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Budget Blinds Has Products To Make Eco-Conscious Shoppers Smile
Window Treatments Help Reduce Energy Consumption and Are Eco-Friendly, Too
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.”
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.
About Budget Blinds, Inc.
Based in Orange, Calif., Budget Blinds, Inc. was founded in 1992 and boasts nearly 1,100 franchise territories serving nearly 4,000 cities throughout the United States and Canada. As consumer demand for its quality and convenient service continues to grow, Budget Blinds has established itself as a dominant player in the multi-billion dollar window coverings market. In the past four years, the company has more than doubled in size in terms of number of franchisees, franchisee sales and franchise equity. Entrepreneur magazine has ranked Budget Blinds first in its Franchise 500 category every year since 1996, the first year the company was listed. Budget Blinds has also been recognized by Inc., and Franchise Times. Budget Blinds franchisees have ranked Budget Blinds, Inc. as one of the top companies for franchisee satisfaction. For more information on Budget Blinds, please call 1-800-519-6298 visit www.budgetblinds.com.