But the fact is that there is a lot to look for when it comes to the hunt for a non-toxic and/or eco-friendly sofa.

Here are a few of the things to watch out for when looking for a sustainable sofa.

What Makes a Sustainable and Non-Toxic Sofa?

Unsurprisingly, the same toxic chemicals that are unhealthy for us are just as terrible for the environment. After all we are part of — and interconnected with — the rest of the planet and natural world. Here’s what to look out for when shopping for a non-toxic sofa or sustainable couch:

Non-toxic sofas will be free of flame retardant treatments.

Flame retardants can be found in many household building materials and items, including couches. These toxic chemicals — once required by law — were and continue to be used to treat polyurethane foam in sofas and other furniture, though now many companies are shifting away from using flame retardants. Toxic-Free Future has more information on toxic flame retardants.

Sustainable sofas will be made with responsibly-sourced and safely treated wood.

While wood is technically renewable material, it’s important to ensure that the wood was harvested from responsibly-managed forests and is not contributing to deforestation. While not perfect, the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification is the most widely recognized certification for sustainable forestry management.

What about plywood? Pressed wood, like plywood, is typically made with formaldehyde, a chemical that has been linked to cancer risk in studies and listed as a known or probable carcinogen by multiple health groups.

Solid wood furniture is not always financially accessible, though (or realistic if you’re on the move often) so look for formaldehyde-free plywoods if you have to go that route.

Finally, look for low- or zero-VOC (VOC stands for volatile organic compounds) finishes on the wood.

Eco-friendly coaches have upholstery made with organic, recycled, and natural fabrics.

Many sofas are made with harsh chemical-laden fabrics such as chrome-tanned leather and polyester. Even “natural” cotton is not necessarily toxic-free, as cotton is one of the most pesticide-ridden crops grown today.

Look for linen, organic cotton, or hemp fabric where possible. Bonus points if a fabric has the GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) certification! If you want a leather couch, look for vegetable-tanned leather, as the chrome (short for chromium) tanning process uses extremely toxic chemicals.

These fabrics are not widely available for sofas though, so you might also consider sofas made with recycled synthetic materials. Not ideal, but we can only purchase from what is available and what is within our budget and do the best we can.

Non-toxic coaches will be made with natural and/or non-toxic foam.

Most foams are petroleum-based (polyfoam). Look for natural fillers such as organic cotton, responsibly-sourced wool, and GOLS-certified organic latex where possible. If not feasible, look for the CertiPUR-US® seal which ensures the foam is free of a host of toxic chemicals like formaldehyde, toxic flame retardants, heavy metals, among many others.

What About Secondhand Sofas?

Investing in sustainably-made furniture can be quite expensive, but shopping used is a great way to find eco-friendly sofas and other furnishings for far less.

While many of the sofas on the secondhand market probably won’t be made with non-toxic materials, since the most off-gassing happens when furniture is new, your exposure to VOCs will be less than it would have been if you bought that same piece of furniture new.

What are some places to find sustainable sofas secondhand?

Checking out your local furniture resale shops, consignment stores, and any nearby Estate Sales is a great place to start. Prefer shopping online? Check out Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist or OfferUp for local pick-up options.

And if you’re in the US you’ve likely seen people leave their unwanted furniture out on their curb. Picking up this furniture is called “stooping” and yup, it’s totally free. Of course you’ll want to do a thorough inspection of the sofa and you may have to be prepared to do some reupholstering since you never know exactly why someone left the sofa out and the condition might be less than desirable. But it’s free! So you may be willing to invest in some repair costs.

For more curated secondhand and vintage sofa options, check out:

• AptDeco
• Chairish
• Etsy
• 1st Dibs
• Apartment Therapy Bazaar.

Eco-Friendly and Non-Toxic Sofa Brands

If you’re in the market to purchase a new eco-friendly sofa, check out these non toxic sofa companies! Each brand uses a different set of materials and has slightly different standards, priorities, and values. This guide is a starting point, but do your own research to find which brand would be best for you.

This article features affiliates and partners. As always, we only feature brands that meet high standards for sustainability that we love — and that we think you’ll love too!

Best Eco-Friendly Sofa: Savvy Rest

Savvy Rest’s sustainable organic sofa is made with some of the best materials available for non-toxic couches. The brand uses Cradle-to-Cradle certified Natural Talalay latex foam and GOTS-certified organic hemp or organic cotton upholstery. Their sustainable couch is also made with organic wool batting, jute webbing, natural coir, and zero-VOC finishes.

Price Range: $3,799 – $4,099

Use code CONSCIOUSSTYLE20 for 20% off!

Shipping: Free White Glove delivery in continental U.S. Contact for quotes outside 48 contiguous states.

Check Out Savvy Rest

Best Luxury: Maiden Home

Maiden Home is a woman-founded brand crafting all of their furniture made-to-order in North Carolina to minimize waste and maximize quality.

They source their solid hardwood responsibly in line with the standards of the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, their cushion cores (which are certified by CertiPUR-US®) are made from renewable soy-based foam, and the springs are made from recycled steel.

All of Maiden Home’s furniture is free of flame retardants, formaldehyde, or other harmful chemicals. And the brand uses water-based, low-VOC glues and stains whenever possible.

Price Range: $2,025 – $3,850

Ordering & Shipping: Made-to-order; Complimentary shipping and white glove delivery within 48 contiguous US states + some locations in Canada.

Check Out Maiden Home

Best Affordable: Sabai

Beyond using sustainable and non-toxic materials like FSC-certified wood, CertiPUR-US® certified foam, and recycled fiber filling, this B-Corp certified furniture brand has programs to extend the life of their eco-friendly couches.

The first is their Repair Don’t Replace program where they sell various parts you can switch out and their Revive Program where you can send back your Sabai pieces in exchange for a percentage of the resale price when the piece is sold.

Price Range: $1,095 – $1,395

Shipping: Ships within the U.S.; shipping is carbon offset and packaging is 100% recycled.

Check Out Sabai

Best Classic Styles: Medley

Free of harmful chemicals like fire retardants, and formaldehyde, Medley makes non-toxic sofas you can kick back in with peace of mind.

What materials does Medley use? For their non-toxic sofa cushions, you can choose from either CertiPUR-US® certified foam or organic natural latex. Their upholstery options are made up of Oeko-Tex certified fabrics and they use FSC-certified wood. Medley also uses water-based, VOC-free glue. This sustainable sofa brand has truly covered every detail.

Price Range: $1,545 – $3,105

Shipping: Ships out of the U.S. Contact Medley for a quote for shipping to other countries.

Check Out Medley

Best for Futons: Natural Home

Natural Home by Futon Shop has an impressive set of organic sofas non-toxic sectionals made from natural safe materials with the option to upgrade to organic materials like GOLS-certified organic latex and GOTS-certified organic wool.

Their sustainable couches and non-toxic sofa beds, all made in San Francisco, have frames made from responsibly-sourced kiln-dried wood and are available in fabrics like hemp and organic cotton.

Price Range: $1,500 – $5,395

Shipping: Ships within the continental U.S.

Check Out Natural Home

Best for Sectionals: Burrow

Burrow’s modular eco-friendly sofas are designed to be assembled and reconfigured with ease — meaning their pieces can stay with you for a lifetime, even through moves and family additions.

And their thoughtful design goes beyond convenience, Burrow’s comfy couches are made with CertiPUR-US® certified cushions and sustainably-sourced wood.

Price Range: $795 – $3,995

Shipping: Free shipping; ships within the continental U.S.

Check Out Burrow

Best for Reassembly: Floyd

Floyd prides themselves on their minimally-designed furniture being as easy as possible to disassemble and reassemble to ensure your furniture lasts, even if you’re moving homes often.

Making use of fast fashion’s overflowing waste, Floyd partnered with Recover to launch a sofa made with upcycled textiles from the fashion industry.

Floyd also has a resale and refurbishment program, as part of the company’s waste and carbon emissions reduction goals.

Price Range: $2075+ for sofa | $2060+ for sectional

Shipping: Ships within contiguous U.S.; shipping fees vary

Check Out Floyd

Best for Linen Sofas: Lee Industries

Green lifestyle retailer VivaTerra is a mecca for all things sustainable home — including eco-friendly sofas and sectionals sourced from manufacturer LEE Industries. As a founding Gold member of the Sustainable Furnishings Council, LEE meets high standards for health and the environment. Their non-toxic sofas are all made in the U.S. from many mindful materials including linen, soy-based fillings, and recycled polyester.

Price Range: $4,295 – $6,895

Shipping: Ships within the U.S.

Check Out LEE on VivaTerra

Luxury Organic Sofas: EcoBalanza

Dedicated to creating “the ultimate organic sofa”, EcoBalanza really has considered every single component. The Seattle-based boutique uses FSC-certified hardwood, GOLS-certified organic latex, certified non-toxic fabrics, natural kapuk fiber cushions, and organic cotton or responsibly-sourced wool batting. Read more about the materials they use for their non-toxic sofas here.

Price Range: $3,000 – $4,300; Couture Collection starts at $6,800

Ordering & Shipping: Couches are made-to-order. Learn more here.

Check Out EcoBalanza

Luxury Non-Toxic Sofas: PURE Upholstery

Made using non-toxic organic and natural ingredients, PURE Upholstery’s sustainable couches are free from toxic materials and ingredients, like chemical flame retardants.

The eco-friendly couches are made with certified organic or non-toxic natural fabrics, GOLS-Certified Organic Latex, FSC-certified solid wood, recycled steel springs, certified organic wool, and a natural wood finish. (More on their materials here!)

Price Range: $1,675 – $5,595

Shipping: Ships within the U.S.; more details + lead time here

Check Out PURE Upholstery

For Sustainable Outdoor Sofas: Loll Designs

If you’re looking for an outdoor sustainable sofa, then Loll Designs is the brand to know.

