From Textiles to Tech, Health-Minded Consumers Demand Healthy Home Products
The awakening that COVID-19 brought to American households not only showed an emphasis on physical health but mental stability as well. With work being online and technology keeping us connected, American consumers are demanding more energy-efficient and sustainable products and household items. Consumers’ expectations for honest, quality products are greater with wellness being at the forefront of their list. Home renovations, produce and home style goods are expected to be re-designed and here’s why…
Well-Being Starts At Home
Existing homes were not built with health and wellness as a priority for homeowners. Now, according to Panasonic, architects, home designers and builders are forced to focus on components that make up a healthy home such as efficient water, air and energy operations. A study by Eco Pulse reports that 66 percent of Millennials are concerned about indoor air quality (IAQ).
With such a high percentage of Millennials home buyers concerned about IAQ, we can expect homes to be better equipped to meet their needs. Gene Myers, CEO of Thrive Home Builders, said in an article for Green Builder Media that the IAQ systems that are most requested from homebuyers are monitors that measure IAQ and when toxins are sensed, energy, recovery ventilators (ERV) and other mechanical systems.
“They want to control their own environment,” said Myers. “Healthy home is a tremendous driver, especially now that the pandemic has profoundly impacted the buyer psyche.”
The current pandemic has driven American homeowners to renovate their houses with toxic-free products ranging from the type of paint on their walls to the ventilators that control IAQ. Looking at the small and big aspects of a home may be time-consuming, but it’s done regardless. According to the U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a six-room house collects an average of 40 pounds of dust in a single year which can have 45 toxic chemicals. The importance of creating a cleaner environment at home is so great that 83 percent of those who responded to the survey said they’re willing to invest more toward a healthier home.
The shift to sustainable and toxic-free items may be the result of increased consumers’ self-awareness of health and flexibility the pandemic has brought to those who work from home. Just a year before the pandemic shifted consumers’ lives, between 20-40 percent of homeowners reported that they were planning or created popular home projects that focus on their medical needs.
Technology is Embedded in Every Step of Consumers’ Wellness Journey
Consumers are looking for resources to make life easier to navigate and organize. A U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention survey found that 40 percent of U.S. adults reported high levels of stress and mental health struggles due to COVID-19. Digital apps and at-home workouts are on the rise since many American consumers are considering gyms with much less urgency. According to a December 2020 survey, only 15 percent of respondents reported using a gym as a primary form of fitness. The implementation of better wellness techniques for American homeowners is something that will increase even after the pandemic is over. It is only the matter of technology’s growth that will get consumers to act fast.