EP 075 | Ethical Design Options for Interior Designers with Deborah Rosenberg

In this episode, Kimberley Seldon speaks with Deborah Rosenberg about cruelty-free design and the growing demand for alternatives to animal-based materials such as leather and fur. As a designer specializing in ethical design, Deborah shares practical insights into sourcing, pricing, and positioning these products within a design business.

For interior designers looking to expand their offerings or serve clients with specific values and priorities, this conversation explores how ethical design can become a meaningful niche.

In this episode, we learn:
• How cruelty-free alternatives make it easier to offer ethical design solutions
• Why some clients are willing to pay more for products that align with their values
• How ethical design can become a profitable niche within your business
• Why understanding product options helps designers better serve diverse client needs
• How sustainability and ethical sourcing continue to influence consumer choices
• Why offering more choices allows designers to create more personalized client experiences

Take Aways

Three places to start introducing ethical offerings to clients:

1. Faux leather comes in a multitude of colours and patterns, simulating ostrich, crocodile and cow leather.
2. Area carpets can be made from the pulp of Eucalyptus trees (Tencel Lyocell) or banana leaves (banana silk).
3. Down alternatives are free of allergens.

Design Intervention

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Deborah is an accomplished vegan design expert, luxury interior decorator, published author, TV personality, educational speaker, wife, mother of 3 (including fur baby Lucca) and global influencer for the vegan design movement.

Deborah founded the ultra-luxury interior design firm, DiMare Design, over 15 years ago and after becoming aware of the inhumane treatment of animals in the skins & fur industry, transitioned her firm to become the first 100% vegan interior design practice. Her knowledge and passion in saving the lives of animals, educating others on vegan design & teaching businesses how to cater to the profitable and growing vegan market, led to the creation of a global educational platform, Certified Cruelty Free. This internationally recognized organization, offers an accredited online course, taught by Deborah herself, and a registered trademark-licensing program for vegan products and/or companies. Certified Cruelty Free has quickly become known as the go-to resource for all things cruelty-free, offering a free online resource guide, community forum, blog & more.

Deborah and her vegan design expertise have been featured on the Today Show, NBC, TLC and in the pages of The Huffington Post, Ocean Drive, VegNews and PETA’s blog. Deborah and her family reside in Miami, FL and when Deborah is not writing or teaching, you can find her paddle-boarding and playing on the beach with her daughters and puppy, Lucca.

www.dimaredesign.com

www.VeganDesign.org