15 Pieces Of Furniture That Are Eco-Friendly
Furniture is one of the major investments we make in a lifetime, so it's not a bad plan to consider the environment when purchasing it. It's easy to fall into the trap of buying fast-furniture pieces — they're made to fill every trend at every moment. Oh, and they tend to be cheap! But opting to furnish your home through sustainable means tends to result in higher-quality pieces with timeless designs.
But shopping sustainably involves more than getting your wear out of the item. For a true eco-friendly purchase, you need to do a little more digging. And because those pieces and information can be a bit tricky to track down, we've done the heavy lifting for you. Below, 15 of our favorite sustainable pieces that fit a variety of home styles, plus a few things keep in mind when making your purchases.
Shopping Eco-Friendly? Here's What to Look for:
Our list includes 15 pieces you can shop today, but if after reading you want to do your own digging, it's best to know what to look for. When shopping for eco-friendly furniture, be on the lookout for pieces that are certified as sustainable by industry-specific councils. The council will likely change from item to item depending on the material.
For instance, getting a checkmark from the Forest Stewardship Council indicates sustainable wood practices while the Made Safe stamp of approval indicates that the piece is made from human-safe ingredients. You can also check for keywords like "recycled" and "reclaimed," and always opt for earth-friendly upholstery materials.
The Best Eco-Friendly Furniture
1. Copeland Furniture Astrid Bed (Queen), $3,107
Yes, beautiful, unique pieces can be environmentally friendly, too. This bed frame from 2Modern is handcrafted in Vermont and made of sustainable materials. Plus, it's Greenguard certified for low chemical emissions.
As a brand, Sabai wants your furniture to last a lifetime, promoting fixes rather than replacements and selling refurbished versions of best-selling pieces. The Essential Loveseat's frame is made of FSC-certified wood and is finished with either a recycled velvet or upcycled polyester fabric.
While Target won't be your one-stop-shop for eco-friendly furniture, we do love this cubby organizer made of eco zBoard Recycled Paperboard that is non-toxic and free of formaldehyde and VOC.
This rustic-inspired, reclaimed wood dining table from Pottery Barn is extendable, giving you and your dinner guests over a foot of extra table room. This piece is made of reclaimed pine wood and crafted at a Fair Trade Certified factory.
A solid mango wood dining table will last a lifetime and beyond. This wood is typically discarded after the tree's short fruit-bearing life, but Crate & Barrel repurposes it for furniture instead.
Avocado is an excellent place to shop for eco-friendly mattresses and furniture, with a mission to be transparent about its sustainability practices while making furniture from "non-toxic, natural, and organic materials." This side table is crafted from upcycled beechwood at the company's Los Angeles facility.
Another great option from Avocado is the band's City Bed Frame (which just so happens to pair perfectly with the retailer's eco-friendly mattresses).
Eco-fy your nursery with this sustainable rocker from West Elm. This rocker is Greenguard Gold Certified as being low-VOC (volatile organic compounds) and crafted of sustainably sourced wood. To take it a step further, opt for the performance eco weave upholstery.
This thoughtfully crafted, midcentury modern-inspired sofa from Medley features a domestically sourced, FSC-certified Alder hardwood frame and cushions that are filled with CertiPUR-US certified poly foam.
Looking for furniture with history? The pine wood on this bed is reclaimed from shipping pallets, but with such a well-crafted design, you'd never know.
This unique piece, with both beautiful form and texture, is made from sustainable rubber wood (we're serious!).
This coffee table is as stylish as it is versatile — just look at the built-in magazine holder! It's also made of FSC-Certified plywood and topped with an eco-solvent finish.
Joybird makes sure to take a sustainable approach to furniture, responsibly sourcing its materials and offering customers the opportunity to shop returned furniture. The Eliot Sectional features sustainably sourced wood and a chemical-free foam filling.
This beautiful chair was inspired by the boudoir of a 1940s starlet and happens to be environmentally friendly. The frame is made from sustainable wood from the Goodwood estate, which is committed to responsible forestry.
This gorgeous, contemporary dresser is made of solid ash with brass pulls. Its exterior wood parts are finished with SCS Indoor Advantage Gold Certification premium organic oil and wax finish and are EDC-free. This means the dresser has no toxins and no off-gassing, which is great for the environment.