| -- End Ad Box ---> | | | | foam that is made worldwide, and it is wholly |
| There are many claims from furniture manufacturers | | | | petrochemical based. Some upholstery manufacturers |
| and retailers about the furniture on display at their | | | | are now using bio-foam which has some level |
| showroom or websiteabout durability, comfort, | | | | of soy-based foam as a component. Complete soy |
| value, and even about environmental friendliness or | | | | foam does not yet have the durability and resilience |
| green qualities. | | | | needed, but the foam manufacturers are working to |
| Some considerations to think about when shopping | | | | increase that percentage and make progress each |
| for eco-friendly furniture, discussed here, will help you | | | | year. The automobile companies have been in the |
| qualify what the terms really mean and what things | | | | forefront of requiring recylcability for their products |
| are important and which are puffery. | | | | and the foam used in car seating has helped the |
| Furniture and furnishings are the third largest user of | | | | process for furniture manufacturers who are willing |
| wood and wood products, after building and paper, | | | | to pay the premium for bio-foam. The other |
| and there is a high transport cost of wood. So, if | | | | eco-friendly alternatives are down and natural latex, |
| imported (from Asia especially), wood products will | | | | and are most often found in custom upholstery. |
| have a high carbon footprint for furniture sold | | | | Fabrics used in furniture also have an eco-friendly |
| in the US. However, there are some choices that you | | | | component available as well. Certified organic textiles |
| can make as a consumer, and a big one is the source | | | | such as cotton are grown with no pesticides and |
| of the lumber used. | | | | herbicides, but still require a great deal of water to |
| In wood furniture and in the wood frames of | | | | sustain the long growing cycle and requires a more |
| upholstered furniturethere are two certifying | | | | limited climate to thrive. Nonetheless, cotton accounts |
| organizations that the manufacturer will tout if they | | | | for more than 90% of the natural fiber |
| used certified sources. The most stringent is | | | | market. |
| FSC (Forestry Stewardship Council) and is | | | | Some alternatives to cotton that are eco-friendly are |
| used mostly for export lumber and by European | | | | linen, bamboo, hemp, abaca, wool and silk. The plant |
| lumber suppliers. The same is true for PEFC | | | | fibers are all rapid renewal grasses and have |
| (Programme for Endorsement of Forest Certification). | | | | much shorter growing seasons and wider climate |
| Many domestic (US) lumber mills are smaller and only | | | | ranges than cotton. The drawbacks to some, like |
| sell to domestic users and so adhere to and are | | | | bamboo, is that harsh chemicals are required to |
| certified by the SFI (Sustainable Forestry Initiative) | | | | release the fibers. Linen (flax) and hemp have been |
| which is less stringent, but still require much more | | | | used for ages for fabric and so have more |
| environmentally friendly practices than non certified | | | | environmentally friendly methods of fiber release for |
| sources. The last audit of certified timberland in 2006 | | | | weaving. |
| showed that less than 16% of US forestland is | | | | None of the eco-friendly choices are black and white; |
| sustainably certified and virtually no Asian forests are | | | | there are land use conversion issues with materials |
| sustainably managed. | | | | like bamboo and even wool, where forests are |
| The use of fiberboard, particle board and plywood in | | | | cleared for plantations or pastures. Deforestation is |
| furniture does save on the amount of lumber that | | | | an issue with lumber harvesting and the renewal |
| has to be harvested to make the product, and has | | | | process. Sustainably managed forests can take |
| less lumber waste associated with its manufacture. | | | | decades to renew, and some forests are replanted |
| However, these products may include toxic adhesive | | | | with only one species, so bio-diversity is affected. |
| components. Many countries are introducing more | | | | Hopefully some of this information will help you |
| stringent requirements on the chemicals that can be | | | | become a more knowledgeable consumer and the |
| used in adhesives, but there are still many countries | | | | choices and trade-offs can be made with conscious |
| who do not have any restrictions and enforcement | | | | thought, rather than with little understanding of the |
| of the US regulations is difficult and spotty. | | | | complexities involved. |
| Furniture also uses almost 1/3 of the polyurethane | | | | |