How to Source Carbon-Neutral Materials for Large-Scale Projects

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For a few years, sustainability has been at the center of many design conservations but rarely is it as actionable (or as aesthetic) as we’d like. The term “carbon-neutral” is regularly tossed around in product descriptions, PR pitches, and CEU webinars, but when it’s time to spec materials for a large-scale project—especially one with layered requirements and high client expectations—it can be hard to know where to start.

Which materials are actually carbon-neutral? How do you vet a vendor’s claims? Will clients really care if you swap out one fabric or flooring product for a more environmentally responsible alternative?

The truth is that sustainability is much more of a framework than a single finish or feature swap (though that’s valuable, too). Integrating carbon-neutral or carbon-positive materials into your process—especially at scale—requires clarity, education, and a little creative persistence. But when executed correctly, the results can be just as beautiful, functional, and elevated as anything you’ve sourced before.

If you’re ready to design more responsibly—without losing sight of aesthetics, performance, or scale—let’s discuss your options.

Let’s Start With the Basics: What Is a Carbon-Neutral Material?

Carbon-neutral materials are those that produce no net increase in carbon dioxide emissions across their life cycle. That includes everything from raw material extraction and manufacturing to transportation, installation, and eventual disposal or reuse.

Some materials are naturally low-impact like reclaimed wood or recycled steel. Others are made using processes that offset emissions through renewable energy use or carbon credits. A material might not be carbon-neutral on its own, but the company producing it might invest in offsetting initiatives that bring its impact down to net zero.

The language can be murky; many companies that greenwash actually intend to confuse. “Carbon-neutral,” “carbon-negative,” “low embodied carbon,” and “carbon offset” all mean slightly different things. To make informed decisions about eco-friendly materials, you’ll need to know what to look for and what questions to ask.

Why This Matters for Interior Designers (Yes, Even If You’re Not LEED-Certified)

Large-scale projects—multi-room residential, boutique hospitality, light commercial—require a lot of material. When you consider how much flooring, upholstery, millwork, insulation, wallcovering, and stone goes into a 6,000-square-foot home or a 30-key inn, the carbon footprint adds up fast.

As the designer, you might not be in charge of engineering or mechanical systems—but you are in control of what gets brought into the space. The chairs. The drapery. The paint. The countertops. These can be major drivers of a project’s environmental impact.

Even if your client doesn’t ask you about how sustainable your practice is, they may still care about health, longevity, or ethical sourcing. And carbon-neutral materials often touch all three. With recent advancements in material technology, making these replacements doesn’t have to torpedo the aesthetics of your project. 

The best carbon-neutral materials are now as refined, elegant, and versatile as anything you’re already sourcing. The difference is that they support our planet (and your reputation as a brand).

How to Track the Carbon Footprint of What You Source

If you want to integrate carbon-neutral materials into your projects in a meaningful way, you need more than a vague idea of what’s “eco-friendly.” You need visibility—tools, certifications, and trusted frameworks that help you understand the impact of what you’re specifying. That means going beyond the marketing copy and looking under the hood. Let’s talk about how to start evaluating materials with carbon in mind—without getting overwhelmed.

Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs)

An Environmental Product Declaration is comparable to a nutritional label for materials, but instead of calories and vitamins, you’re getting data about carbon emissions, energy use, and environmental impact. EPDs are third-party verified, which means they offer a level of transparency that’s hard to fake. They account for every phase of the product’s life cycle: extraction, manufacturing, transport, use, and disposal.

If a material has an EPD, it’s usually a sign the manufacturer is serious about sustainability. While interpreting one might take a little practice, you don’t have to be an environmental engineer to understand the basics. Look for the Global Warming Potential (GWP) value; it will give you a sense of how much embodied carbon the material carries. Lower is better.

Not every product category has EPDs available, and not every EPD tells the full story. But if you’re comparing two similar products and one has an EPD, that’s a good place to start.

Carbon Smart Materials Palette

The Carbon Smart Materials Palette, developed by the Carbon Leadership Forum, is one of the more designer-friendly resources out there. It doesn’t focus on brands but rather on material categories. That’s especially helpful if you’re early in the design process and still deciding between types of insulation, sheathing, finishes, or wall assemblies.

