Fight the wasteful tides of fast furniture by supporting one of these sustainable furniture companies.
10 Sustainable Furniture Companies To Know
What Is Sustainable Furniture?
Furniture plays a huge part in our day whether you’re getting out of bed, eating at a kitchen table or binging Netflix on the couch.
But more and more furniture isn’t built to last. So-called fast furniture is the home decor equivalent of fast food, produced quickly and meant to be discarded after a few years. Worse yet, most of it is produced with non-sustainable materials, often in factories with dubious labor practices.
How bad is this issue? The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) found Americans throw out more than 12 million tons of furniture each year, with the vast majority destined for in landfills. Furniture and furnishings take up almost 5% of total landfill space.
But there’s one way to fight this wasteful trend: use sustainable furniture. In this context, “sustainable” does not just mean how long the furniture will last. It also refers to the materials used to make the furniture, how much waste is created during construction and the overall carbon footprint of a given piece of furniture.
Here are a few things to look for when it comes to furniture sustainability.
- Carbon neutrality: Does the manufacturer balance out the carbon of the furniture in some way?
- Ethical sourcing: Are the raw materials coming from renewable resources?
- Certified B-Corporation: Companies that are B-Corps have made a clear commitment to sustainable practices by legally changing their corporate governance to measure their environmental impact.
- Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification: The FSC works with businesses to ensure minimal impact on forests. This includes using wood sourced from sustainable, low-risk forests.
- The Wood Furniture Scorecard: A joint project of the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) and Sustainable Furnishings Council (SFC), this scorecard rates more than 120 North American furniture retailers and manufacturers.
Some of the companies on this list tick all those boxes, others only some. But all are actively striving to produce the most sustainable furniture possible.
1
/
10
Polywood
Indiana-based Polywood specializes in high-end outdoor furniture made of recycled plastic containers. With more than three decades of experience, they were producing sustainable furniture long before the concept hit the mainstream.
Megan Pierson, Polywood’s senior vice president of business development, offers this tip for those searching for a sustainable furniture company: “Evaluate what products are made with, how they’re made and where they’re made. Look for transparency around these questions while searching for brands that are working toward a sustainable future.”
Polywood’s furniture is made in a 99% waste-free facility and comes with a 20-year warranty. “The true value of furniture is measured over time,” Pierson says. “Having a mindset that furniture is a long-term investment is one of the most sustainable choices we can make. It leads us toward consciously crafted forever furniture instead of fast furniture that’s replaced every few years.
Polywood has a history of delivering on the promise of sustainability. The winner of the Sustainable Furnishings Council’s Green Award, Polywood offers everything from $250 Adirondack chairs to $1,600 outdoor dining sets.
2
/
10
Hossle Woodworks
Justin Hossle’s title is “Owner, Designer and Craftsman,” but he could probably add “Environmental Protector” as well.
“We’re on a mission to replenish what we take from the planet while creating heirloom furniture and decor products,” he says.
Hossle Woodworks prides itself on quality mid-century modern furniture and decor. Based in Minneapolis, it creates bespoke furniture via sustainable practices. It uses environmentally-friendly finishes and plant one tree for each product sold.
Its woodwork is gorgeous, and standout pieces like these walnut or maple liquor cabinets can command prices in the thousands. But it also sells affordable decor items, like these adorable elephant sculptures ($39).
3
/
10
Ashley Yeates
Based in Monterey, California, Ashley Yeates is an eponymously-named furniture design firm focused on sustainable practices and materials. For founder Ashley Yeates, every element in the production chain is an opportunity to bring sustainability to the forefront. It’s not only about the wood.
“We ethically source additional materials for Ashley Yeates Collection: water-based stains and paints, natural fabrics, and plant-based foam,” Yeates said in a statement.
Another example is the glass used for nightstands. “We source recycled glass that reduces related air pollution by 20% and related water pollution by 50%,” Yeates said. “Recycling glass reduces the landfill space used bottles and jars would otherwise take up.”
Yeates offers a wide selection of high-end furniture. Much of it highlights modern takes on classic designs, such as the Simon writing desk.
4
/
10
Inside Weather
Designed and made in California, Inside Weather furniture is an attractive, modern option for buyers who value sustainability.
