require people to give up beauty.

In fact, my experience in Switzerland strengthened my belief that simplicity, functionality, quality and beauty can coexist.

A home can be elegant without being overloaded.

It can be comfortable without being wasteful.

It can be personal without constantly following trends.

It can contain beautiful objects without turning consumption into the purpose of the space itself.

That is the philosophy I want Swiss Sustain to represent.

Fewer unnecessary choices.

Better considered choices.

Products with purpose.

Quality worth appreciating.

Design worth keeping.

That does not mean every home needs to look minimalist.

It means the things we choose should have a reason to be there.

A Practical Checklist Before Buying Your Next Home Accessory

Before purchasing, save this checklist.

Ask Yourself

□ Do I genuinely need this product?

□ Does it serve a useful or meaningful purpose?

□ What materials is it made from?

□ Is the material information specific and transparent?

□ Is the construction appropriate for its intended use?

□ Is it designed to last?

□ Is the design likely to remain appealing over time?

□ Can it be properly maintained?

□ Can it be repaired if something goes wrong?

□ Can it potentially be reused or repurposed?

□ Is the packaging appropriate rather than unnecessarily excessive?

□ Are sustainability claims specific and credible?

□ Have I considered the product's entire life cycle?

□ Would I still want this product several years from now?

If you can answer these questions thoughtfully, you are already approaching home shopping in a more intentional way.

What This Means for Swiss Sustain

Swiss Sustain began with a personal experience.

My time in Switzerland changed the way I looked at everyday products and made me appreciate something that I now consider fundamental to good home design:

A product should be more than something that looks beautiful when it is new.

It should ideally be thoughtfully designed.

It should have a purpose.

It should offer quality appropriate to that purpose.

It should be made with consideration for its materials and life cycle.

And, whenever reasonably possible, it should be something worth keeping.

That philosophy does not mean claiming that every product we encounter is perfect.

Perfection is not the standard I want to promise.

Thoughtfulness is.

At Swiss Sustain, our ambition is to bring thoughtfully selected, premium home accessories to customers across Europe, North America and eventually homes around the world.

The inspiration comes partly from what I personally experienced in Switzerland- the appreciation for simplicity, quality, functionality, refined design,n and longevity that became increasingly meaningful to me.

But Swiss Sustain is not about claiming that sustainability belongs to Switzerland.

It is about taking an appreciation for those qualities and building them into a broader philosophy of more thoughtful home living.

Final Thoughts: Choose What Is Worth Keeping

So, what makes a home accessory truly sustainable?

There is no single material, certification, design style, or marketing label that can answer the question by itself.

A more responsible home accessory should be considered in context.

Look at its materials.

Look at its quality.

Look at its functionality.

Look at its durability.

Look at its design.

Look at its maintenance and repairability.

Look at its packaging.

Look at its potential for reuse.

And most importantly, look at its entire life cycle.

The European Environment Agency's research reinforces the importance of longer product lifespans, durability, repairability and circular product design in reducing the need for new products and associated resource pressures.

But beyond research and frameworks, there is a very simple idea that I personally took away from my experience in Switzerland:

A product becomes more meaningful when we value it enough to keep it.

That is why I believe sustainable home living should not be about sacrificing beauty.

It should be about combining beauty with purpose, quality with longevity, and design with responsibility.

That is the philosophy behind Swiss Sustain.

And it is the standard I hope to keep developing as the brand grows.

Because a beautiful home should not simply be filled with more things.

It should be filled with things worth choosing, worth using, and worth keeping.