Sustainable furniture is good for the planet, the furniture makers, and your family. In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about it.
From choosing the right raw materials to researching brands and understanding certifications, this is your one-stop guide to eco-friendly furniture. From sofas and tables to blankets, we gathered fifteen sustainable brands to help you make your home chic AND eco friendly.
Navigate to the company reviews here:
- Etsy Reclaimed Furniture
- VivaTerra
- Sabai
- Medley
- Avocado
- West Elm
- The Joinery
- Burrow
- Thuma
- The Citizenry
- Chairish
- Made Trade
- abc carpet and home
- Crate and Barrel
- Cisco Home
How to Know if Furniture is Sustainable?
Before we cover specific companies, let’s talk about what makes furniture sustainable and how to find the right products in an ocean of greenwashing.
Read Product Descriptions
So, you found a cute new sofa or a trendy coffee table. Before rushing to buy it, take your time learning about the product. Just like with sustainable fashion or healthy food, there is more to items than meets the eye. Don’t go by intuition alone, trusting green packaging and semi-sustainable claims. Instead, look for concrete proof that the furniture is eco-friendly, sustainable, and non-toxic.
Companies should tell you what materials they used to make the products and how they sourced them. Incomplete or missing information likely means they focus on cost and design alone. Sustainable furniture brands take pride in their transparency and the traceability of all materials.
By knowing what materials are used, you can avoid any toxic chemicals and finishes, too. We did a whole article on non-toxic furniture, which is a great starting point to help you pick the safest options.
Research Company Practices
Single product research can only take you so far. Learn about the company’s general sustainability and environmental practices to get an idea of what kind of organization you’re supporting.
Sustainability is also about supply chain transparency, fair worker treatment, and green business practices across factories, warehouses, and stores.
The company’s sustainability page should be your first stop on their website, along with any third-party certifications they have.
Learn About Certifications
While eco-minded companies are wonderful, brands have an incentive to exaggerate their green claims. With more and more conscious consumers, some producers have resorted to greenwashing. Others took the extra effort to guarantee their sustainability.
For instance, the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification is the gold standard for responsible wood harvesting. FSC certified forests are managed responsibly, logging doesn’t disturb local wildlife, and social fairness goes hand-in-hand with economic viability.
The GREENGUARD certification, on the other hand, is for products with low levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). As a result, these items won’t pollute your indoor air with dangerous chemicals, unlike many conventionally made furnishings.
While small businesses might have trouble affording certifications, there is no excuse for larger brands. Third-party programs are a stamp of approval on their sustainability approach and a major green flag (pun intended) when you’re shopping.
Watch Out for Greenwashing
Consumers value eco-friendly furniture, and companies know that. So while some brands are using the green movement to inspire change, others fake it.
Greenwashing happens when a producer’s green claims are exaggerated or untrue, existing for marketing purposes rather than eco-friendliness. It exists across industries and niches and, unsurprisingly, you’ll find it when furniture shopping as well.
The biggest greenwashing surprise, though? One of the most frequent marketing claims is a semi-fake certification.
LEED-certified products are popping up in stores, but the phrase means absolutely nothing. The LEED program applies to buildings, neighborhoods, and campuses. Products can’t be LEED-certified, though they can comply with some of the rules.
If you see this on a tag, ask how the product meets the LEED certification. And, if you can’t find a reliable answer, either from the website, documents, or a salesperson, know that you’re dealing with greenwashing.
Don’t Be Fooled by the Price
Finally, don’t go by price. While eco friendly items can cost more, the price is not an indication of sustainability or even quality. Today, there are plenty of affordable, eco friendly furniture options, with a solution for virtually every budget.
Let’s talk about some of these brands (and yes, we go beyond IKEA).
Where to Buy Eco-Friendly Furniture?
We all deserve sustainable, non-toxic furniture in our homes. However, it can be difficult and time-consuming to look up every single company you come in touch with. To help you out, we cover 15 companies that offer sustainable furniture. We left IKEA out since we did a full review of their sustainability report card.