Loll’s furniture is made in Duluth, Minnesota using recycled HDPE (which stands for high-density polyethylene), mostly from recycled milk jugs, as well as USA-made aluminum inserts. The cushions are made using Sunbrella acrylic (which is virgin plastic) though you could instead opt for their cushion-free sofa.

Outdoor sofas are going to be the toughest to find natural or non-toxic (unless you want to go cushion-free). But durability is a key feature to keep in mind.

Price Range: $1,395 – $2,995

Shipping: Ships to U.S. and internationally through their shipping partner Stackry

Check out Loll @ Made Trade

You May Also Want to Check Out:

Ethical Home Decor Brands to Curate a Beautiful, Conscious Space

Furnish Your Home Sustainably with these Eco Furniture Brands

The Most Gorgeous Fair Trade Artisanal Rugs

The post 11 Best Sustainable + Non-Toxic Sofas for Restful Relaxation (2024) appeared first on Conscious Life & Style.

These ethical and environmentally friendly furniture companies have just what you need to furnish your space consciously, whether you need sustainable bedroom furniture, living room furniture, dining room furniture, or outdoor furniture.

This is your ultimate guide to finding the very best in sustainable furniture in 2024.

The Best Sustainable Furniture Companies

There’s a lot to sort through when it comes to sustainable furniture, so our goal is to make that search easier.

Below are our favorite sustainable furniture stores, environmentally friendly furniture companies, and secondhand furniture marketplaces that are doing things better.

That might mean they are sourcing eco-friendly materials, using non-toxic finishes and fabrics, producing locally and ethically, considering the full lifecycle of their products, or all of the above!

For more on what we consider “sustainable furniture” scroll down to the bottom below the brands!

The following roundup includes partners and affiliates. As always, all brands meet rigorous sustainability criteria and are brands we love — and that we think you’ll love too.

1. Savvy Rest

Savvy Rest creates functional, sustainable furniture with your health and the planet’s health in mind. The eco-friendly furniture brand sources only the best natural and organic materials for their non-toxic furnishings, like hemp and certified organic cotton fabric, natural Talalay latex, and responsibly sourced solid hardwood. You can also choose between a variety of zero-VOC stains or no finish for their wood furniture.

Furniture Categories: Sofas, Loveseats & Armchairs, Tables & Benches

Check out Savvy Rest

(Use code CONSCIOUSSTYLE20 for 20% off!)

2. Maiden Home

This woman-founded, direct-to-consumer brand handcrafts gorgeous sustainable furniture that’s designed to last for a lifetime. Maiden Home’s timeless pieces are made-to-order in North Carolina with exceptional care.

The eco friendly and ethical furniture brand uses solid hardwood that’s sourced in line with the Sustainable Forestry Initiative standards, CertiPUR-US® soy-based foam, and recycled steel springs. Additionally, Maiden Home does not use harmful chemicals such as flame retardants and works to source water-based, low VOC glues and stains.

Furniture Categories: Sofas & Sectionals, Chairs, Beds, Tables, Benches & Ottomans, Dining Tables, Dining Chairs & Stools

Check out Maiden Home

3. Made Trade

Made Trade is an online destination of ethically and sustainably made goods from brands around the globe. The site has a collection of eco-conscious and ethical furniture from reputable brands such as Masaya & Co and Emeco.

Brands featured on Made Trade source their materials responsibly and compensate their workers fairly. You can also sort by values like Women-Owned, BIPOC-Owned, and Vegan.

Furniture Categories: Dining & Side Tables, Chairs & Stools, Bookshelves, Desks, Benches & Ottomans

Check out Made Trade

4. Medley

Medley Home is an eco-friendly furniture company that handcrafts their pieces in California with mindful materials. The company uses domestically-sourced hardwoods (no plywood here!) from FSC-certified forests and solid bamboo, which is one of the fastest-growing plants in the world. Medley Home’s wood pieces are finished naturally with a blend of beeswax, carnauba wax, and olive oil.

For foam, Medley sources only CertiPUR-US® certified foam or certified organic natural latex, and for textiles, the company uses GOTS-certified organic linings and other natural fabrics such as hemp and wool.

Furniture Categories: Sofas & Sectionals, Chairs, Dining & Side Tables, Dining Chairs, Beds, Storage, Benches & Ottomans

Check out Medley

5. Avocado

Getting their start as a non-toxic mattress brand, Avocado now crafts eco-friendly furniture too.

The Certified B-Corporation crafts both their furniture in a FSC-certified facility in Los Angeles and uses materials like 100% reclaimed wood and responsibly-harvested American timber. Additionally, the majority of Avocado’s offerings have non-toxic certifications like Greenguard Gold and the MADE SAFE^® seal.

The brand has some gorgeous sustainable mid-century modern furniture pieces!

Furniture Categories: Beds, Nightstands & End Tables, Dressers, Benches & Ottomans

Check out Avocado

6. Thuma

Thuma makes environmentally friendly, modern and minimalistic platform beds. The brand’s platform bed frames are crafted with upcycled, repurposed rubberwood, and for every order made, Thuma plants a tree.

The Bed is thoughtfully designed for functionality and quality too—the conscious company even backs their pieces with a lifetime warranty. With Thuma’s direct-to-consumer model, their eco-friendly beds are also pretty affordable.

Furniture Categories: Beds Frames, Dressers, Nightstands & Side Tables

Check out Thuma

7. What WE Make

Based in Chicago, What WE Make is an environmentally friendly furniture company that crafts non-toxic modern furniture from reclaimed materials.

They salvage wood from Midwestern barns and make the furniture start to finish themselves in Chicago to ensure the highest quality. Each piece is completed with zero-VOC finishes.

Furniture Categories: Bathroom Vanities, Tables, Storage & Dressers, Dining Tables, Coffee Tables & Console Tables

Check out What WE Make

8. Sabai

Sustainable by design, Sabai is an affordable sustainable furniture brand with modern, responsibly-made seating. They offer two repurposed fabric options — either recycled velvet or upcycled polypropylene — and the frames are made from FSC-certified wood. Sabai also uses mechanical fasteners in it’s upholstery process instead of glue, low-VOC stains for their domestic maple legs, recycled fiber fills, and certiPUR-US certified foam.

Plus, Sabai works with an ethical, fair wage manufacturer located domestically in North Carolina, which helps to minimize their shipping footprint.

Furniture Categories: Sofas & Sectionals, Chairs, Ottomans

Check out Sabai

9. Natural Home by The Futon Shop

As you might guess, The Futon Shop makes sustainable futons, but they also have other furniture like bed frames and sofas.

The woman-founded furniture and mattress company uses eco-friendly and non-toxic materials such as certified organic cotton cotton and wool, organic Dunlop latex, OEKO-Tex 100 certified coconut coir and hemp, and solid American hardwood.

Furniture Categories: Futons, Beds, Sofas & Sectionals

Check out Futon Shop

10. Greenington

Greenington is a bamboo furniture company with stunning, sustainably-crafted pieces for every room in your home: from the office to the bedroom.

Each piece is made from responsibly hand-harvested (never clear cut) Moso bamboo, which is one of the fastest growing plants on the planet. Greenington also sources only mature bamboo to ensure maximum strength and durability.

Furniture Categories: Beds, Nightstands & Dressers, Desks, Bookcases & Shelving, Dining Tables, Chairs & Stools, Coffee & Side Tables, Cabinets & Credenzas

Check out Greenington @ Lumens

11. The Citizenry

Artisan home and lifeestyle retailer The Citizenry has a gorgeous selection of ethical furniture. Each piece is made from thoughtful quality materials like veg-tanned leather, solid wood, and linen.

Next to each product, you’ll learn more about the ethically-run artisan workshop that is crafting your fair trade furniture.

Furniture Categories: Ottomans & Benches, Chairs & Stools, Tables & Nightstands

Check out The Citizenry

12. Burrow

Handcrafted from durable materials like responsibly-sourced hardwood, Burrow’s eco-friendly furniture is designed to be your next heirloom. Burrow’s modular sofas are the true standouts: they’re designed to be assembled and configured in a variety of ways so you can customize them to your needs even through moves and family changes.

[Check out this guide for more eco-friendly sofas.]

Furniture Categories: seating, storage, tables, benches

Check out Burrow

13. Parachute

Inspired by nature, much of Parachute’s eco-friendly furniture is designed with organic shapes, like the coffee table pictured here.

From made-to-order beds crafted from solid hardwood and linen fabric to solid hardwood benches, this Carbon Neutral Certified business has stunning furniture for a variety of spaces in your home.

Furniture Categories: Beds, Sofas, Nightstands, Coffee & Side Tables, Chairs & Benches, Lighting

Check out Parachute

14. Saatva

Originally known for their sustainable mattresses, this company has now expanded into eco-friendly bedroom furniture.

The company has a 180-day trial and a lifetime warranty, showing that they are committed to quality and service.

Materials vary by product but some of the responsible materials Saatva uses include responsibly-sourced hardwood, linen upholstery, and foams that meet CertiPUR-US® standards. Several product pages also note that the product is adherent to the Toxic Substances Control Act and contains no VOCs.

Furniture Categories: Bed Frames, Chairs, Ottomans, Rugs

Check out Saatva

15. Healthier Homes

Founded by expert healthy home builders, Jen and Rusty Stout, Healthier Homes is committed to helping you curate a healthier indoor space.

The online marketplace sells natural furniture, organic decor and non-toxic paint & finishes. You’ll find furniture, from seating to accent tables, made from materials like teak, acacia, mango wood, and jute. And if you’re working on some DIY projects, be sure to check out their selection of zero VOC paints.

Furniture Categories: Chairs & Stools, Side Tables & Coffee Tables, Benches, Shelving

Check out Healthier Homes

16. Vermont Wood Studios

Vermont Wood Studios is a sustainable wooden furniture company committed to producing responsibly-harvested furnishings, while also spreading awareness about the unsustainable and illegal logging taking place in the furniture industry. To date, the company has planted over 55,000 trees to restore the Amazon and other forests.

