GOING GREEN WITH SUSTAINABLE FURNITURE
The term “sustainable furnishings” is starting to pop up everywhere these days. Which is great news that eco-friendly furnishings are emerging as a viable alternative for homeowners. But it comes with a warning: It can be really tricky to tell what’s actually sustainable and what’s not. You need to be careful of companies that engage in ‘greenwashing,’ which is a term for items that are promoted as sustainable when they’re not.
At Arlington Home Interiors, we’re currently working on a project where sustainability was a top priority for our homeowner so we’ve been learning more and more about this category. We thought it would be handy to share a quick overview to help you make better-informed choices when considering eco-friendly furniture.
Photo: Jenn Verrier for Arlington Home Interiors
WHAT DOES SUSTAINABLE MEAN?
Sustainable or eco-friendly furniture is created from materials that have a minimal negative impact on the environment by:
Using materials that come from renewable sources or have been recycled or re-purposed
Producing durable goods that do not need to be replaced quickly – helping to eliminate throw-away culture
Minimizing the use of chemicals in the production process (varnish, glue, formaldehyde, etc.)
Sourcing local materials and/or manufacturing to reduce the carbon footprint associated with transportation
Photo: Jenn Verrier for Arlington Home Interiors
SUSTAINABILITY BENEFITS EVERYONE
In addition to causing less damage to the environment, sustainable furniture can be a healthier option for you and your family. We have clients opting for eco-friendly furniture because they have children with heightened sensitivity to certain chemicals that are used in common furniture manufacturing. Sustainable furnishings can help with allergies, migraines and asthma by reducing harmful pollutants like volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Solid wood items with low emitting finishes (no formaldehyde or lacquers) contain less VOCs than items made with composite wood.
Photo: Bonnie Sen for Arlington Home Interiors
QUICK BUYING GUIDE
One great resource is The Sustainable Furnishings Council (SFC). Founded in 2006, the SFC is a coalition of over 400 manufacturers, retailers and designers dedicated to raising awareness and expanding the adoption of environmentally sustainable practices within the home furnishings industry. They assist companies in adopting eco-friendly practices and provide a symbol of assurance for consumers (remember that “greenwashing” trick?). The SFC also provides a convenient “Quick Buying Guide,” which provides a list of questions to ask when purchasing furniture.
Photo: Jenn Verrier for Arlington Home Interiors
SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL CRAFTSPERSON
While big brands like West Elm, Crate & Barrel and Pottery Barn are starting to release sustainable lines, we have many eco-friendly, custom furniture makers we’ve been using for years, like Gat Creek Furnishings of Berkeley Springs, West Virginia. All of the photos you see in this post contain Gat Creek items from a selection of our interior projects. They’re made-to-order from locally sourced Appalachian hardwoods, following SFC guidelines. And we love that each piece is personally signed by the craftsperson. These pieces are the real deal.
Hopefully, the demand for sustainable furnishings and eco-friendly production practices will only continue to become more accessible and more widespread. We’re certainly starting to see more eco-friendly furnishing requests and that’s good news for all of us.