As we become increasingly conscious of how our world is changing, shopping sustainably is becoming more popular. In the past, considering if your furniture was sustainable may have never crossed your mind, but in recent years, sustainable furniture has been on the rise.
It is no surprise that eco-friendly furniture is sought-after, as the majority of large furniture is made from materials such as wood that can harm the environment if not sourced ethically and sustainably.
In this article, we will take you through the top ways to buy sustainable furniture here in the United States, helping you to spot recycled materials and sustainable furniture brands more efficiently when searching!
Finding out if the furniture you want is made from sustainable materials can take some time, and it is essential to thoroughly research how the material is sourced. Often, the most sustainable furniture companies will detail how they source their materials and provide customers with a detailed overview of how their harvesting, upcycling, and recycling processes positively affect the environment.
The first thing to check is if the company you're buying from uses FSC certified wood. Regarding FSC certified wood, all wood will have been sustainably harvested. The forest stewardship council acknowledges this via certification, ensuring customers know that the wood they buy contributes to a greener future that protects workers' and environmental rights.
Of course, while FSC certified wood is a great way to ensure your interior is eco friendly, you could take it a step further by going down the recycled furniture route. The best sustainable furniture brands find eco friendly materials from previous wooden furniture that is now unused, whether this be old bed frames, dining chairs, or other products.
When the reclaimed wood has been sourced, brands must ensure no harmful chemicals or varnishes are on the materials. Once this step has been completed, companies will undergo lengthy upcycling processes that take their natural and recycled materials from looking unloved to being as good as new, making for a perfect way for customers to support ethical furniture brands.
A great example of upcycling is this recycled wood mirror made of driftwood that washed up on Indonesian shores. These natural materials have dried out for a minimum of eight weeks and have been transformed into aesthetically pleasing mirrors complementing lounge or bedroom furniture.
If you've ever stepped into a furniture store and been hit in the face with an overpowering smell, chances are the furniture you were looking at was coated in varnish or polish that may have contained harmful solvents.
When shopping for sustainable furniture, toxic varnishes are a no-go. Sustainable brands often use water-based and natural alternatives to varnish their furniture, ensuring a quality finish is still provided without emitting harmful substances.
Ensure that the products you consider buying are free from formaldehyde or have a low VOC noted within their product description.
If we think of the furniture industry similarly to fast fashion, the reason customers continue to buy items is due to the price being low and the items they buy not lasting long enough. To overcome this issue, the easiest thing to do is purchase durable, high-quality, and often slightly more expensive products.
And, just because the furniture you're buying is more durable doesn't mean it can't also be sustainably made from recycled materials or reclaimed wood. There are plenty of eco friendly furniture options that are durable while still being made from sustainable materials.
For example, teak wood is one of the market's most long-lasting types of wood. As a result, it is more commonly used for outdoor furniture due to its durable abilities and the fact that it can handle various weather conditions, resistant to rotting.
However, teak wood also looks great for indoor furniture because it improves with age. As teak wood gets older, the knots and veins become more visible, with the dark honey shade becoming deeper and richer, creating an unmistakable appearance.
Marrying durability and aesthetics, teak wood is one of the best sustainable materials to opt for, even if there are more affordable sustainable furniture options. Nonetheless, you can find great-quality reclaimed furniture such as chairs, tables, and drawers made from teak wood at reasonable prices that become cost-effective, considering the long-lasting and durability of the materials used.
Sometimes, buying eco furniture isn't enough, and there is more to purchasing sustainable furniture than meets the eye. The best sustainable furniture brands are dedicated to making a positive change in the world, which means more than just adding the words sustainable in front of their products.
Instead, these brands are often family-owned, bursting with great-quality handmade furniture from upcycled materials, with a brand ethos to champion these manufacturing processes.
For example, at Mojo Boutique, a tree is planted with every order, ensuring that the environment where our produce is harvested is looked after and supported. We also have plastic-free packaging, an essential element of sustainability; there is no need to include excess packaging and materials that take years to recycle.
Handmade products are easier to recycle and are often more reliable when tracing their sustainability. Therefore, choosing a brand that honors this and transparently details how its products are created is your best bet when seeking sustainable furniture.
Our products at Mojo Boutique are handmade by local artisan communities in Indonesia, who we support by considering their livelihoods and their environment. We know each individual who crafts our furniture as we work with family-owned workshops, keeping consistent contact to ensure both parties are supported best.
Additionally, our entire chain of transport is conducted in a C02 offset manner, providing our customers with an eco friendly service from the minute their piece has been crafted.
Of course, our process starts by selecting sustainably sourced materials, whether by finding reclaimed wood and upcycling it or by harvesting in eco friendly ways that don't alter the natural course of a plantation or forest, working closely with local Indonesian harvesters to oversee this.