The company also pays their Vermont craftspeople fair wages and ensures good working conditions.

Furniture Categories: Dressers, Beds, Dining & Side Tables, Nightstands, Benches, Cabinets, Chairs, Desks, Bookcases & Chests, TV Stands

Check out Vermont Wood Studios

17. West Elm – Sustainably Sourced Collection

Furniture company West Elm has added sustainable collections to their offerings. The company defines “sustainably sourced” as furniture made either from reclaimed wood or FSC-certified wood from responsibly harvested sources.

Furniture Categories: bed frames, cribs, nightstands, dressers, nightstands, dining tables, chairs, benches, coffee tables, outdoor tables, bookcases, desks, sofas, and sectionals

Check out West Elm

18. Crate & Barrel – FSC Certified

Crate & Barrel is another major furniture company that has added an eco-friendly furniture collection to their offerings. The company has an expansive line of FSC-certified wood furniture for your dining room, living room, bedroom, kitchen, or even your outdoor patio. (More outdoor furniture brands here.)

Furniture Categories: dining tables, benches, accent chairs, ottomans, sofas, dressers, nightstands, and outdoor furniture

Check out Crate & Barrel

Secondhand Furniture Marketplaces

Want to try your hand at finding furniture in the secondhand market? Learn more about shopping for preowned furniture from interior designer Nina Verduin.

19. AptDeco

AptDeco is a mecca for buying and re-selling furniture in nearly every category from various brands—including West Elm, Pottery Barn and Crate & Barrel. There’s also often quite a few beautiful vintage furniture available on the site.

Furniture Categories: bed frames, headboards, chairs, dressers, cabinets, nightstands, side tables, coffee tables, desks, sofas, mirrors, benches, storage, and more

Check out AptDeco

20. Kaiyo

Kaiyo is a furniture resale site, but with a significant perk. They do all of the heavy lifting for you — literally. The company picks up the used furniture from the seller and delivers it right to you. Kaiyo also inspects and cleans the furniture on their marketplace.

Furniture Categories: bed frames, dining tables, coffee tables & end tables, office desks, sofas & chairs, benches & ottomans, storage, and more

Check out Kaiyo

21. Chairish

Chairish is an online destination to sell and buy used furniture, mostly vintage furniture. The secondhand furniture site has a massive collection of furniture in every category, no matter how specific, that you may be looking for. However, it is more expensive than other secondhand marketplaces since they have more of a focus on vintage furniture.

Furniture Categories: sofas, love seats, chairs, stools, dining tables, side tables, storage, bed frames, cabinets, shelving, dressers, nightstands, wardrobes, and more

Check out Chairish

What is Sustainable Furniture Anyway?

Just as with anything with the word ‘sustainable’ in front of it: there’s a lot to consider when it comes to sustainable furniture! Below is a list of elements to get started with.

Secondhand Furniture

The most sustainable furniture is the furniture that already exists! Shopping for used furniture prevents that piece from being landfilled and reduces the need to produce new furniture. Looking secondhand is also a way to get affordable sustainable furniture.

The most common places to get used furniture are:

• Facebook Marketplace,
• Craigslist
• OfferUp
• And Apartment Therapy Bazaar also has a wide selection.

This guide features several other secondhand furniture marketplaces with more curated selections as well.

Eco-Friendly Furniture Materials

Below is a list of eco-friendly furniture materials that a sustainable furniture company might use:

• Reclaimed or sustainably harvested wood (look for labels like FSC-Certified)
• Recycled steel or recycled aluminum for metal furniture
• Natural fabrics like organic cotton, hemp, and linen or recycled fabrics for upholstery
• Natural Dunlop latex, Talalay latex, or CertiPUR-US® certified foam
• Recycled or natural fiber fills for pillows and cushions
• Non-toxic, low to zero-VOC finishes and stains, such as linseed oil

Responsible and Locally-Made Furniture

An ethical furniture company should be considering their workers, ensuring safe conditions and fair wages.

Ideally, the brand would produce their furniture domestically to minimize emissions and increase transparency of their supply chain. Some of the furniture brands in this guide even own their own manufacturing facility, which is a major bonus!

Since I am based in the US, a lot of the brands in this guide are USA Made furniture companies.

Check the furniture company’s About or Sustainability pages to see if they include any information about the factories they source from or the craftspeople and furniture artisans that they partner with to produce their pieces.

Other Sustainability Efforts

In addition to environmentally-friendly materials and fair production standards, sustainable furniture brands likely have several other sustainability initaitives.

These might include:

• A take-back, resale program, or secondhand marketplace
• A repair program or ability to buy replacement components
• Reforestation projects that replenish forests beyond the trees sourced for their furniture
• Donation initiatives to environmental or social justice organizations

Looking For More Eco-Friendly Furniture Guides?

Sustainable Storage: Dressers, Media Consoles, and Sideboards

9 Eco-Friendly Bookcases to Showcase Your Latest Reads

What is Non-Toxic Furniture? Plus 12 Brands to Know

The Best Sustainable Tables To Gather Around

The post 21 Best Sustainable Furniture Companies For Your Eco-Friendly Home (2024) appeared first on Conscious Life & Style.

Building materials and furnishings are one of the major causes of indoor air pollution, according to the EPA. So non-toxic furniture is a key aspect of creating a healthy home.

What is Non-Toxic Furniture?

If you’re here, searching for non toxic furniture, you’re probably somewhat familiar with the fact that most furniture contains either proven or potentially harmful chemicals and you’re looking for a better way. But what exactly is a better way? 

Well, there’s actually quite a bit to consider, so here’s a quick list. (Scroll to the bottom for much more in-depth explanation on all of these elements!)

• No Flame Retardants 
• No Formaldehyde (Many, though not all, composite woods that use adhesives contain formaldehyde. Some terms to look out for are plywood, particle board, engineered wood, or MDF.)
• Free of Toxic Water Repellents or Stain Guards (These commonly contain Perfluorochemicals, otherwise known as PFCs)
• No PVC / Vinyl (Common in fake leather or “vegan leather” fabrics)
• Zero VOC finishes (Or low-VOC as a secondary option)
• Uses Natural & Organic Materials (such as Dunlop latex instead of polyurethane foam, organic cotton, hemp, and linen instead of synthetic fabrics, and responsibly-sourced solid wood)
• Non-Toxic Certifications (such as GREENGUARD Gold, which can help you find certified non-toxic furniture for your home)

Is All Eco-Friendly Furniture Non-Toxic?

A lot of eco-friendly furniture is also non-toxic, but that isn’t always the case. 

Some furniture brands advertise their products as eco-friendly because they use engineered wood or particleboard made from repurposed sawmill or other wood waste. But, in many cases (though not all), the adhesives used in engineered wood can be toxic, off-gassing formaldehyde.

It’s also worth noting that engineered wood containing formaldehyde is actually not so eco-friendly, even if it’s making use of waste, as it’s polluting the environment and harming human health.

Is Secondhand Furniture Non-Toxic?

Secondhand shopping is a great avenue for finding sustainable furniture affordably, and I’m a HUGE fan of purchasing pre-loved. 

While used furniture isn’t necessarily non-toxic (unless you find used furniture from a brand using natural and organic materials) products do off-gas over time, and so depending on how old the furniture is, you are likely going to be exposed to fewer toxic chemicals than if buying that same piece of furniture new.

Just be sure to find furniture that has come from a smoke-free home. (And potentially pet-free, if you have allergies/sensitivities). You may also want to clean the furniture with non-toxic cleaning products, especially if buying preloved furniture with upholstery!

Similarly, not all non-toxic furniture is eco-friendly. For instance, a brand might use natural materials that are irresponsibly sourced, such as harvesting wood from ancient or old growth forests. This guide, though, features brands that sell non-toxic and eco-friendly furniture.

Non-Toxic Furniture Companies To Know 

These brands are leading the way when it comes to safe, organic, and non-toxic bedroom furniture, living room furniture, dining room furniture, and office furniture. There are even some brands who have certified non-toxic furniture, as an extra level of verification.

The price ranges of these brands vary, so you’ll find something that matches your needs — you’ll find everything from heirloom-quality premium furniture to affordable non-toxic furniture. Browse through this guide for some highlights and visit each brand’s website for further details. 

This guide contains affiliate links and partners. As always, all brands meet strict criteria for sustainability and are brands we love, that we think you’ll love too!

1. Savvy Rest

Categories: Platform Beds, Sofas & Chairs, Tables & Benches

Shipping: Ships within continental U.S.; Contact for shipping quotes for elsewhere

A leader in organic and natural furniture, Savvy Rest is a certified B-Corp with living room and bedroom furniture made from sustainably-sourced, safe-for-you materials. 

Savvy Rest uses responsibly- regionally-sourced solid wood and zero-VOC stains (or leaves pieces unfinished). Their upholstered furniture is crafted from certified organic cotton and hemp fabrics, as well as Eco Institut-certified Dunlop and Talalay latex.

Use code CONSCIOUSSTYLE20 for 20% off!

Check Out Savvy Rest

2. Made Trade

Categories: Stools, Beds, Rocking Chairs, Accent Chairs, Tables & Benches

Shipping: Ships within continental U.S.

Furnishing your home mindfully is about to get a lot easier with the help of the collection of sustainable furniture on Made Trade

This woman-owned, Climate Neutral Certified sustainable online store has earth-minded and low-VOC furniture made from recycled materials like aluminum and plastic bottles, responsibly harvested hardwood, and other natural materials like rattan and bamboo.

Use code CONSCIOUSSTYLE for $20 off your first order of $150+

Check Out Made Trade

3. Avocado

Categories: Bed Frames, Dressers, Side Tables & Nightstands, Benches

Shipping: Ships furniture within the contiguous U.S.

