What is Green Furniture?
So you want to furnish a space, you want to green, but don�t know where to start? Because there are no federal regulations in this area, the term �Green Furniture� is very vague, resulting in products that are often advertised as such, but aren�t.
Green Furniture is the latest buzz, and thankfully so, as its mission is to make this world a better, cleaner, and �greener� place. In a nutshell, Green Furniture refers to furniture that is eco-friendly and environmentally safe.Our guide below should answer your questions and assist you in making an educated decision when it comes to buying.
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Knú Sustainable Contemporary Green Furniture |
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FSC Certified Wood
Trees are important for so many reasons, and our impact on forests in turn has a direct impact on our environment, our health, the food chain and even the climate. Buying furniture made from controlled sources of sustainable wood drastically minimalizes the damage we unknowingly do to our eco-system in choosing to buy wood furniture. FSC certified wood sources are forests that are controlled to ensure constant and indefinite growth. So how do we distinguish sustainable wood from wood harvested from vulnerable naturally occurring forests? To help guide us is the Forest Stewardship Council, who monitors, and actually inspects forest management units and issues certification for well controlled forests. FSC certified products are usually advertised as such. |
Maku Furniture |
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Reclaimed materials
Wood is more durable than we realize and can last a very long time without losing structural integrity. Many designers are now actually creating quality furniture from reclaimed wood, from old houses other pieces of furniture, factory scraps and even sunken wood. Manufacturing from such sources saves trees. In the bigger picture, it saves forests. On a global level, it lessens our impact on the environment. While all reclaimed wood is not advertised as such, the Rainforest Alliance issues a �Rediscovered Wood Certification� to green furniture it has reviewed. |
P.I.E. Furniture
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Bamboo
Bamboo is a rapidly growing grass that makes for an excellent alternative to trees. It is a durable and extremely versatile material when harvested as such. Bamboo is commonly used to build green furniture, window blinds, flooring and even homes. Because bamboo is also an alternative to wood from trees, it is considered one of, if not the most environmentally friendly materials you can use. While most of our bamboo comes from China, some is grown with pesticides, and some is not. If you�re looking to purchase furniture made from bamboo and want to ensure that it is truly eco-friendly, be sure to ask your retailer if the bamboo source was grown with or without chemicals and/or pesticides. |
Goa Outdoor Rocking Chair |
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Rattan
Like Bamboo, Rattan is another great alternative to wood. Rattan is a palm which is often woven into wicker, and as a source, it is much faster growing than wood, thus making it a protector of forests when harvested instead. It is lightweight, flexible, and durable. Most Rattan comes from Indonesia. |
Knú Sustainable Contemporary Green Furniture |
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Recycled Materials
Metal and plastic are also great alternatives to wood and are recyclable. Although the manufacturing process of these materials poses concerns regarding our environment, the use of recycled metals and plastics is a great way to go green. Many designers are now creating excellent quality furniture from such. |
Buy from Inmod
We�re kidding�.sort of. Well, no, we�re completely serious! Furniture designed for an online market is usually easy to disassemble and/or repair, in turn making it much easier to recycle at the end of its lifetime. Most of our products consist of wood, metal or plastic parts joined together to create a whole. Furniture constructed of separate parts can be disassembled into those parts and recycled. A piece of furniture that is easily repairable offers a great opportunity save a tree (and your money).
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