Sustainable furniture - environmental awareness also in home furnishings

These criteria make furniture sustainable

Furniture is sustainable when certain ecological, economic and social aspects are met. We have put together for you what these are:

Use of renewable raw materials : Renewable raw materials are used for sustainable furniture. These include sustainable wood, bamboo, which grows back particularly quickly, cotton, natural felt, hemp, linen, jute and recyclable materials such as PET.

Longevity : In order for the furniture to be sustainable, it should be able to be used for as long as possible. Not only the material - which should be robust - but also the design play an important role here. If this is timeless, the furniture can be used for a long time without being outdated quickly. In addition to classic solid wood furniture, metal furniture is also particularly sustainable. They are robust and durable and come with a timeless, classic design. So they go with many furnishing styles and stay with you for a long time.

Socially fair production: In order for a piece of furniture to be considered sustainable, the production conditions must also be right. Companies must meet their social responsibilities and ensure good working conditions and fair wages. If this is the case, it is usually stated on the manufacturer's website.

Short transport routes: Sustainable furniture and its raw materials are not first shipped halfway around the world. Instead, their carbon footprint is as small as possible. Regional materials are used for this and the furniture is produced in the region.

Free of pollutants: Sustainable furniture is free of pollutants. This is particularly important for furniture for the bedroom or children's room. Wood, lacquers, oils and glazes should all be harmless to health.

 

 

Sustainable furniture: self-disclosure of the manufacturers

Since there is no fixed definition of sustainable furniture, you can only use the self-control and information provided by the manufacturer as a guide. So far, manufacturers have not been obliged to indicate the origin of their raw materials. If you are unsure whether a piece of furniture has been produced sustainably, you can contact the manufacturer and ask where the materials come from and under what conditions the furniture is made.

 

Eco-labels support the purchase of sustainable furniture

In addition to the self-disclosure of the manufacturers, you can use some eco-labels as a guide when buying sustainable furniture:

 

Blue Angel : This label indicates that the release of pollutants is limited and the wood comes largely from sustainable forestry.

FSC seal : The seal of the Forest Stewardship Council, a non-profit and independent organization that promotes responsible forest management, promises that only wood from forests that are managed in an environmentally friendly, socially responsible and economical manner has been processed.

Öko-Control : The seal guarantees that furniture has been manufactured under high ecological standards and stands for the greatest possible freedom from harmful substances. It is awarded by the European Association of Ecological Furniture Stores, which inspects textiles and upholstered furniture.

Eco-Institut label : This seal is considered a reliable test mark, since extensive tests are carried out with regard to emissions and pollutants. Furniture with this quality mark is of high quality, largely environmentally friendly and harmless to health. The seal refers to the entire life cycle, from the extraction of the raw materials, through processing and use, to the disposal or recycling of the piece of furniture.

PEFC seal: The seal of the Program for the Endorsement of Forest Certification Schemes guarantees that the wood comes largely from forests that are managed sustainably. However, the award is based on self-disclosure by the foresters and should therefore be viewed critically.

Tips for sustainability in the institution

Of course, sustainability in furnishing not only refers to the raw materials and production of the furniture. Other factors also ensure that your home is furnished sustainably. Here are a few tips for sustainable home furnishings:

• Rely on minimalism : Those who have carefully selected only a few pieces of furniture protect the environment and resources.
• Decide on high-quality furniture: high-quality furniture is more expensive, but often more durable than cheap furniture.
• Let a trend be a trend: don't follow every trend and completely renew the furnishings every few years, even though the furniture is still intact.
• Make new from old: buy second-hand furniture and upcycle old furniture.
• Tip for clearing out: don't throw the furniture away straight away, sell it or give it away.
• Rely on recycling: buy furniture made from recycled materials.
• Organic fabrics: Choose pillows, blankets and other textiles made from organic cotton.
• Bamboo instead of wood: Bamboo is one of the rapidly renewable raw materials and has a particularly long lifespan, as it hardly loses stability and humidity does not bother it.
• Use sustainable wood: do without furniture made of tropical wood.
• The right wallpaper: It is best to use recycled wallpaper that does not contain plasticizers, polypropylene or ethylene.
• Ecological paints: Lime, glue, casein and silicate paints are particularly ecological. Otherwise, make sure that the paint contains little solvent, then the paint is particularly low in emissions.

Sustainable furniture is made from renewable raw materials and under fair working conditions. A classic, timeless design promises longevity, so that you can enjoy your furniture for a long time and protect the environment.

At Metallbude you will find your sustainable furniture.