Another exciting brand in the world of non-toxic furniture is Avocado. This B-Corp creates wooden furniture using either 100% solid FSC-certified maple hardwood, solid walnut, or 100% reclaimed solid Douglas fir. The furniture is completed using zero-VOC finishes and safe fumeless wood glue — all of which are made in the United States.

Avocado also offers several certified non-toxic furniture pieces that have been GREENGUARD Gold certified for low emissions and Formaldehyde Free certified by UL Environment. And, each piece of furniture is made in Avocado’s own FSC-certified LA woodshop. 

Check Out Avocado

4. Maiden Home

Categories: Sofas & Sectionals, Chairs, Beds, Dining Tables & Coffee Tables, Ottomans & Benches, Dining Chairs & Stools

Shipping: White glove delivery within contiguous U.S. for flat fee 

This woman-founded direct-to-consumer furniture brand takes their commitment to quality and sustainability seriously. Each piece is individually handcrafted by upholstery and wood artisans in the North Carolina region using eco-minded materials like responsibly sourced hardwood and recycled steel springs.

Their furniture is free of flame retardants, formaldehyde and other harmful chemicals and their soy-based foam cushion cores are certified by CertiPUR-US®. Maiden Home also uses water-based, low-VOC glues and stains whenever possible. (You may want to inquire about a specific piece when ordering.)

Check Out Maiden Home

5. Medley

Categories: Sofas & Chairs, Bed Frames, Nightstands, Storage, Dining Tables & Chairs, Benches & Desks

Shipping: Ships from the U.S.; Contact Medley for a quote if shipping outside of the U.S.

Made-to-order from quality materials in LA, Medley’s non-toxic furniture for the bedroom, living room, dining room, and office is sturdy and sustainably made.

Medley’s furniture frames are made with FSC-certified domestically-sourced alder hardwood and their tables are crafted from FSC-certified solid walnut and maple.*

And the brand offers a few natural fabric options including hemp and OEKO-TEX 100-certified wool. For cushions, choose between organic Dunlop latex (non-toxic option) or CertiPUR-US®-certified poly foam.

Check Out Medley

*(Note: some parts of Medley’s storage pieces are made using plywood. It is low-VOC CARB 2 compliant.)

6. Natural Home by the Futon Shop

Categories: Bed & Futon Frames, Dressers, Sofas & Sectionals, Side Tables & Coffee Tables 

Shipping: Within contiguous U.S.; custom quotes for shipping elsewhere; offers free in-store pickup

As the name suggests, this furniture brand sells futons and futon frames, but they also offer other natural furniture, like side & coffee tables as well as non-toxic couches & sectionals. 

The Futon Shop has Amish furniture handmade from solid wood (maple, walnut, oak, or cherry) that was harvested from sustainably managed forests and hand-rubbed with a no-VOC natural linseed oil finish. Each piece is handcrafted by Amish craftspeople in Pennsylvania with care, to ensure your piece lasts a lifetime. 

Check Out The Futon Shop

7. Healthier Homes

Categories: Chairs & Stools, Tables & Benches, Desks

Shipping: Within Contiguous U.S.

Healthier Homes offers a curated selection of non-toxic furniture crafted with quality and sustainability in mind. Their selections of seating, tables, and accent furniture is made from solid wood, natural fabrics and metal, all finished with eco-minded non-toxic finishes.

The non-toxic furniture company also sells non-toxic paints, including cabinet and furniture lacquer.

Check out Healthier Homes

8. Sabai

Categories: Sofa & Sectional, Ottoman, Chair & Loveseat

Shipping: Free shipping within continental U.S.; shipments to HI & AK incur additional fees 

This affordable sustainable furniture company has a simple, yet sophisticated non-toxic sofa and other seating for your living space that is free of formaldehydes or toxic flame retardants.

Sabai uses FSC-certified wood for the furniture frames, domestically sourced maple for the legs, CertiPUR-US certified foam for the cushions, and recycled fiber fill for the pillows. For the upholstery fabric, customers can select between OEKO-TEX 100 Standard and Global Recycling Standard (GRS) certified recycled velvet or GREENGUARD Gold-certified upcycled poly. 

Check Out Sabai

9. Green Cradle

Categories: Dressers, Chests & Armoires, Bookcases, Nightstands, Cribs

Shipping: Ships within the U.S. and to Canada

Green Cradle crafts 100% solid wood, non-toxic dressers, storage furniture, and cribs in the United States. 

The company sources local, sustainably-sourced woods, including maple, red oak, hard maple, cherry, and walnut and they use a zero-VOC finish (flaxseed/linseed oil) for all of their furniture. This oil is free of synthetic preservatives, heavy metals, carcinogens, polyurethanes, and other toxic chemicals.

And, as one of the only brands on this list with non-toxic cribs, Green Cradle is the place to go if you’re furnishing your little one’s nursery.

Check Out Green Cradle

10. Masaya & Co

Categories: Beds, Sofas & Chairs, Shelves & Storage, Dining Tables & Chairs, Side Tables & Benches, Outdoor Furniture

Shipping: Within the U.S.

Masaya & Co is a sustainable furniture brand that not only commits to responsible wood sourcing, but is actively restoring forests in Nicaragua. The brand plants 100 trees for every product sold and to date, the company has planted 1 million trees.

The heirloom-quality furniture is made from locally-sourced solid tropical hardwood (teak, rosita walnut, and royal mahogany) and crafted in Nicaragua by skilled artisans. These hardwoods are dried in solar kilns on-site and each product is finished with a low-VOC natural oil or water-based poly finish.

Check Out Masaya & Co

11. My Green Mattress

Categories: Bed Frames

Shipping: Within U.S. and Canada

When it comes to your bedroom, you want your indoor air quality to be as healthy as possible. And My Green Mattress has a non-toxic bed frame to meet those needs.

The mattress brand has a simple and affordable eco-friendly bed frame made from untreated domestically-grown Poplar wood — in other words, it’s free from wood stains, adhesives, or any other toxic chemicals. 

Check out My Green Mattress

12. VivaTerra

Categories: Sofas & Sectionals, Chairs & Seating, Benches & Stools, Cabinets & Chests, Desks, Shelves, Dining Tables & Chairs

Shipping: Within the U.S.

VivaTerra is a green lifestyle retailer that has a selection of eco-minded and non-toxic furniture and home decor.

You’ll find elegant pieces made from materials like sustainably-sourced solid wood, 100% reclaimed wood, flax linen fabric, seagrass rope, rattan, and sturdy metal. Much of the furniture is also expertly made by skilled furniture artisans.

Check Out VivaTerra

13. West Elm Greenguard Certified

Categories: Beds & Cribs, Dressers & Storage, Consoles & Hutches, Desks & Chairs

Shipping: Within U.S.; doorstep or white glove delivery available

Well-known furniture retailer West Elm has a strong selection of non-toxic furniture that is GREENGUARD Certified to be low VOC. This certification indicates that the furniture has been tested to meet strict chemical emissions limits.

West Elm also has other sustainability filters like sustainably-sourced (FSC-certified wood typically), Fair Trade (made in a Fair Trade Certified factory) and Contract-Grade (made to last).

Check out West Elm

14. What We Make

Categories: Bathroom Vanities, Desks & Office Furniture, Bookcases & Storage, Coffee & End Tables, Chairs, Stools & Benches, Dining & Pub Tables

Shipping: Within U.S.

What We Make is an impressive sustainable non-toxic furniture brand based in the Chicago area. They use reclaimed barn wood to make each furniture item made to order.

The non-toxic furniture brand finishes their pieces with an oil-based VOC-free finish that doesn’t contain hazardous chemicals.

Check out What We Make

15. Vermont Woods Studios

Categories: Beds, Storage, Side Tables & Coffee Tables, Dining Tables & Chairs, Desks & Bookcases

Shipping: Ships to all 50 U.S. states; international shipping

Founded by a husband-and-wife / woodworker-and-conservationist team, Vermont Woods Studios is committed to creating exceptionally high quality and sustainable furniture. 

Vermont Woods Studio sources responsibly-harvested North-American hardwoods for their non-toxic bedroom, dining room, living room, and office furniture. The company also uses low-to-no VOC finishes, such as a GREENGUARD certified lacquer finish, linseed oil, tung oil, and carnauba wax.

Each piece is expertly handcrafted to order in Vermont by furniture craftsmen — their non-toxic furniture even comes with a lifetime warranty.

Check Out Vermont Woods Studios

More Information on Non-Toxic Furniture

Curious to learn more about non-toxic furniture? Here are some considerations on what to look for when shopping for non-toxic furniture for your space.

No Flame Retardants

There are hundreds of different types of flame retardants. Evidence shows that flame retardants are associated with harmful health impacts, such as reproductive toxicity, cancer, neurological function, impacts to the immune system, and adverse effects on fetal and child development.

Once commonplace to meet California’s fire safety standard, fire retardants are now banned by the state at certain concentrations and in certain products — and a growing number of states are also taking action against them to some extent.

So furniture without flame retardants should be considered a very baseline measure.

No Formaldehyde

As one of the 25 most abundantly produced chemicals in the world, exposure to formaldehyde is a common concern in furniture as well as a number of other consumer products.

The health impacts of formaldehyde exposure include:

• “Corrosive injury to the gastrointestinal tract”, 
• Irritation to the eyes, skin, and respiratory tract
• Malaise, headache, irritability, memory and dexterity issues, sleeping disturbances
• Can cause skin disorders and asthma-like symptoms in those who’ve been previously sensitized 
• And formaldehyde has been determined to be a probable human carcinogen

And as the EPA states, the primary way you’d be exposed to formaldehyde is by “breathing air containing off-gassed formaldehyde”, often the formaldehyde that has “off-gassed from products, including composite wood products”. 