Etsy Reclaimed Furniture
The global online marketplace has thousands of sustainable products. The reclaimed furniture section is one of the best ones to start your green home journey.
Etsy is an excellent marketplace for one-of-a-kind items from small producers. However, you won’t find many certified items as most artisans can’t afford the certifications or lack the industrial-level facilities to get evaluated. That said, Etsy is a great way to support small businesses while shopping for sustainable home furnishings and décor.
For instance, this rustic storage unit is made in the UK and available for shipping worldwide.
VivaTerra
VivaTerra is an affordable and sustainable brand that makes all of its products in the US. Many are made from recycled and sustainable materials. The company supports artisan and fair trade organizations. They prioritize FSC-certified or reclaimed wood for most of the items.
You can buy VivaTerra online with shipping to the US and its territories. Unfortunately, they still don’t ship internationally.
Sabai Design
Sabai Design makes beautiful, long-lasting upholstered furniture using FSC-certified wood and CertiPUR-US® certified foam. Free from many dangerous toxins like formaldehyde and flame retardants, Sabai’s foams have low VOC emissions to keep your indoor air free of pollution.
Sabai products are made in North Caroline – which is excellent for keeping your carbon footprint low- and you can buy them online. However, they currently only ship within the US and have eco-friendly, plastic-free packaging.
Medley
Medely takes pride in creating long-lasting furniture with old-school techniques, high-quality materials, and stringent quality standards. Their items are free of flame retardants or harsh chemicals, and they’re locally made in California.
Medley does white glove delivery in the US and regularly ships to Canada, too. They have a 100-day money-back promise, and they can quote international shipping prices, though these probably won’t be cheap.
Avocado
Sustainable mattresses, pillows, and bedding weren’t always easy to find, so Avocado set out to fill the gap with a transparent supply chain for organic latex, cotton, and wool. In addition, Avocado invests in fair wages, social responsibility programs, and clean processing.
They manage over 40,000 hectares of land in the Indian Himalayas, producing GOTS-certified organic wool. The wool is also certified by the OEKO-TEX® Standard 100. As a result, it’s free of toxic dyes, chlorine-based pre-treatments, and wastewater pollution.
Avocado also has a PETA-approved vegan mattress, made out of organic cotton and latex, if you don’t use wool.
Finally, Avocado is a Certified B Corporation®, a legal framework for the highest level of responsibility and engagement with production impact.
Where can you get Avocado mattresses? Right now, they’re available in-store in California and New Jersey, as well as through Zoom shopping. You can book an appointment for virtual shopping on their website.
West Elm
Well-known retailer West Elm is one of the large companies that invested in turning their products greener. Their sustainable collection features FSC-certified wood and fair trade natural fiber rugs that support local artisans.
You can shop West Elm both online and in-person, with retail locations around the US and beyond.
The Joinery
The Joinery is a Portland-based company that makes heirloom quality, solid wood pieces. They source raw materials from sustainable forest resources and make their pieces through centuries-old woodworking techniques. The Joinery is a Certified B Corporation®, too, guaranteeing their commitment to ethical and sustainable production.
The Joinery products are available through their website, with various delivery and pick-up options. For the time being, however, it seems they are focusing on US customers only.
Burrow
Burrow is one of the best places for affordable, eco-friendly furniture. They favor sustainably sourced milled Baltic Birch hardwood for framing and naturally stain-resistant and non-toxic olefin fabric for upholstery. The company also uses a modular design approach to make shipping larger pieces more efficient and environmentally friendly. They also offer leather and performance velvet upholstery options. However, it’s not clear if these have been sustainably produced and not treated with any chemicals.
You can buy their items online or go to the showroom in New York City to check them out for yourself. Unlike other companies, their shipping is always free, and the entire collection is priced very reasonably.