What the palette does well is give you clear, actionable insights. For instance, it doesn’t just say “wood is better than concrete.” It explains why, and under what circumstances that difference matters. It highlights alternatives, substitutions, and smarter strategies for each material category. This makes the tool ideal for interior designers working on mid-to-large-scale projects who need guidance without a PhD in carbon science.

Mindful Materials and Material Bank Filters

If you’re already using Mindful Materials or Material Bank to browse and spec products, you’re ahead of the game. Both platforms now include filters and tags for carbon-related attributes—like “low embodied carbon” or “carbon neutral certified.” You can also search by certifications like Cradle to Cradle, FSC, or Declare.

Is it a perfect system? Not yet. Carbon transparency is still catching up across the industry. But these tools make it easier to build sustainability into your sourcing workflow, rather than treating it as a separate, research-heavy task.

Over time, as more manufacturers standardize how they report carbon data, tools like these will only get stronger. For now, they’re still an excellent jumping-off point.

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Certifications to Look For

Certifications are imperfect but helpful shortcuts. They don’t tell the whole story, but they can point you in the right direction—and help filter out greenwashing. For example, Cradle to Cradle Certified products are assessed for environmental and social performance, including material health and circularity. 

Declare labels (from the International Living Future Institute) offer ingredient transparency and often include data on carbon footprint and emissions. FSC Certification (Forest Stewardship Council) ensures that wood products come from responsibly managed forests. It’s not a carbon-neutral guarantee, but it’s a baseline for sustainable timber sourcing.

When a product carries one or more of these certifications, it usually means the manufacturer is investing in more rigorous sourcing and lifecycle accountability. Ask vendors for documentation or proof of claims—any supplier worth working with should be willing (and proud) to share.

Don’t Forget About Waste

Sourcing the right materials is one part of the carbon reduction equation, but so is how much of that material you actually use. Or more specifically, how much you don’t use. Overordering, miscalculating, or failing to plan for offcuts can create significant waste on large projects. Every excess tile or discarded slab carries its own emissions footprint, even if it never gets installed.

Sustainability isn’t always about buying the “green” product. Sometimes, it’s just about using what you source thoughtfully. Accurate takeoffs, clear communication with fabricators and contractors, and detailed install drawings will help. The better you plan, the less you waste.

To reduce material waste, work closely with trades to optimize sheet goods, tile patterns, and stone slabs for efficient cutting and minimal scraps. Ask suppliers about take-back or recycling programs for packaging, offcuts, or outdated samples. Get creative with leftover materials—use them for powder rooms, back-of-house spaces, or custom furniture applications.

Educating Clients Without Sounding Preachy

Sourcing carbon-neutral materials is only half the battle. The other half is getting buy-in from your clients. As you probably already know, that part of the process can feel delicate. 

You want to advocate for better choices without overwhelming the client with jargon or making them feel guilty. One way to do that is by reframing the conversation around the things they already care about. Instead of leading with emissions data or industry certifications, try focusing on qualities that resonate on a personal level—like indoor air quality, long-term durability, or ethical production practices. When you connect sustainable materials to their everyday experience, the conversation becomes less about climate guilt and more about thoughtful, values-driven design.

You can also frame carbon-conscious choices as part of the overall narrative of the home or space. Just as you might tell the story of a hand-thrown vessel sink from a local artisan or a salvaged antique chandelier sourced from abroad, you can share the story behind a carbon-neutral rug or a responsibly sourced flooring material. It becomes part of the identity of the space—something the client can take pride in, not just live with.

Clients want to feel good about their home. Help them see how beauty, wellness, and environmental consciousness enrich each other.

Final Thoughts: Start Small, But Start Now

Sustainable design is about making progress—not being absolutely perfect right off the bat. Everyone is still learning and developing when it comes to sustainability in interiors, architecture, and construction. 

Just remember that when you’re working on large-scale projects, small choices compound quickly. Just one change—like opting for a carbon-neutral carpet, sourcing FSC-certified wood, or switching to a product with a verified Environmental Product Declaration—can meaningfully reduce the overall impact of your design.

You don’t have to know everything. You just have to care enough to ask the right questions, stay curious, and keep nudging your practice forward.

The future of luxury design is not extractive and exploitative but intentional and informed. If you’re ready to have these conversations more often and more confidently, join the DesignDash community. You don’t have to figure this out alone.