No Perfluorochemicals (PFCs) 

If you’re familiar with the DuPont scandal, you’re familiar with PFCs. While typically associated with non-stick cookware, PFCs are also used to repel oil and water on a number of other types of products, including textiles like upholstered furniture. 

Why are PFCs a problem? Well they’re persistent not only on products, but in the environment and in people and animals. PFCs can be released directly from manufacturing facilities into the air and water or they can be released from any products you have at home containing PFCs and into your indoor air. 

Exposure to PFCs has been associated with several adverse health effects including cancer, liver toxicity, hormone disruption, developmental toxicity, and harm to the immune system.

No PVC (Vinyl)

Many fake leathers (which sometimes come with the euphemism “vegan leather”) are made from PVC. PVC is known as the most toxic and environmentally damaging plastic. 

The chemical used to make PVC, vinyl chloride, is a known carcinogen, linked to increased risks of several types of cancers, according to the National Cancer Institute.

Low VOC or Zero VOC Finishes

VOCs, or Volatile Organic Compounds, include a wide group of chemicals. Examples include: benzene, ethylene glycol, methylene chloride, tetrachloroethylene, toluene, and xylene.

While each chemical will have different levels of toxicity and may cause different health impacts, VOCs have been connected to many health issues, including damage to the liver, kidney, and central nervous system; headaches, fatigue, dizziness and nausea; and eye, nose, and throat irritation. Some VOCs are even suspected or known carcinogens.

In an ideal world, you would be able to find furniture that is completely free of VOCs. 

A common zero VOC finish is linseed oil, or flaxseed oil. This natural finish is food safe and free of harmful chemical solvents, heavy metals, or other toxic ingredients.

That said, budgetary limits, aesthetic preferences, and other values (such as local, ethically-made, etc.) are factors.

So, finding low-VOC furniture can also be a good option, especially if you’re able to off-gas it outdoors or in your garage for a few months before bringing it into your home. 

Organic & Natural Materials

This is an obvious one! Preferable materials include organic cotton, hemp, linen, sustainably and locally sourced wool, responsibly-harvested wood (ideally locally sourced and native to the region), and Dunlop latex.

Some certifications to know are Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), Global Organic Latex Standard (GOLS), and OEKO-TEX Standard 100. 

Other Non-Toxic Certifications

One common certification is the GREENGUARD certification, which are products that have been “scientifically proven to meet some of the world’s most rigorous third-party chemical emissions standards”. 

The GREENGUARD Gold certification is the next level. It includes criteria for additional chemicals and requires lower total VOC emissions. It limits the emissions of over 360 VOCs and chemical emissions. 

Your Non-Toxic Lifestyle Journey

There is a lot to consider when shopping for non-toxic furniture! Hopefully, this breakdown of elements and red flags to look out for was useful and this list of non-toxic furniture brands gave you a good starting point in your research.

Keep in mind that the journey to green living or non-toxic living is just that — a journey. So, don’t stress if you can’t convert 100% of your home to non-toxic decor and furnishings right away. 

Less toxic furniture is still better than conventional super toxic furniture. And implementing air filters or just keeping your windows open each day for an hour can also do wonders. Don’t feel pressured into perfection. Take it slow and do what you can, based on your time and budgetary constraints. 

You’re doing great — thank you for caring so much about your health, your loved one’s health, and the health of our shared environment. 

Note: This curation is based upon publicly available information and while we do our due diligence, Conscious Life & Style cannot guarantee the claims of the companies featured. See our Website Disclaimer for more.

More Guides Like This

Non-Toxic Home Tips: How to Make Your Indoor Air Healthier Now

The Best Non-Toxic Cookware Materials and Brands

10 Eco-Friendly & Non-Toxic Sofas

The post 15 Best Non-Toxic Furniture Brands for a Healthy Home (2024) appeared first on Conscious Life & Style.

What is a Non-Toxic and Eco-Friendly Bed Frame?

Just as with other eco-friendly furniture, the key elements to consider when it comes to bed frames are the material, finishes, general production practices, and durability.

How Can You Tell If A Bed Frame Is Sustainable or Non-Toxic?

Materials

If you’re looking for a natural bed frame and want it to be non-toxic, it’s typically best to go the solid wood route if you can.

Most plywood, particleboard, or engineered wood is made with glue that contains formaldehyde. As a Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) and probable carcinogen, formaldehyde is an environmental and health risk for yourself and the workers producing that product. 

That said, are some plywood/engineered woods that do not contain formaldehyde. But if the product page doesn’t specifically state that the product is formaldehyde-free, then you’ll want to inquire with the company.

Another material to consider if you’re looking for non-toxic furniture is solid metal, due to its durability, easy maintenance, and recyclability. However, this option isn’t so eco-friendly if that metal was newly mined, so look for recycled metal if you want to go this route!

Sourcing

Of course, although wood is renewable, it’s not always sustainably sourced. Look at a company’s About or Sustainability pages to see what information they can provide about how the wood they use is harvested and where it is sourced from. Look for things like:

• Local sourcing. This minimizes the product’s carbon footprint and typically means that a company has more transparency into their supply chain.
• FSC-certified. While not perfect, the Forest Stewardship Council seal is the most widely used third-party verification for sustainably-sourced wood.
• Reclaimed wood. Finding a bed frame made from repurposed materials is a fantastic option if you can find it. Not only does using reclaimed wood reduce waste, but it minimizes the need to cut down additional trees.

Finishes

Most conventional finishes used on furniture contain VOCs, which can cause a myriad of short-term and long-term health impacts. Look for non-toxic bed frames with low-VOC or even better, zero-VOC finishes.

Other Production Practices:

• Renewable energy use. Does the company use wind or solar power for its operations? Do they purchase Renewable Energy Credits?
• Waste reduction. How does the company handle material waste such as leftover wood? Do they work to minimize water use and energy use?
• Donations. Does the company give back to an environmental organization through a group like 1% for the Planet? Do they plant more trees than the number of trees cut down to produce their products?

Durability

One of the all-too-often left out elements of sustainability is durability and longevity! The longer the bed frame lasts, the longer it stays out of the landfill, and the fewer new bed frames you’ll have to consume.

How can you determine durability? Look for sturdy materials, good construction, check out the reviews for the brand’s products, and see what sort of warranty the brand offers. Some brands offer 1-year or 5-year warranties, and some even include a lifetime guarantee! The longer a brand commits to standing behind its products, the better.

If you’re planning to move around often, you may also want to consider how well the bed frame can be deconstructed and reconstructed. Fast furniture brands with poor construction — and that may use plastic in places that should be supported with metal — may not hold up after a few moves.

Ways Can You Find Sustainable and Natural Bed Frames?

As always, shopping secondhand is a great way to source furniture sustainably and more affordably! Sites like Facebook Marketplace, local Buy Nothing groups, and Craigslist can be resources for finding cheap eco-friendly furniture — sometimes, you can even get a piece for free if you’re willing to take care of the pick-up.

I also recommend checking out EstateSales.net to find local estate sales happening near you! I have found some of my absolute favorite pieces of high-quality, preloved furniture at estate sales.

For a more curated selection of secondhand bed frames, check out:

• AptDeco
• Apartment Therapy Bazaar
• Etsy 

If vintage furniture (usually defined by being more than 40 years old) is more your style, browse these options for sustainable bed frames::

• Chairish
• EBTH
• 1st Dibs

If you can’t find anything preloved, or you’d prefer to purchase a verified non-toxic bed frame, check out these brands below for sustainable bedroom furniture!

By the way, if you’re in need of some bedding as well, check out our guides to non-toxic mattresses, eco-friendly pillows, and organic bedding.

Note that this sustainable bed frame guide contains affiliate links, meaning we’ll earn a small commission if you choose to purchase through one of these links, which helps us continue to run this site. As always, all brands meet rigorous criteria for sustainability and are brands we love — and that we think you’ll love too!

Brands with Sustainable and Non-Toxic Bed Frames:

Our Top Overall Pick: Savvy Rest

Savvy Rest has everything you need to sleep more restfully, from organic mattresses to non-toxic bedroom furniture. The brand’s timeless all-natural platform beds — The Afton is their flagship platform bed and The Esmont is a platform bed with a customizable headboard — are made in their own Virginia workshop. Each bed is crafted out of sustainably-sourced maple and poplar wood and is available unfinished or with a zero-VOC finish. 

The non-toxic furniture company also has a sustainable adjustable bed frame crafted from responsibly-sourced solid red oak, featuring a mid-century modern headboard.

Conscious Qualities: Sustainably-Sourced Wood, Zero-VOC Finishes, Local Production

Price: Starts at $945 for a Twin.

*Use code CONSCIOUSSTYLE20 for 20% off all products on Savvy Rest

Best Sustainable Bed Frames: Avocado

Made in their own GOTS-certified (and soon to be Zero Waste certified!) Los Angeles factory, Avocado Mattress makes eco-friendly bed frames with high environmental, health, and social standards. Each bed frame is made out of reclaimed wood or solid FSC-certified timber and zero-VOC finishes.

For the bed frames made from new wood, Avocado Mattress uses non-toxic Titebond wood glues. The Certified B-Corporation also pays living wages and offers benefits, including family healthcare, to their production factory team members.

Conscious Qualities: Reclaimed or FSC-Certified Wood, Zero-VOC Finishes, Local Production in a GOTS-Certified Factory, Greenguard-Certified (Gold), Carbon Neutral Certified

Price: Starts at $695 for Twin

Best Luxury Sustainable Bed Frames: Maiden Home

Maiden Home is a woman-founded luxury furniture company handcrafting all of their furniture made-to-order in North Carolina. As a direct-to-consumer brand, Maiden Home is able to offer the highest quality at a fraction of the price as it would be sold at furniture boutiques.

The furniture brand has high-quality beds made from solid hardwood sourced responsibly in line with the standards of the Sustainable Forestry Initiative. And they offer a variety of fabric options for the upholstery, including several shades of linen.

