Buying sustainable furniture is a great way to reduce your carbon footprints, which can help to prevent climate change. However, if you are an average consumer without knowledge about the manufacturing processes behind the products, it can be pretty difficult to buy sustainable furniture pieces. The guide below will help you to navigate through the intricacies behind sustainable furniture so that you can make the right purchase decisions. If you want more inspiration on this topic, we have found Interiorbeat’s articles on the topic useful. They have a number of articles on sustainable furniture here.
Table of Contents
How tough the pieces are
Sustainable furniture pieces are supposed to be extra tough and durable. Flimsy and fragile pieces are prone to regular breakdown, which means that you have to replace them on a regular basis. This will greatly increase your personal carbon footprints, which will leave a negative impact on the environment. As a result, if you are looking to fight back against climate change, buying robust and sturdy furniture pieces is a great start. You will also save your own money that way.
What materials are the principal materials
Materials are the single most important factor when it comes to furniture. Materials will decide how tough and sustainable the pieces will be, so you should pay extra attention to this factor. Wooden materials remain some of the most popular choices around and materials such as wood veneer and MDF are quite sustainable. Just avoid hardwoods in general, as they are not the best choices around.
You can also opt for new sustainable materials such as hemp or bamboo. They might also add a new refreshing touch to your living space, helping it to stand out from the crowd. Other unconventional materials like concrete are also fun materials to play around with. If you decide to go with aluminum, which is not a very sustainable material, try to go for pieces that are made from recycled aluminum.
How close the shop is to your place
Global shipping costs a lot, and it also releases a lot of carbon footprints. The further you are from the manufacturing plant, the higher the carbon footprint of the pieces will be. If you are looking to reduce your carbon footprint, try to shop from local brands or local retailers. The shipping costs will also be much lower.
The disposal process
Most furniture pieces end up in landfills after the end of their life cycle. This can cause and compound environmental issues in the communities that live around these landfills. The toxic waste from the landfill could leak out to nearby underground water sources, which leads to poisoning as well as illnesses. For this reason, you should consider buying furniture from companies that have a transparent buyback scheme or a recycling process. These firms will not only prevent furniture pieces from ending up in landfills but will also recycle them for new pieces.
Eco-labels
Eco-labels are a good way to distinguish standard furniture pieces from sustainable ones. Eco-labels are awarded by independent organizations that employ experts in the field. These organizations will thoroughly check the manufacturing process and the recycling process of each brand to make sure that every green standard is met.
They will also review the sustainability status of these brands on a regular basis to ensure compliance. If you wish to buy sustainable furniture, try to get the pieces with eco-labels.
When you are out shopping for new furniture, pay attention to these five factors. They are also the indicators of a well-made furniture piece, so you will be able to get two birds with one stone if pay enough attention to them. If you really don’t have the time to go through all of these factors, the eco-labels should be the defining ones.
