Guide to buying eco-friendly furniture

The eco-friendly terminology doesn’t exist in the furniture category in the same way it's used in labeling for example food. While some items will have the word organic or eco-friendly in the product name or description in case of furniture it look differently.

Here is our guide to what’s out there in eco-friendly furniture, décor and furnishings, from organic fabrics and fills to certified ecologically harvested wood.

First, if you want to be eco-friendly opt for organic in upholstered or filled pieces. Let's start with home furnishings you will find with the word organic on the label or in the product description.
Take upholstered furniture for example - you need to look for chairs and sofas covered in organic fabrics and stuffed with natural latex foam.

When you buy mattresses choose organic cotton, organic wool and natural latex. Most organic mattresses have latex cores and are wrapped in wool or cotton or a combination of both.

As you may know organic mattresses are pricey but there is an alternatie - futons. They can be a cost-effective alternative, and you don’t have to use them on tough to sit folding frames. There are platforms and flat frames available, too.

The simplest way to avoid toxins like formaldehyde and PBDEs is to buy furniture made from materials that don’t contain them. Pieces made from metal or glass carry few concerns, as both are inert materials which don’t offgas. Solid wood furniture ranks right up there, too. However, keep in mind that the products used to paint or finish wood and metal can contain VOCs.

Source: http://furnitex.co.uk/