All furniture is produced without flame retardants, formaldehyde, or other harmful chemicals. And the brand’s performance fabrics are free of PFOS and PFOA and include non-toxic, GREENGUARD Gold certified treatments for stain resistance.

Conscious Qualities: Made to Order, Locally Made, Woman-Founded, Responsibly Sourced Hardwood, Lower Impact Fabric Choices

Price: Starts at $2,225 for Queen

Best Variety of Eco-Friendly Beds: Medley

Using only the highest quality non-toxic materials for their sustainable furniture, Medley has natural bed frames are made from domestically-sourced FSC-certified solid wood. Each wooden bed frame is made-to-order in Los Angeles using zero-VOC glue and zero-VOC all-natural furniture polish. (Note: Medley’s bamboo furniture uses low-VOC finishes.)

If you prefer an upholstered sustainable bed, check out Medley’s Nein bed which has the option to use organic natural latex. 

Conscious Qualities: Local In-House Production, FSC-Certified Wood, Natural Finishes, Made-to-Order

Price: Starts at $2,550 for Twin

Best for Sustainable Upholstered Beds: Saatva

Saatva is a sustainable mattress company that has expanded into eco-friendly bed frames too. The company uses responsibly sourced hardwood that has been kiln-dried for maximum durability for the bed frame as well as plywood slats for additional support. (Note: I asked Saatva’s customer support team about potential toxins in the plywood, and they have told me that their beds are free of formaldehyde.)

For upholstery, Saatva offers natural linen as an option, which would be the non-toxic fabric choice!

Probably the most impressive feature of Saatva’s beds is their attention to quality and proper support. They even offer a 180-day trial to make sure you love the bed, plus a lifetime warranty — a feature you definitely won’t find at most big box furniture stores.

Conscious Qualities: Sustainably-Sourced Hardwood, Natural Upholstery Option, Lifetime Warranty

Price: Starts at $895 for a Queen

Best Responsible Forestry Practices: Masaya & Co

Beginning as a reforestation project, Masaya & Co. is dedicated to beyond sustainable sourcing. Not only does the furniture brand harvest their wood responsibly from their own forest (talk about transparency!), but the brand plants 100 trees for every product sold. All of Masaya & Co.’s eco-friendly bed frames are handmade by craftspeople in Nicaragua and finished with low-VOC natural oils.

Conscious Qualities: Invests in Reforestation, Made-to-Order, Ethical Production

Price: Starts at $1,405 for Twin

Best Simple Sustainable Wood Bed Frame: Birch

Organic and eco-friendly mattress company Birch also has a natural wood bed frame made from responsibly-sourced hardwood. In fact, all of the wood in the Birch Wood Frame are from FSC-certified and LEED compliant sources, to verify their commitment to responsible wood harvesting and energy use.

Specifically, this sustainable bed frame is made up of Appalachian hardwood bed rails, solid Southern Yellow Pin wood slats, and Appalachian Maple legs. This minimal solid wood bed frame is finished with all-natural water-based VOC-free finishes.

And in case you needed more reasons to love this non-toxic bed frame: it’s handmade in the USA, ships free, and comes with a 5-year warranty.

Conscious Qualities: Solid Wood, Responsibly Sourced, Zero VOC Finishes

Price: $499 for Twin

Best Affordable Eco-Friendly Bed Frame: Thuma

Minimal yet functional, Thuma’s eco-friendly beds are designed with intention — they are supportive and sturdy yet simple and easy to assemble.

Each minimalist bed is made from upcycled and repurposed rubberwood trees and is shipped out efficiently in recycled cardboard. (No styrofoam here!) With an average 4.9 star rating from nearly 10,000 reviews, there’s clearly a lot to love about Thuma’s sustainable bed frames!

Conscious Qualities: Greenguard Certified, Repurposed Wood, Eco Packaging

Price: Starts at $795 for Twin

Best Untreated Non-Toxic Bed Frame: My Green Mattress

MyGreenMattress.com has a simple sustainable bed frame made in the US from untreated domestically-sourced Poplar wood. The non-toxic bed frame does not have any wood stains, adhesives, or toxic chemicals. This slatted platform bed also eliminates the need for a box spring.

Conscious Qualities: Domestically-Sourced Wood, Non-Toxic & Untreated, Made in the US

Price: Starts at $419

Best for Reassembly and Apartment Living: Floyd

Designed with simplicity and longevity in mind, The Floyd eco-friendly bed frame is made with as few parts as possible (forget the headache of sorting through hundreds of pieces to set up your furniture!) so that it can be constructed, deconstructed, and reconstructed with ease.

Floyd’s wooden bed frame is made with sustainably-sourced real wood veneer. Veneer is a composite wood product, though Floyd reports that the panels have extremely low adhesive emissions. Since composite wood makes the bed lighter weight, this choice might it preferable if you’re planning on moving the bed a few times.

You can also customize your Floyd Bed Frame with add-ons like a bedside table, upholstered headboard, or (what would be my personal pick) underbed storage.

Floyd has also recently added a Bed Frame in Color, which is made with 50% recycled wood and comes in at a lower price point.

Conscious Qualities: Long-Lasting, Made With Natural Materials

Price: Starts at $540

Best for Heirloom Quality Sustainable Beds: Vermont Wood Studios

Handmade using premium solid American hardwood that was sustainably sourced by Vermont craftsmen, the sustainable wooden beds from Vermont Wood Studios are truly crafted to last a lifetime — and perhaps several more generations.

Each piece of eco-friendly furniture from the company is made-to-order and larger orders are delivered with white glove service. Vermont Wood Studios also uses eco-friendly, non-toxic coatings to finish their wood and protect against wear, such as natural linseed oils, tung oil, or GREENGUARD certified formaldehyde-free lacquer.

Conscious Qualities: Sustainably Sourced Solid Wood, Made-to-Order, Lifetime Guarantee, Made In The US, Non-Toxic Finishes

Price: Starts at $1,870

Final Thoughts on Sustainable and Non-Toxic Bed Frames;

There is quite a bit to look out for when shopping for eco-friendly bed frames, but I hope that this explanation and the roundup of brands above will help you out on your search!

Shopping For More Furniture? Browse These Guides:

21 Best Sustainable Furniture Brands

Non-Toxic Furniture Brands For A Healthy Home

The Best Non-Toxic Sofas for Truly Restful Relaxation

Your Ultimate Guide to Eco & Organic Bedding (30+ Brands!)

The post 11 Best Eco-Friendly and Non-Toxic Bed Frames for a Sustainable Slumber (2024) appeared first on Conscious Life & Style.

What Are Sustainable Chairs?

Before we get into the brands, let’s talk about the criteria for a “sustainable chair”. As with anything in sustainability, there isn’t necessarily a black-or-white definition, but here are some general guidelines to keep in mind.

Eco-Friendly Materials

Recycled and low impact natural materials are ideal when it comes to searching for that perfect eco-friendly chair. 

Some materials you may want to look for are recycled aluminum (which is naturally rust-resistant) and reclaimed or sustainably-harvested hardwood.

For upholstered chairs, look for fabrics like organic cotton, hemp, linen, and recycled fabrics. And for the foam, some alternatives to synthetic foam include natural organic latex, coconut fiber, and organic wool.

Non-Toxic Finishes

When looking for wood furniture, check to see if the furnishes are free of toxic chemicals. Zero-VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) is best and there are also many low-VOC options. Just try to leave any low-VOC furniture outside for a bit before taking it into your home if you can! [Check out more non-toxic home tips in this post.]

Responsible and Sustainable Production Practices

Given how heavy and bulky furniture is, local production is particularly important since the emissions from shipping can really add up.

Searching for domestic production is great, and local production within the area/state of the company can allow for even better transparency. 

Where to Find Sustainable Chairs

Now, let’s get into where you can find eco-friendly chairs that meet some or all of this criteria! We’ll start off with some options to find used chairs and then get into the brands with sustainably-made chairs.

Note that this guide includes partners and affiliates. As always, all brands featured meet strict criteria for sustainability and are brands we truly love — and that we think you’ll love too!

Secondhand Sources for Eco-Friendly Chairs

Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist are two classic options when it comes to finding used furniture! Here are some others to know:

OfferUp (buy and sell locally)

AptDeco (available in New York metro, Philadelphia metro, and Bay Area)

Chairish (vintage)

Kaiyo

EBTH (like an online estate sale)

EstateSales.net (for finding in-person estate sales!)

Places to Find New Eco-Friendly Chairs

If you can’t find what you’re looking for secondhand, check out these brands and retailers with eco-friendly office chairs, dining chairs, armchairs, and more.

Looking for outdoor chairs? Check out this guide to outdoor furniture.

Best Non-Toxic: Savvy Rest

Savvy Rest is a seriously impressive non-toxic furniture brand that has every single element covered when it comes to sustainable chairs! The Verona Organic Armchair is made using GOTS-certified organic cotton and/or hemp upholstery, organic wool batting, sustainably-sourced solid hardwood maple, Cradle-to-Cradle Gold Certified Natural Talalay latex foam, natural coir, jute webbing, and zero-VOC finishes.

Conscious Qualities: Organic & Eco Materials, Sustainable Wood, Non-Toxic Finishes, Locally Made

Price Range: $2,699-$2,999

Use Code CONSCIOUSSTYLE20 for 20% off!

Shipping: White Glove delivery within continental U.S. Contact their team for shipping quotes outside of the 48 contiguous states.

Check Out Savvy Rest’s Armchair

Best Luxury: Maiden Home

Proving that furniture can be both beautiful and responsibly made, Maiden Home’s sustainable accent chairs and dining chairs are handcrafted in North Carolina from premium quality, eco-minded materials like 100% pure linen, recycled steel springs, and soy-based foam.

The woman-founded brand partners directly with artisans to bring you the best quality at affordable prices — and ensure transparent production.

