What is Eco-friendly furniture?

The way people think about our relationship to the earth is changing. The smallest details of the way we live our lives are now being reexamined for their effect on the ecosphere and changes to our lifestyles are being made accordingly. It might surprise you to hear, but this eco-consciousness has now even turned its attention to our furniture, probably one of the last places you’d ordinarily look when considering the environment. If furniture is made out of wood, and getting that wood is part of a process that could be putting strain on the environment, then you might be asking how a piece of furniture could ever be considered “eco-friendly.” Well, luckily for us there are a few standards already in place for such questions.

•    The first classification is the most clear. Has some material other than wood been used to create the piece of furniture ? Using a material other than wood shows that the manufacture of this product is not using resources from nature for the sole purpose of creating furniture.
•    The second classification is a bit surprising. The forest Stewardship Council has devised a certification that can deem a piece of furniture as Eco-Friendly. In order for a piece of furniture to be certified as Eco-friendly, the manufacturer must demonstrate that they are replanting trees in place of trees being cut down. So a piece of furniture can now be made of wood and still be considered Eco-friendly.
•    A final classification for Eco-friendly furniture is based on the amount of extras that are used to create the piece of furniture. Many people who are Eco-conscious believe furniture that is kind to the environment should be simple , using the bare minimum for wood, padding, vinyl, fabric, and leather. Simple styles and less-is-more design are key when considering whether a piece of furniture is Eco-friendly.

And there you have it. If reducing your carbon footprint is important to you, these tips should help you find the furniture that fits not just your home, but your ideals.