If you’re wondering what’s with this Eco trend in the furniture market, this article may help you to find some answers.
As we know, the industrial revolution was based on the mass production and consumption. The growth model was based on the quantity increasing and one of the handiest ways to increase the sales was promoting the replacement idea. Thus, the goods that were purchased only for a few years are replaced with other new ones, and if we take after commercials, of a much better quality. But ironically, it was clear that the main concern was not the quality considering that the product lifespan expectation was so short. The same thing happens in all areas, not only in the production of furniture.
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If you want to start somehow, to bring your contribution to environmental protection, start from this point. Choose a furniture thinking that you will keep it a very long time. However, the furniture of a house not the same thing with clothes that are no longer in fashion after a season. Choose well designed and durable furniture pieces, which age beautifully and keep their value even after several decades. A simply look at a classic vintage furniture, and you will realize that the manufacturing date is not a criteria in assessing value.
In addition to eliminate waste, Eco also means respect for the environment. Wood furniture is made of cut trees and this should concern us all.
– To protect our forests choose furniture made from recycled wood or materials that replace wood.
– You can also think about the amount of wood, wool or cotton included in a piece of furniture, and you can assess whether all material consumption is indeed necessary.
– Find out more about the manufacturer and the places from which they buy the raw materials. Some manufacturers exploit responsibly the forests and even plant new trees in the place of those cut.
– Many manufacturers are careful not to use materials whose transport, over long distances mean unnecessary energy consumption. Instead of buying a chair whose wood is brought from Asia and whose upholstery is produced in France, it is preferable to look for products that are made from local raw materials.
– Another Eco issue is the chemicals used to build furniture. Avoid paints containing lead, chemicals used in soldering that emit toxic fumes into the atmosphere or pollute waters and those that attack the ozone layer.
– When assembling furniture usually it is used adhesives or glue, but now you can choose products that are assembled with screws or have special slots made for combining parts.
– Also, do not neglect the furniture packaging. They must be from recycled materials and reduced as possible to avoid waste.
– One last point, but not insignificant, is the producer responsibility towards the environment. Find out if its plants meet the environmental standards, if it works in terms of energy efficiency, if they use alternative energy sources or it gets involved in the community life where they operate.
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