Environmentally Savvy Furniture

By Caren Baginski

Shop Local
Reusing furniture which already exists is the best and kindest choice for the environment. If you're in the market for new furniture, first ask yourself if anything in your home can be repurposed or found at a local flea market, thrift store or antique shop. You'll save on fuel and be helping your community.

Hunt for Furniture Online
Buying or finding used furniture saves big on budget. Two of the best places online to check are Craigslist.org and Freecycle.org. These communities offer free, local classified ads for everything from sofas to dining tables — both new and old. While items listed on Craigslist often have a price attached, furniture listed on Freecycle has one requirement: It must be given away absolutely free.

Our shopping tips for finding furniture on Craigslist.org »

Can't Reuse? Buy Responsibly
"If you can't find a piece you love in the used marketplace, the next best thing to do is to buy something made from sustainable materials," says Zem Joaquin, green blogger at Ecofabulous.com. How can you tell if furniture is environmentally friendly? Look for these certifications:

Greenguard certification
Furniture has been tested and approved as a low-emitting product, which means better indoor air quality. (Get Details about Greenguard at www.greenguard.org).

MBDC Cradle 2 Cradle certification
Furniture has been responsibly and sustainably designed from its creation until its rebirth as another product. (Get details about C2C at www.mbdc.com/c2c).

Forest Stewardship Council-certified wood
"Any product with this label has been produced in a sustainable fashion," Joaquin says. "Trees were cut in a responsible manner, with little environmental impact." (Get details about FSC at www.fscus.org).

Choose Renewable Resources
Eco-friendly furniture materials to look for include:

Bamboo
Cork
Beech wood
Reclaimed lumber and recycled wood scraps
Recycled products from plastics and paper
Sustainable fibers like hemp, wool and jute
Bent plywood or molded ply
Corrugated cardboard
Stainless steel
Kirei board (made from reclaimed sorghum stalk fibers)
Coconut palm trees

Earth-Friendly Finishes
Skip the toxins that accompany a new paint smell and refinish your furniture finds with environmentally-friendly stains or paints. The toxic smell comes from VOCs (volatile organic compounds) emitted not just from paints and lacquers, but also paint strippers, cleaning supplies, building materials and furnishings according to the EPA. Instead, beautify your already green furniture with these eco-friendly products:

Bioshield Natural Paints and Wood Stains, www.bioshieldpaint.com
Made from natural raw materials like citrus peel extracts, natural pigments and seed oils in a variety of soothing, earthlike colors

Dunn-Edwards Paints, www.dunnedwards.com
Earth-friendly paint made in the Southwest; performs well in hot and dry climates

The Real Milk Paint Company, www.realmilkpaint.com
Non-toxic paint made with milk protein, lime, clay and earth pigments that lets you control how thick or thin it is by adding water — perfect for white washing furniture

(Contibutions by Jenny Jedeikin)