Whether you are moving into a brand new home or you are looking to transform your current home, furniture is an investment that should last you a long time. The purchases you make not only add style to your house but also reflect your personality, personal preferences, and values—whether that may be a love of colors or sustainability. Furnishing is not just a home investment. Many companies and organizations constantly remodel and refurnish when moving venues or to just revamp the current space. It is important to not only update your look but also your lifestyle by being sustainable and green! Let’s look at some additional resources to help you green your furniture in conjunction with this guide to green furniture .
BENEFITS FOR THE ENVIRONMENT: There are many variables that go into furniture manufacturing. The paint, materials, sources of the materials, and design all determine the message furniture manufacturers are sending as well as the message you send when you make the purchase. Conventional furniture is made from virgin plastic and wood, emitting many pollutants as well as contributing to global deforestation .
BENEFITS FOR YOUR HEALTH: Most conventional furniture is made using a large number of chemicals , so when you buy sustainable furniture, you will also be reducing the number of toxic chemicals you bring into your home and breathe every day going forward.
Cost: High. Because sustainable furniture is usually not mass produced, these purchases may be more expensive than conventional ones. However, you will benefit from the ambience and knowing that you are supporting a greener and more sustainable lifestyle.
Time and Effort: Medium. As with any personalized furniture project, you will be making a ton of phone calls. Planning and placement will also take time, but the big jobs will be given to the furniture makers and delivery personnel.
1. Start with the Basics – Materials
When looking at materials, ideally you should be choosing materials that are reclaimed rather than virgin (used for the first time). Many companies, like Wood Land Creek Furniture1 as one example, offer a wide variety of reclaimed furniture. Reclaimed furniture is any furniture made with wood or any other material from old houses, furniture, barns, etc. Reclaimed wood does not require chemicals like restored wood does, and it also decreases the amount of wood needed to be harvested from forests around the globe. It is not only ecologically beneficial, but it is highly valued in style and uniqueness because some material, like the American Chestnut Tree which was wiped out by blight, can no longer be cut to make furniture.2
Dining room set designed by Wood Land Creek.3
Reclaimed furniture, specifically reclaimed wood, is usually known for the rustic ambience it produces. However, there are many ways to modernize it. Pairing the rustic qualities of reclaimed wood with the futuristic look of stainless steel creates a contrast that is extremely pleasing to the eyes. Also, reclaimed wood, although by definition is usually from previously constructed wood items, can come from any source. It can come from decaying tree roots or drift wood and other natural sources that do not require the killing of a living tree.
Coffee table made with a decaying tree root designed by Stuart Chase.4
Reclaimed furniture is the most environmentally friendly because it doesn’t require the use of chemicals as restoring furniture does, and it also makes use of materials that would most likely rot or go to the junkyard and instead turns them into something useful and appealing. Although we have discussed mainly reclaimed wood, other materials can be taken and transformed into beautiful and amazing furniture. Things that to the average eye are trash can become something useful with a little ingenuity and creativity. For example, empty bottles can be transformed into a beautiful chandelier.
Bottle Chandelier from Bonney Doon.5
2. Avoid the bad – no chemicals
Avoid companies that use aerosols, lead paint, and adhesives that are volatile.6 These chemicals are usually used to provide a shine for the furniture or some sort of extra flare. Some adhesives become hazardous waste and then become a hazard to humans and the environment. In a recent news article, a civilian tested her Target® couch and found there to be carcinogenic agents in the couch.7 This raised alarm about the chemicals going into furniture because we make daily contact with them. So when purchasing furniture, make sure you check what chemicals may have been used in the manufacturing process.
3. Where to Buy
Personalized furniture is quite pricey, but there are many companies that now offer sustainable options. Here are just a few:
Urban Woods: Urban Woods is a company based in Los Angeles, CA that uses woods reclaimed from local sources in Los Angeles. This company values “the distinct beauty of reclaimed wood, finished with rich water based, non-toxic stains, is preserved in handmade furniture…” Most of the wood used had been milled 50 to 100 years ago.9
West Elm: West Elm is a large furniture manufacturer that has started to “get a little greener.” They now have a line of sustainable items that are “responsibly produced, certified organic and crafted from recycled materials.”10
Cisco: This company supports sustainable forestation. They do use some reclaimed wood but their environmental ideals mainly focus on the fact they support only taking enough wood.11
Tansu: Tansu is an Asian inspired furniture company. They use reclaimed teak, reclaimed redwood, and certified plantation wood in their furniture to maintain their sustainability standards.12
As you can see, there are many sustainable options to furniture purchasing. Whether you like the modern, rustic, international, or any other style, there is always a sustainable way of achieving it. The time and effort you put into finding your sustainable pieces will be repaid tenfold in creating a unique, stylish, and healthy home. Good luck!
