1). If buying wooden furniture look for pieces certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) or the Rainforest Alliance to make sure the wood in your furniture was sustainably harvested and is not contributing to deforestation around the world.
2) Look for Bamboo. Bamboo can be made to look like wood and creates beautiful furniture and flooring, but it is not wood at all. Bamboo is a grass which means it grows far more rapidly than trees and is an easily renewable resource.
3) Before buying something brand new, see if there is an already used option to suit your needs. This is not only A LOT cheaper, it prevents lightly used items from building up in landfills. Check out Freecycle and Craigslist for the cheapest used furniture options.
4) Look for Greenguard certified furniture which ensures low toxicity. Don’t forget that some pieces of furniture (not certified) give off VOCs or may even contain lead paint both of which are toxic to humans.
5) Think about the lifespan of an item. When purchasing, look for long term solutions — will you still like that couch 10 years from now? This thought process will help prevent unnecessary waste. If you don’t think you want to have your furniture for the long term, find out if the product is recyclable or biodegradable. (Like MeridaHome’s 100% biodegradable wool rugs).
6) Go local – if an item doesn’t need to be transported very far, it saves a lot of fuel from shipping materials all over the world. Ask local artisans where their materials come from and if they use local materials – commission a piece for your home!
7) Be innovative. Find ways to spice up what you already have. Paint a shelf to suit a different room, reupholster a couch or chair, or sew your own curtains. There are plenty of DIY options when it comes to decorating, and often times, these options are far more green than going out and buying all new furniture.
