What Makes Green Furniture Authentically Green?
When shopping for eco-friendly, wood furniture, look for materials that are natural, recycled or sustainably sourced. For example, reclaimed barnwood has become all the rage with designs like those that use old doors as new dining table tops. Contemporary wooden furniture made from local, sustainably harvested wood and finished with natural coatings is a popular green alternative too.
Definitely avoid the use of imported, tropical woods like teak and mahogany as they are often illegally clear-cut from the earth’s disappearing rainforests. If you must have an imported wood, make sure it is green certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, FSC, indicating it has been legally harvested from a forest that is managed for sustainability. Lastly, ask your furniture maker if the company is certified by the Sustainable Furniture Council, SFC, a non-profit organization of industry professionals created to promote sustainable practices among manufacturers, retailers, and consumers.
How to Find Locally Made Affordable, Customized Green Furniture
A Google search for customized or “built to order” green furniture in your neighborhood is apt bring up choices you never dreamed existed. Most custom furniture makers operate modest, small shops and are eager to start a conversation with you about both the design and green aspects of their work. Ask them for a catalog or photos of their work and learn what kinds of styles, woods and finishes they specialize in. When you find a green company or individual that makes the type of furniture you’re seeking, start looking for ways to customize existing designs and finishes to meet your needs and preferences. Ask the furniture maker, for example:
• Or, “would it be possible to use natural cherry for that chest of drawers instead of mahogany?”
• Or, “I’d prefer an organic, hand-rubbed oil finish. Would there be an upcharge for that?”
Don’t hesitate to ask about any number of customizations involving, natural wood selection, FSC certified wood, natural finishes, organic fabrics and batting, dimensions, shapes, joinery characteristics, edging options, leg styles and more. But try to leverage the value of the company’s existing designs by requesting modifications, rather than asking the furniture-maker to start from scratch, on a new design. The savings will be significant if you do. Since most small, neighborhood furniture makers make each piece to order, rather than building mass quantities of the same thing, they are usually happy to customize their designs, often at no additional charge.
Or Find Customized Green Furniture Online
If you can’t find eco-friendly local furniture makers, try searching the web for customized or “built to order” green furniture (or check out EcoMall's Furniture section) . Many eco friendly furniture companies offer online tools that let you customize their furniture at little or no extra cost. You’ll be surprised, once you look into it, how affordable (and green!) custom furniture can be.
So get started on commissioning that custom green bed or dining room table that you’ve been putting off for fear of high prices. You’ll be delighted with the result and the added bonus of superior quality that is characteristic of customized, built to order furniture. Just be sure your designs are timeless, because your new eco-friendly furniture will be built to last a lifetime.
Written by: Peggy Farabaugh, Vermont Woods Studios
Visit Peggy Farabaugh's Eco Furniture Blog for consumer advice on buying green, eco-friendly, natural hardwood custom furniture.
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