Thuma
Thuma is a minimalist bed designed with sustainability and craftsmanship in mind. It features Japanese joinery and an upholstered headboard. It’s GREENGUARD-certified to ensure minimal VOC emissions and comes with a lifetime warranty. The company also works with One Tree Planted to plant one tree for every bed they sell. They also sell a matching nightstand and headboard covers. You can order the items on the website to ship within the US.
The Citizenry
The Citizenry is a sustainably-minded home décor company that works with artisans around the world to deliver beautiful, thoughtful pieces to your home. They create small batches of products, which allows for craftsman collaboration and means you’re getting unique pieces you won’t see elsewhere. The Citizenry is also committed to fair wages and supporting healthy working environments throughout their supply chain.
You can buy items in-store from the New York City flagship store or online with free shipping throughout the US. They also ship worldwide.
Chairish
Chairish is a curated home furnishings and art marketplace popular with interior designers and eco-conscious design enthusiasts alike. Eighty-five percent of items sold on Chairish are pre-loved or vintage. The items come from different small sellers, but unlike eBay or Craigslist, the inventory has been edited by Chairish. Plus, not only do you end up with a unique and unrepeatable item, but you’re also preventing products from ending up in a landfill.
Chairish sells online and offers many different shipping options within the continental US.
Made Trade
Woman-owned Made Trade is an online retailer of ethically and sustainably produced home goods, furniture, and clothing and accessories. Brands like Masaya & Co that are sold on Made Trade source materials responsibly and pay fair wages. Made Trade is a member of 1% for the planet, and in 2021 they became Carbon Neutral Certified, offsetting 100% of their carbon footprint. Made Trade ships to all 50 US states as well as internationally using Stackry.
abc carpet & home
abc carpet & home is a furniture and décor brand committed to sustainable sourcing and socially responsible practices. Their business model follows core principles including non-toxic production, handcrafted, responsibly sourced, and cruelty-free products, as well as upcycled and recycled materials.
They’ve reached some impressive milestones, too. For example, 100% of abc rugs are handmade, and 99% of their wood is sustainably sourced. The company is striving to grow its sustainability commitment, and it regularly publishes reports of its progress.
Where can you buy abc products? They have two have New York City locations as well as offer virtual shopping appointments. Items purchased online can be shipped throughout the Continental US. Unfortunately, International shipping is not available at this time.
Crate & Barrel
Crate and Barrel is your prime location for modern furniture and decor. Like many other prominent brands, they are moving towards more sustainable practices. For example, many of their wood furniture items are made from FSC-certified wood, and sheets and towels are OEKO-TEX certified. In addition, they enforce a social accountability Code of Conduct to ensure ethical working environments. They are compliant with the California Transparency in the Supply Chains Act, preventing exploitation at all supply chain points. Crate and Barrel also participates in social initiatives such as Vow for Girls, Good360, and Feeding America.
You can buy Crate and Barrel furniture from their stores or the website with shipping to US and international addresses. They also offer virtual shopping and room design appointments to improve your shopping experience.
Cisco Home
As founding members of the Sustainable Furniture Council, Cisco Home designs beautiful furniture with a sustainability-first approach. They only use FSC-certified wood, water-based stains, and traceable and certified organic materials. Cisco also minimizes waste by repurposing and recycling even the smallest amounts of materials into new products.
For Cisco, sustainability extends to community building. They donate time and resources to non-profit partner organizations like Making Education the Answer (META) and Refoundry.
And, since shopping sustainably means buying fewer, longer-lasting items, Cisco also offers a lifetime guarantee on all their furniture. You can purchase Cisco products at one of their two Los Angeles locations or partner retailers in the US and Canada. A limited selection of products is available online.
Conclusion
Eco-friendly furniture matters. Shopping sustainably means you are supporting responsible treatment of our planet’s resources and ensuring a safe living space for your family. From pre-loved marketplaces like Chairish to sustainable champions like Cisco Home, there are plenty of options at varying price points.
Best of all, sustainable and ethically made furniture is high-quality and long-lasting by design. As a result, you know you’ll enjoy your favorite items for years to come.