Eco-Friendly Furniture
A Way to Save Trees

Choosing eco-friendly furniture for our interiors is growing quickly as we become more aware of building green and moving toward a more sustainable lifestyle.

It has a huge impact on our planet from the rain forests to the landfill and is actually better for our health.

More good news. You can furnish green with style, after all your furniture is the largest part of your interior.

Where in the past we may have thought, “what does it look like?”, and “how much does it cost?”, eco-friendly furniture takes into consideration, “where do the materials come from?” and “how is it made?”

Choose furniture built with sustainable wood by looking for the seal of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) which means that the wood used has been harvested from sustainable resources and not a dying rainforest.

Or buy furniture made of reclaimed wood that carries the rain forest alliance label.

Furniture with this label indicates the wood has been recovered from a landfill, vacant factories and manufacturing facilities or other sources in an environmentally friendly manner that saves trees, reforming it into furniture that is both beautiful and durable.

The Sustainable Furniture Council (SFC) is an organization whose mission it is to promote sustainable practices among manufacturers, such as recycling waste products instead of sending them to the landfill.

While it may be rare to find products with all of these features, a growing number of manufacturers are delivering merchandise that provide some if not all of the following.

• Natural fabrics of cotton, wool, linen, hemp or other natural fibers. Using natural fabrics on upholstery that have been minimally treated with chemical dyes and nontoxic fabric treatments for fire resistance and stain proofing.

But don't think you need to discard anything you may already own, if it is not in a natural material. Holding on to furnishings longer can prevent it from the landfill. Maybe you can have it recovered at some point.

• The uses of polyurethane foam are best avoided, instead look for natural latex foam.
• Non toxic glue or no glues, and nontoxic stains and finishes. Or certified with low volatile compounds (VOC’s).
• Local manufacturing, and using local materials. If it is possible to buy locally, you'll avoid shipping costs and fuel.

Recycling puts the waste we create to good use and a growing number of companies offer eco-friendly furniture using materials such as metal, rubber, glass or plastic that have been or that can be recycled.

Vintage and heirloom antiques are another way to go for eco-friendly furniture.

Acquiring the beauty of a quality-built piece of furniture is a method of recycling that can be handed down from one user to another.

Visiting the vintage and second hand furniture stores in the neighborhood will keep your money in the community and save on fuel other wise needed to ship.

Antiques can be recycled farther by changing doors and drawer configurations for a modern application.

Bamboo is another great option for eco-friendly furniture because it is renewable. Bamboo is actually a fast-growing grass that doesn't require replanting, fertilizers or pesticides. It is hardier than maple and very versatile. It can be molded into variety of shapes and is used for flooring, furniture, and fabric.

Return from Eco-Friendly Furniture to Eco-Friendly Homes