One of the most sustainable things you can do when outfitting your home is to choose eco friendly furniture. Why? Because conventionally-made furniture has a pretty big environmental impact.
For example, unsustainably harvested wood products harm forests and eco-systems, commonly used finishes can be toxic to wildlife (and to humans too) and many of the big furniture manufacturers and retailers place profit margins over paying workers fair wages.
Thankfully, one solution for these issues is the same as purchasing any kind of product – whether for your home or elsewhere. and that is to support eco-minded brands that believe sustainability, affordability and aesthetics can all coexist harmoniously.
Just like I believe we can harmoniously coexist with the plants, insects and animals that call our planet home.
Now, with all that being said… Let’s talk about eco friendly furniture brands!
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Avocado
What They Sell: This green furniture company sells bed frames, dressers, nightstands – plus mattresses and pillows too!
What Makes Them Sustainable: Avocado started with their GOTS-certified mattresses, and have branched off into a whole suite of sustainable products for the bedroom. Plus, they offset more carbon than they produce and are also members of 1% For The Planet.
Where They Ship: Within the United States.
Where They’re Based: United States.
Burrow
What They Sell: Burrow is a well-known eco friendly furniture company that sells coffee tables, shelving units, sofas and more.
What Makes Them Sustainable: Burrow is all about changing the furniture game – eschewing “fast furniture” in favor of responsibly made items that stand the test of time.
Where They Ship: Within the United States.
Where They’re Based: United States.
The Citizenry
What They Sell: The Citizenry is one of the more popular sustainable furniture brands. They sell chairs, headboards, ottomans and more.
What Makes Them Sustainable: The Citizenry partners with global artisans in order to create handmade, small batch home goods that go directly from the maker to you – ensuring all workers are fairly paid.
Where They Ship: Within the United States.
Where They’re Based: United States.
Chairish
What They Sell: Chairish isn’t primarily known as an eco-friendly furniture brand, but they sell pretty much everything vintage – and secondhand is the most conscious choice when buying “new” furniture.
What Makes Them Sustainable: If you love vintage pieces for the sustainability factor as well as the beauty, but wish there was an easy way to sort treasure from junk – then Chairish is for you. Everything they carry has been chosen by one of their expert curators. They also offset 100% of emissions created from shipping.
Where They Ship: Within the United States.
Where They’re Based: United States.
Emeco
What They Sell: Emeco is on of the oldest sustainable furniture companies out there. They sell chairs, stools and tables.
What Makes Them Sustainable: Emeco are known for their innovative use of recycled materials such as recycled PET and reclaimed wood polypropylene. And it all began in 1944 with chairs made for the Navy out of salvaged aluminium.
Where They Ship: Internationally.
Where They’re Based: United States.
Need help choosing eco-conscious furniture and decor for your home? That’s what I’m here for!
Etsy Reclaimed
What They Sell: One of the best ways to shop for green furniture is in Etsy’s reclaimed section, where you’ll find any and all things furniture-related.
What Makes Them Sustainable: While a general Etsy search for reclaimed furniture will turn about about a million choices, narrow things down by shopping the Etsy Reclaimed marketplace – where items are handmade out of, you guessed it, reclaimed materials. Just think of it as a smaller marketplace within the massive marketplace that is Etsy.
Where They Ship: Internationally.
Where They’re Based: Internationally.
Masaya & Co.
What They Sell: Sustainable furniture brands don’t get more conscious than Masaya & Co., who make coffee tables, nightstands, sofas – and more – from sustainably grown wood.
What Makes Them Sustainable: Born from a reforestation project, Masaya & Co. manufacture furniture from wood harvested from their reforestation project. That’s pretty damn amazing!
Where They Ship: Within the United States.
Where They’re Based: United States.
Medley
What They Sell: Medley does eco friendly furniture the right way with their thoughtfully designed accent tables, desks, sofas and more.
What Makes Them Sustainable: “Your living space isn’t just your sanctuary – it’s a little ecosystem.” I mean, how great is that quote? Medley has thought of every detail when it comes to creating a sustainable furniture line – materials, finishes, packaging, you name it.
Where They Ship: Internationally.
Where They’re Based: United States.
Noho
What They Sell: Unlike many of the other sustainable furniture companies on this list, Noho sells only one product – a super-stylish, ergonomic chair made from recycled nylon.
What Makes Them Sustainable: As a Certified B Corp, Noho are determined to green every part of their design, manufacturing and shipping process.
Where They Ship: Within the United States, Australia and New Zealand.
Where They’re Based: United States and New Zealand.
Sabai
What They Sell: Armchairs, ottomans an sofas. (Green furniture in the most gorgeous fabric colours imaginable… yes please!)
What Makes Them Sustainable: Sabai starts with eco-conscious materials and local production, but they certainly don’t end there. They also offer replacement pieces so you can fix instead of discard broken items and also take-bake, revive and resell used items.
Where They Ship: Within the United States.
Where They’re Based: United States.
Simbly
What They Sell: Coffee tables, desks and dining tables – all with a simple, Scandinavian aesthetic.
What Makes Them Sustainable: Simbly believes good design and sustainability belong together. They’re on a mission to become the world’s first climate-positive furniture company.
Where They Ship: Internationally.
Where They’re Based: United States.
Urban Americana
What They Sell: Urban Americana is vintage furniture lovers dream and carry an ever-rotating selection of chairs, console tables and more – including gorgeous mid-century fireplaces.
What Makes Them Sustainable: One of the many sellers you can find via the aforementioned Etsy Reclaimed search featured, Urban Americana is the kind of shop vintage and antique loves like me drool over.
Where They Ship: United States.
Where They’re Based: United States.
Vintage Supply LA
What They Sell: An LA-based vintage shop filled with character-filled bookcases, chairs, side tables and more.
What Makes Them Sustainable: You can’t get much more sustainable than shopping secondhand and this Etsy shop’s tagline is “supplying all things vintage.” Simple as that!
Where They Ship: Within the United States.
Where They’re Based: United States.
Vivaterra
What They Sell: Vivaterra is well-known in the eco friendly furniture realm and carry bed frames, console tables, stools and more.
What Makes Them Sustainable: Vivaterra partners with artisans and craftspeople around the globe and that ethical and sustainable values should be prioritized – not sacrificed.
Where They Ship: Within the United States.
Where They’re Based: United States.
West Elm
Note that I’m usually hesitant to recommend big chain brands because I prefer to support smaller businesses, but sometimes smaller businesses are harder to access or are more expensive than budget allows. If that’s the case then West Elm does have a sustainable furniture line and you can learn more about their sustainability initiatives here.
What They Sell: West Elm is a more recent edition to the green furniture movement, selling bookshelves, console tables, sofas and more.
What Makes Them Sustainable: West Elm’s sustainably sourced pieces are made from either reclaimed or FSC-certified wood, sofa fabric is made from organic cotton or recycled polyester and 15 of their factories are Fair Trade certified.
Where They Ship: Internationally.
Where They’re Based: United States.
I hope you were able to find a piece (or two) or eco-friendly furniture to suit your own home’s unique needs!
Posted on January 24, 2022
Need help choosing eco-conscious furniture and decor for your home? That’s what I’m here for!
Former architectural technologist. Current treehugger.
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