The International Living Future Institute (ILFI), through its programs, events and research, is a non-profit aiming to foster a regenerative world based on ecological principles and social justice, while combating climate change and advocating for a fossil fuel-free urban environment. As part of its programs, the ILFI provides the Declare label as a transparency platform and product database, outlining the origin of a product, its composition and its life-cycle endpoint.
Declare can be likened to a nutrition label for building products. These labels disclose all intentionally added ingredients, including chemicals and materials present in a building product. Every active Declare label is available on a free, searchable database, aiding architects, designers and homeowners in selecting trusted products that conform to sustainable and healthy building standards such as LEED and WELL Certifications.
A hallmark feature of the Declare label, particularly known in North America, is the Red List. This is a declaration of materials and additives deemed undesirable due to their significant risks to health and the wider ecosystem. Products without any ingredients on the Institute’s Red List receive the Red List Free denotation.
Since the program was launched in 2012, these labels have increasingly grown in popularity as the push for transparency in the building industry and consumer demand for more sustainable and healthier products continues to grow.