Conscious Qualities: Made-to-Order in North Carolina, Non-Toxic, Responsibly Sourced Hardwood

Price Range: $1,325 – $2,250

Shipping: Free white glove delivery within contiguous U.S. + some locations in Canada

Check Out Maiden Home

Best Outdoor Chairs: Made Trade

Sustainable retailer Made Trade has a variety of eco-friendly dining chairs, office chairs, and accent chairs made from thoughtful materials like sustainably sourced hardwood and recycled aluminum.

Conscious Qualities: Sustainable Materials & Practices, Carbon Neutral Certified Company

Price Range: $420-$1,150

Shipping: Ships furniture within the US only

Check Out Accent Chairs and Dining Chairs

Best Circularity Practices: Sabai

In addition to using recycled & upcycled fibers for their sofas, Sabai has two circularity programs: Repair Don’t Replace — where you can find individual parts — and Sabai Revive where you can sell back your Sabai furniture or buy previously owned furniture for a lower cost.

Conscious Qualities: Recycled and Sustainably-Sourced Materials, Repair Program, Resale Program

Price Range: $745 – $795

Shipping: Ships within U.S. and Canada

Check Out Sabai

Best Fair Trade: The Citizenry

Handcrafted and made-to-order with the finest materials like solid walnut and performance fabrics to withstand the test of time, The Citizenry’s sustainable chairs are well-positioned to become heirloom pieces.

The Citizenry partners with artisans around the world for all of their pieces, ensuring fair trade conditions and wages for the makers behind their products. Their fair trade chairs are made in Indonesia (teak and rattan chairs) and Northern California (upholstered chairs).

Price Range: $399 – $1,799

Shipping: Ships furniture within the U.S. only

Check Out The Citizenry

Best Sustainability Practices: Medley

Non-toxic furniture brand Medley creates quality non-toxic and eco-minded furnishings, and their armchair collection is no exception. You’ll find sustainable chairs crafted just for you in LA using materials like FSC-certified hardwood, CertiPUR-US® certified foam, and organic natural latex.

Conscious Qualities: Non-Toxic and Eco Materials, Domestic Production

Price Range: $1,060-$1,940

Shipping: Ships internationally; contact to get quotes for shipping outside of the US

Check Out Medley’s Armchairs

Best Office Chairs: noho

The sustainable office chair meets dining chair from noho is not only designed to maximize ergonomic comfort, but it’s made using ECONYL regenerated nylon sourced from ocean waste. And, the chair is made in a production facility that uses 80%+ renewable energy.

Conscious Qualities: Recycled Materials, Made with Renewable Energy

Price: $375

Shipping: Free shipping within the contiguous U.S.

Check Out noho

Most Options: Burrow

Out to transform the way furniture is made and sold, Burrow makes modular furniture that can expand and grow as your needs change. You can easily combine many of their armchairs and ottomans with sofas for a sectional!

The eco-friendly armchairs are made with responsibly-forested wood and non-toxic upcycled fabric upholstery.

Conscious Qualities: Responsibly-Sourced Wood, Eco-Conscious Fabric, Modular & Adaptable

Price Range: $425- $1,790

Shipping: Free shipping within the continental U.S.

Check Out Burrow’s Armchairs

Best Design: West Elm

A large furniture brand making some significant strides in implementing sustainable options, West Elm lets you filter by elements like Green Guard Certified and Sustainably Sourced. The Sustainably Sourced collection includes eco-friendly chairs made with materials like FSC-Certified wood and linen fabric.

Our favorite pick? The Mara Hoffman chair made in collaboration with the sustainable fashion brand of the same name.

Conscious Qualities: Options with FSC-Certified Wood, Natural Fabric, Contract Grade Quality, Green Guard Certified

Price Range: $699 – $3,197

Shipping: Ships within U.S. to home or local West Elm store

Check Out West Elm

Best Dining Chairs: Urban Natural

Urban Natural has many eco-minded options in their vast selection of furnishings. They have eco-friendly dining chairs made from sustainably sourced hardwood and armchairs from brands like Environment by Cisco Home made with organic materials. 

Conscious Qualities: Eco-Minded Natural Materials & Processes

Price Range: $450-$7,000

Shipping: White Glove delivery in the contiguous U.S. for $250 flat rate (free for orders $2,500+)

Check Out Dining Chairs and Living Room Chairs 

And that wraps it up! I hope you found this guide to sustainable chairs useful, whether you were looking for desk chairs, upholstered chairs, or dining chairs. For outdoor chairs, check out this sustainable outdoor furniture guide.

Liked this guide to sustainable chairs? Check out these other furniture guides:

The Best Non-Toxic Sofas for Truly Restful Relaxation

Gorgeous Sustainable Tables to Gather Around

Ethical Home Decor Brands for Your Conscious Space

The post 10 Best Eco-Friendly Chairs for Sustainable Seating (2024) appeared first on Conscious Life & Style.

But, we’re here to help! Below, we’ve compiled a list of brands that design sustainable shelves and beautiful, eco-friendly bookcases. 

What Makes a Bookshelf Sustainable?

When looking for sustainable shelves or bookcases, a great sign is if it’s handcrafted- or made to order. They should also be durable, and built to last a lifetime. Some sustainable furniture brands may even have warranties or lifetime guarantees!

These items will be made from sustainably sourced solid, reclaimed, or salvaged wood. If the piece is made with engineered wood (common in more affordably priced furniture), ensure it’s free from formaldehyde, which is a probable human carcinogen. 

If the company sources and manufactures in the US, look for the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Certification. Sustainable shelving and bookcases may also feature additional natural, recycled or upcycled materials. 

The furniture should be free of VOCs, volatile organic compounds and have natural — or at least non-toxic, low-VOC —  finishes. [Learn more about non-toxic furniture.]

Additionally, any company that produces sustainable shelves or bookcases should be using fair labor. Whether they partner with artisans and craftspeople, produce their furniture in-house, or use global manufacturers, look for transparency that they’re paying fair wages and ensuring healthy working conditions.  

Where to Find Sustainable Bookcases and Shelving

A great place to start looking is at second-hand or thrift stores! Alternatively you can find gently used pieces on online marketplaces like Facebook Marketplace, OfferUp, AptDeco, or Kaiyo. Reusing or repurposing furniture that would otherwise go to waste is always a sustainable option!

If you can’t find something you love second-hand, then the next best choice is to shop from one of the sustainable brands below. Not only do these brands design eco-friendly bookcases and shelves, but they also have a wide selection of home goods to meet all your furnishing needs. 

Note that this guide includes affiliate links, which means we may earn a small commission if you purchase through these links which helps us continue to run this website and create resources like these. As always all brands meet strict sustainability criteria and are brands we love — and that we think you’ll love too!

1. Medley

Inspired by their sustainability-minded parents, Medley was founded by two brothers based in California. Their all-natural, bio-based beeswax finish is even named after their dad. Medley creates sustainable bookcases and other storage furniture from locally sourced, 100% solid wood from FSC-certified forests.

Price: $1,995-$2,895

Materials: Solid Hard White Maple, American Walnut Wood

Conscious Highlights: Custom Made, Locally Made, FSC-Certified, Family Run

Check out Medley

2. Greenington

Based out of Washington, Greenington is a furniture company with pieces crafted from sustainably hand-harvested Moso bamboo. Greenington sources mature bamboo for maximum strength and durability. The brand makes sustainable bookshelves and bookcases, as well as a full collection of bamboo furniture. 

Price: $132-$5,289

Materials: Moso Bamboo

Conscious Highlights: Zero-waste Production, ISO certified factories, Handcrafted, BIPOC owned

Check out Greenington @ Lumens Light + Living | @ Modern Digs 

3. Emeco

Emeco handcrafts their durable, sustainable furniture locally, in Pennsylvania. They use recycled aluminum and responsibly-harvested wood for their sustainable shelves and bookcases  and their furniture is free of VOCs and toxic chemicals.

Price: $3,871-$4,883

Materials: Recycled Aluminum, Sustainably Harvested Walnut, Ash, or Acoya

Conscious Highlights: FSC Certified, Cradle to Gold Certified, Vegan

Check out Emeco

4. Masaya & Co

Masaya & Co has a stunning collection of sustainable shelves and bookcases handcrafted by artisans in Nicaragua. Their shelves are made to order from responsibly-harvested wood and feature a low-VOC finish. Masaya & Co originated as a reforestation project in Nicaragua, and continues to embody that ethos by planting 100 trees for each item they sell. 

Price: $1,600-$2,800

Materials: Royal Mahogany, Teak, Rosita Walnut

Conscious Highlights: Handcrafted, Plants Trese, Vegan

Check out Masaya & Co

5. West Elm Sustainably Sourced Collection

West Elm’s sustainably sourced collection is a great place to find an eco-friendly bookshelf or bookcase. Among this collection, you’ll find furniture that is made from FSC-Certified wood, pieces made in Fair Trade Certified factories, and items with the Greenguard Gold seal.

Price: $90- $2,399

Materials: Solid Wood, Reclaimed Wood

Conscious Highlights: Fair Trade, FSC Certified, Greenguard Gold Certified

Check out West Elm

6. Crate & Barrel FSC-Certified

Crate & Barrel’s FSC-Certified collection features bookshelves made with materials like solid oak, mahogany wood, teak, and rattan. And you can find a range of styles and finishes in their collection, from natural oak to espresso and driftwood.

It’s worth noting that the company’s bookshelves do contain veneer and engineered wood as well, like most furniture with shelving or drawers. Some products do indicate low-emissions engineered wood.

