Top Tips for sustainable kitchens

Posted on August 21, 2024

Update your kitchen with replacement kitchen doors

If you are planning a kitchen update any time soon, you may be horrified at the potential cost. Not to mention all the disruption that is likely to come with it!

But the good news is that there are ways that you can reduce the cost and hassle of a new kitchen, and also ensure that your new kitchen is as sustainable as it can be.

In this article we share five tips on how to do just that.

Make the most of what you’ve got

One of the most important considerations in terms of kitchen sustainability is whether you can use some of what you already have in the kitchen rather than replacing everything. For example, if the carcasses of your kitchen cabinets are still good quality, why waste time, money and resources by replacing them? A much better option could be to fit replacement kitchen doors instead. 

Replacement kitchen doors should never be seen as a second best solution to a full kitchen refurbishment. As long as the kitchen cabinets themselves are still in good condition, it makes perfect sense just to replace the doors. Not only does this reduce costs and fitting time, but it is a much more sustainable solution.

DIY Homefit supplies several ranges of high quality replacement kitchen doors:

  • Flat Slab doors: Doors with a sleek handle or no handle and push-to-open technology. Available in Acrylic Ultragloss, Serica Matt and Super Matt finishes in over 30 colours. 
  • Handleless J-Pull doors : Doors with no handle and push-to-open technology, available in a range of different colours and finishes. 
  • Budget kitchen doors: Two ranges of budget replacement kitchen doors:
    • Firbeck: Supergloss and Supermatt cold rolled vinyl doors with matching edges;
    • Valore: Matt finished doors with a choice of two edgings.

Any of our replacement kitchen door ranges will look stunning in your new kitchen. Take a look at the ranges in more detail on our Kitchen Doors and Drawer Fronts page.

Use sustainable materials for kitchen furniture

A kitchen update can be a huge strain on the environment, but you can reduce this by choosing sustainable materials for your kitchen furniture. Two of the materials most used in DIY Homefit’s replacement kitchen doors are MDF and vinyl. These are both highly sustainable materials that we are more than happy to supply to customers who care about sustainability.

For example, did you know that:

  • MDF is constructed primarily from recycled portions of wood such as fibre and shavings that might normally be discarded. This reduces waste and also means that more of each felled tree is used to create new products, gradually, putting less strain on our forests.
  • Vinyl is created from the raw materials of natural gas, saltwater and air, which makes it very sustainable. And it is also 100% recyclable, so if the time does come to replace it, the scrap can be further recycled.

And all of our replacement kitchen doors are guaranteed for at least 3 years, so will not need to be replaced again for some considerable time.

Use energy efficient kitchen appliances

If you are replacing kitchen appliances as part of your kitchen update, it makes sense to invest in the latest energy-efficient appliances. Look for those with the new A+ ratings to be sure of finding the most sustainable options.

Energy-efficient appliances are designed to reduce bills by using less energy. For example induction hobs, air fryers and newer model ovens that require little or no pre-heating. A little more investment in a high quality energy-efficient kitchen appliance can make a significant financial difference in the long term.

Use locally sourced products where possible

Another sustainability factor to bear in mind when updating your kitchen is the sourcing of new kitchen furniture and appliances.

For example, DIY Homefit’s replacement kitchen doors are all sourced from leading manufacturers within the UK. We do not import them from any other country.

We can also make our replacement kitchen doors precisely to your measurements so that they are the right fit for your kitchen and will make good use of every inch of space. So if you don’t initially see the dimensions you want, don’t waste your time looking elsewhere, get in touch with us and we can create the perfect replacement kitchen doors for your kitchen.

And of course, using locally sourced products is an ongoing sustainability goal to aim for as you use your updated kitchen. Shopping locally wherever possible supports local farmers and growers, and also reduces the enormous carbon footprint created by importing goods from elsewhere.

Bring sustainability into the everyday

Using locally sourced products and ingredients is just one way to bring sustainability into the everyday. There are many other things that we can all do to gradually make our kitchen activities more sustainable.

Here are just five ideas to get you started:

  • Experiment with raw foods and salads to add versatility to your meals and reduce oven time;
  • When cooking hot meals, batch cook and freeze the extra portions for future use;
  • Turn off your oven 5-10 minutes before the food is finished cooking and let the residual heat do the rest.
  • Instead of buying cleaning products in single-use plastic bottles, use recycled or glass bottles which can be refilled; 
  • Actively look for kitchen items such as sponges, brushes and gloves made from 100% plant-based or biodegradable materials.

We hope that this article inspires you to create a more sustainable kitchen and bring sustainability into the everyday. To find out more about how DIY Homefit can help with our ranges of replacement kitchen doors why not take a browse through DIY Homefit’s gallery of kitchen pictures to see just how good a sustainable DIY Homefit kitchen can look.

And remember to visit us again soon here at DIY Homefit for more home and lifestyle tips.