Green Furniture

There are many different aspects to consider when choosing green furniture. Creating a piece of furniture is a multiple step process during which a lot of damage can be done to the environment. The ultimate goal of green furniture is to limit this negative impact. One must consider what materials each component of a piece of furniture is made of, how they are put together, and where they originate from.  Ideally, products are either made from recycled materials or come from renewable or sustainable resources. As one of the primary materials used to make furniture, it is particularly important to know what type of wood is being used. It is best if the wood used is FSC certified, ensuring that it has been sustainably sourced and produced, comes from a rapidly renewable source such as bamboo or kiri, or is reclaimed. Other materials such as metal, glass, and plastic can be made from recycled materials as well as have longer life spans which help to limit their impact. Fabrics used should be made from organic or recycled fibers such as organic cotton, hemp, kapok or recycled poly-fiber.

Less obvious, but equally important are all of the chemicals that go into making these products. Many of these chemicals such as adhesives, paints, stains, varnishes, waxes, etc., pollute the environment during manufacturing. In Addition, these chemicals emit VOC’s (volatile organic compounds) which negatively affect indoor air quality and human health. Chemicals that emit low to zero VOC’s and that are non-toxic are ideal. Although there are numerous ways to decrease the negative impact on the environment caused by manufacturing these products, the most effective practice is to reuse and recycle. The ideal situation is to purchase a product that has been salvaged or reclaimed, and to then reuse or recycle it afterwards.