The ethically-sourced wood comes from FSC-certified sustainable forests. Even their shipments are carbon negative. For every box Inside Weather ships, they plant two trees, one for the purchase and one for the shipping. And their sofa packaging upcycles more than 200 plastic water bottles.
Inside Weather’s fabrics are tested and proven to be free of harmful levels of toxic chemicals, and they use memory foam that is free of ozone-depleting byproducts. Products like the Pyramid Pillow or the Bondi corner chair use a down alternative made from 40 sanitized plastic bottles.
5
/
10
Copeland Furniture
Copeland Furniture was founded as a one-man studio in 1976. In the intervening half-century, it’s grown in size and reputation to become the largest employer in Bradford, Vermont.
With a design sense heavily influenced by Arts and Crafts, Mission, Shaker and Scandinavian styling, Copeland builds “furniture for generations” that’s based on sustainable principles. Here, get to know about certain types of furniture.
With a long list of awards from green stewardship groups, Copeland backs up its promises by harvesting wood from forests ranked Low Risk by the FSC and using finishes low in volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Check their website for full coverage of their sustainability policies.
6
/
10
Varier
As the owner of PhilZen.com, an online retailer of work-from-home office furniture, George Stern prioritizes ergonomic and eco-friendly products. While that could easily be a role that jaded him, Stern remains vocal in his praise of one of his favorite sustainable furniture makers — Varier.
A Norwegian furniture maker focused on stylish and sustainable office chairs, Stern says Varier “produces beautiful chairs that are not only great for physical health, but for the environment, too.”
Standout models included the Variable Balans ($350) and Gravity Balans ($2,500). Stern says these chairs are primarily made from recyclable materials and manufactured to minimize waste and energy consumption.
7
/
10
The Arrangement
One of the top scorers on the Sustainable Furnishings Council’s Wood Furniture Scorecard, Texas-based The Arrangement crafts furniture that fuses modern and rustic aesthetics into gorgeous pieces for the dining room, living room, bedroom and home office.
It promotes an environmentally responsible wood sourcing policy, and gives back to the community by actively supporting non-profit organizations.
The Arrangement’s sustainable options range from a plush and comfy wing back recliner to this absolutely jaw-dropping double-arch bookcase.
8
/
10
re.dwell
Grand Rapids, Mich. based re.dwell supplies commercial and residential furniture to customers who love solid craftsmanship and sustainable products. Its website states more than 75% of the materials used in its furniture are “reclaimed and recycled lumber.”
That’s not empty talk — they put up statistics to prove it. This top scorer from the Wood Furniture Scorecard program boldly displays its annual consumption of reclaimed vs. newly milled wood to make sure it’s staying true to its principles.
Much of re.dwell’s work has a modern vibe, as shown in its reclaimed wood and steel sofa/hall table. But it’s more than capable of designing more traditional items, like this 100% reclaimed wood rustic serving tray.
9
/
10
Vermont Woods Studios
Headquartered in the Green Mountain State, Vermont Woods Studios offers a deep commitment to sustainability in its furniture and daily operations. A furniture retailer, Vermont Woods Studios exclusively lists furniture made in America, handcrafted by expert woodworkers and upholsterers.
A clearing house for ethical furniture manufacturers, it features Vermont companies such as Copeland Furniture (mentioned previously), Lyndon Furniture, Vermont Furniture Designs and Maple Corner Woodworks.
By bringing together this range of boutique manufacturers, Vermont Wood Studios provides classic styling like this heartwood Shaker china cabinet, as well as more modern designs like the Sutton one-drawer nightstand.
Vermont Woods Studios donates 1% of its revenue to non-profits with a sustainability focus. Gain insight into popular green building certifications for single-family homes in the U.S.
10
/
10
IKEA
We’re including IKEA in this list because we know buying sustainably can be intimidating, especially when you’re on a budget. While not all IKEA furniture is sustainably built, many of its products are, and it has announced several new sustainability initiatives.
Ikea says it’s “100% committed” to sustainable cotton and wool while phasing out single-use plastics. “Our ambition is that by 2030, all plastic used in our products will be based on renewable or recycled material,” the company said in a statement.
IKEA offers entire collections geared to sustainable living, from rechargeable batteries to bamboo furniture, like the Rågrund Shelf and the Nordkisa Nightstand.
