Sustainable Furniture: Contributing to a Greener World

Are you also a home decor fan looking to make sustainable choices for your space? Are you aware that the furniture industry is majorly responsible for a large amount of forest loss and waste creation?
But fortunately, one can find and follow plenty of ways to contribute to a greener, healthier planet through some very simple sustainable furniture choices.

Here are some key features of sustainable furniture to keep in mind before you make your next purchase:

Materials

One of the most important aspects of sustainable furniture design is the choice of materials. sustainable furniture choices makes sure that the furniture should be made from renewable and nontoxic materials, such as natural wood, bamboo, or recycled materials. Avoid using materials that are harmful to the environment or that cannot be recycled, repaired, or restored, such as those that include plastics or toxic chemicals.

Durability

Sustainable and mindfully bought furniture should be designed with functionality in mind. Choose designs that are durable, long-lasting, and versatile. Chose furniture and decor items that will last more that your lifetime. Wooden furniture or solid wrought iron furniture pieces can outlast most of the “trendy items” you will find out in the markets right now. Avoid trendy Fast Furniture or disposable furniture that will quickly go out of style or become unrepairable and end up in a landfill in just a few years. Think of it this way, would you rather be spending a couple of thousands every four – five years to fulfill your decor needs or would you rather pay a more premium price for a solid, timeless designed furniture piece that will last you a few generations and might even increase in value over the years.

Packaging and Transportation

Another important consideration is the packaging and transportation of furniture. Eco-friendly transportation methods are part of producing sustainable furniture. Aim to buy locally produced furniture created with locally sourced materials whenever possible to minimize its carbon footprint. Look around in your local markets for wooden pieces or search in your area for second hand furniture thrift stores. For imported furniture, look for companies that transport their goods efficiently, including how they package their products.

Interesting Facts About Sustainable Furniture Choices

According to a study by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), sustainability is a crucial factor for three-quarters of consumers when they are buying furniture.
Wood is the most sustainable furniture material. It’s renewable, infinitely replenishable, and good for the climate.
Sustainable furniture might also be described as eco-friendly, better for the planet, or environmentally safe.

More interesting facts and numbers about deforestation and number of furniture dumped into landfills –

Sustainable furniture is an excellent way to contribute to a greener world, especially considering the alarming facts about deforestation and furniture waste. Here are some more interesting facts and numbers to consider:

Deforestation

Deforestation contributes about 4.8 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere every year, which is equivalent to nearly 10% of annual human emissions.
Tropical deforestation contributes about 20% of annual global greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions.
Tropical deforestation claims about 12 million hectares of forest each year. If this trend continues, there will be no rainforests in the next 79 years.

Furniture Waste

Nearly 10 million tons of furniture was disposed of in landfills in 2018, up from 8.9 million tons in 2010.
Furniture is the least-recycled and the second largest portion of urban waste.
Of all household items, furniture is the least recovered from landfills to be recycled.

Cost of Ending Deforestation

It would likely cost more than $130 billion a year to end deforestation by the end of this decade.
The three most likely sources for these grant-based funds are governments that allocate money to protect forests, philanthropic support, and carbon credits.
Since 2018, 3.2 million hectares of primary forest have been lost each year from non-fire related causes, which is equivalent to a rate of 10 football pitches.

By choosing sustainable furniture, we can help reduce waste, conserve resources, and ultimately benefit the environment and our planet.