Price: $799 – $3,200

Materials: FSC-Certified Wood (with some parts made with engineered wood)

Conscious Highlights: Natural Materials, Responsibly Sourced

Check out Crate & Barrel

7. Burrow

Burrow’s modular storage systems — which can be used as bookshelves — are designed to grow with you. Add units to expand your bookshelf or media center storage or separate units to create several pieces of furniture

Price: $299 – $2,189

Materials: Engineered Wood and Steel

Conscious Highlights: Modular and Adaptable, Durable

Check out Burrow

8. Vermont Woods Studios

Vermont Woods Studios has gorgeous solid wood bookcases sourced from sustainably-managed forests in Vermont. They offer a lifetime guarantee and even allow you to order samples of their wood to ensure you’ll love the final product. They also partner with 1% for the planet to support reforestation of the Amazon Rainforest. 

Price: $1206-$9648

Materials: Cherry, Walnut, Maple, and Oak Hardwood

Conscious Highlights: Custom Made, Local Sourcing, Gives Back, Woman-Owned

Check out Vermont Wood Studios

9. Green Cradle

Green Candle is a family-run company that specializes in solid wood furniture, including wood bookcases and shelves. They craft each eco-friendly bookshelf from trees harvested sustainably and locally and use an all natural flaxseed oil finish free of toxins. 

Price: $1,295-$1,395

Materials: 100% Solid Wood

Conscious Highlights: Locally Sourced, Locally Made

Check out Green Cradle

More Guides to Browse:

Sustainable Tables and Coffee Tables to Gather Around

12 Non-Toxic Furniture Brands for a Healthy Home

Sustainable Storage Furniture: Dressers, Media Consoles, and More

The post 9 Eco-Friendly Bookcases & Sustainable Shelves to Showcase Your Latest Reads (2024) appeared first on Conscious Life & Style.

What Makes Dressers and Storage Furniture Sustainable?

As with anything in sustainability, there are various approaches that can make something “sustainable”.

Secondhand

With over 12 million tons (or 24 billion pounds) of furniture getting wasted each year in the United States alone, it’s definitely a great idea to look used when possible! 

Secondhand not only helps divert furniture from the landfill, but reduces the need to extract new materials, whether that’s metal, wood, cotton, or increasingly, petroleum for synthetic fabrics and plastic.

Responsibly Sourced Wood

Most storage furniture is made from wood (or engineered wood). While wood is a natural material, we also know that deforestation is a massive issue.

So, look for domestic or certified sustainably-sourced wood when purchasing wooden furniture. The largest most common certification is FSC-, which stands for Forest Stewardship Council, Certified.

Even better is if you can find furniture made from reclaimed wood! This is basically upcycled wood that is being repurposed. Ttis reclaimed wood can come from old barns, ships, factories, warehouses, or even wine barrels! 

Non-Toxic Finishes

Unfortunately, many wood finishes contain harmful petroleum- and chemical-based solvents which can emit VOCs, or volatile organic compounds. 

While the toxicity is most severe during application and does reduce with time, the chemicals can build up in your home, so you may feel most comfortable minimizing risk of VOCs. 

Why does this matter? Well, the EPA reports that indoor air can be 2-5 times more polluted than outdoor air — largely due to what we bring into our homes, from furniture to household cleaners.

Look for low-VOC finishes, water-based finishes, or plant-based oil finishes. Check out the Environmental Working Group’s guide to wood stains and finishes for more.

Where Can I Find Sustainable Dressers and Eco-Friendly Storage Furniture?

Well, we’ve done the hard work for you and curated furniture brands with sustainable dressers, armoires, wardrobes, shelving or other storage furniture.

Note that this guide includes affiliate links. As always, all brands meet strict criteria and are brands we love — and that we think you’ll love too!

Places to Find Secondhand Dressers and Storage Furniture:

• Garage sales and estate sales (check EstateSales.net!)
• Facebook Marketplace
• OfferUp
• AptDeco
• Kaiyo

New Sustainable Dressers, Wardrobes, Armoires, and Storage Furniture:

1. Avocado

Beautifully designed and built to last, Avocado Mattress uses either sustainably-harvested hardwood (solid walnut or maple) or reclaimed wood for their sustainable dressers, nightstands and other storage furniture. They also have bed frames if you want a matching set in your bedroom.

Everything is made in the company’s own FSC-certified Los Angeles woodshop.

Categories: Dressers, Nightstands

Price Range: $750+

Check Out Avocado

2. Maiden Home

Elegantly handcrafted by expert furniture craftspeople in North Carolina, Maiden Home has beautiful sustainable bedroom furniture, including solid wood dressers and nightstands.

The dressers are made-to-order from solid wood and low VOC finishes.

Maiden Home is a woman-owned direct-to-consumer furniture company dedicated to creating timeless, quality furniture made with responsibly sourced materials.

Categories: Nightstands, Dressers

Price Range: $2,900 – $5,275

Check out Maiden Home

3. Medley

Medley’s sustainable storage pieces like their dressers are handmade to order in California. The wide dresser pictured here comes in maple or walnut sourced domestically in the US.

The tops and sides are solid wood and plywood is used elsewhere (as is typical with furniture with drawers). The piece is finished with non-toxic natural beeswax.

Categories: Dressers, Credenzas

Price Range: $995+

Check Out Medley

4. West Elm Sustainably Sourced Collection

West Elm is getting serious about sustainability with eco-friendly storage furniture that’s GREENGUARD Gold Certified, crafted in Fair Trade Certified facilities, made from responsibly-sourced wood, and/or Contract Grade (i.e. high quality + durable).

Categories: Dressers, Nightstands

Price Range: $599+

Check Out West Elm

5. Thuma

Designed for maximum functionality and versatility, Thuma’s 100% upcycled solid wood and Greenguard Gold Certified dressers give you endless options.

Configure a couple drawers for a nightstand and add on more drawers vertically or horizontally for a full dresser that can fit any space.

The modular setup may be especially useful for families with evolving needs or those who are moving frequently. You can add on more drawers if your needs grow or separate a large dresser into two smaller ones — the options really are endless.

Price Range: $790 – $3,495

Categories: Modular Storage: Dresser, Nighstand, Multipurpose Storage

Check out Thuma

6. Masaya & Co

Originally founded as a reforestation project, Masaya & Co is committed to responsible sourcing for all of their sustainable storage furniture. Each piece — from bookshelves to credenzas — is constructed by skilled artisans in Nicaragua from 100% solid wood. Masaya & Co’s furniture is available in teak, mahogany, or walnut and most items are made to order.

Price Range: $940+

Categories: Dressers, Credenzas, Shelves, TV Stands / Media Cabinets

Check Out Masaya & Co

7. Crate & Barrel FSC-Certified

Crate & Barrel has a vast selection of FSC-certified wood storage furniture, including dressers, chests, and full wardrobes or armoires.

You’ll find an array of woods and finishes as well, from weathered rustic natural wood to dark espresso-finished wood.

Price Range: $499+

Categories: Dressers, Nightstands, Armoires & Wardrobes

Check out Crate & Barrel’s FSC-Certified Collection

More Guides Like This:

21 Best Places to Find Sustainable Furniture

8 Gorgeous Sustainable Tables to Gather Around

Best Eco-Friendly and Non-Toxic Sofas to Relax In

The post 7 Sustainable Dressers and Storage Furniture Companies (2024) appeared first on Conscious Life & Style.

How To Source Sustainable Bar Stools and Counter Stools

I was looking for sustainable counter stools last year because my husband and I’s apartment had a large countertop and no room for a kitchen table. 

We liked how the layout utilized the small space efficiently, making it feel like we had more space than we really did! However it’s not as easy to find beautiful counter stools as it is to find other sorts of dining chairs!

After borrowing my parent’s barstools for a few months, we came across the perfect set of mid-century modern-esque secondhand counter stools from the peer-to-peer resale app OfferUp. 

There are many ways to source sustainable bar stools or counter stools. And which way is right for you depends on your budget and circumstances!

Secondhand Apps

This option is usually the cheapest, but may require a lot of time searching and picking up the items.

We used OfferUp, because we were on a pretty tight budget, had the ability to wait (since we could borrow my parents’ stools), and weren’t ready to invest in our “forever home” (we don’t know if our future living spaces will require counter stools).

Curated Secondhand Sites

These tend to be the second most affordable option for counter stools, bar stools, or any other piece of furniture. You pay a bit of a premium over something like OfferUp or Facebook Marketplace, because the pieces are more curated, the photography is typically way better, and some places may even handle the shipping and logistics for you!

Here are a few to check out:

• AptDeco: Advertised as the easiest way to shop secondhand furniture, AptDeco provides a professional delivery service, including pickup, delivery, and assembly within the contiguous U.S.

• Kaiyo: Another online secondhand furniture marketplace that handles the delivery for resellers and shoppers!

• Chairish: mecca for vintage furniture (typically on the more expensive side)

New Eco-Friendly Bar Stools and Counter Stools

You may want to shop for new sustainable counter stools and bar stools if you don’t have as much time to hunt for treasures on the secondhand market, want to invest in a long-term piece of furniture, or have a very specific set of aesthetic preferences.

You might also look for new eco-friendly counter stool options if you want to make sure your stools are non-toxic, and made without harmful chemicals.

Below are some vetted resources for finding sustainable bar and counter stools! Transparency note: this guide contains affiliate links. As always we only feature brands that meet strict criteria for sustainability that we love — and that we think you’ll love too. 

Our Favorite Places to Find Sustainable Bar Stools & Counter Stools

1. Made Trade

Materials: Recycled Aluminum, Reclaimed Wood, Sustainably-Sourced Wood

Highlights: Durable, Repurposed Materials, Suitable For Outdoors

Price: $460+

Sustainable lifestyle retailer Made Trade has a selection of eco-friendly stools designed to last for lifetimes. Their sustainable bar stools and counter stools from Emeco are made in Pennsylvania from repurposed materials and are designed to commercial-grade standards. Many options are also suitable for use as outdoor furniture!

Check out Made Trade

2. Maiden Home

Materials: Solid Ash or Oak Wood | Fabric or Leather Upholstery

Highlights: Handmade to Order in North Carolina, Woman-Founded, Solid Wood

Price: $850+

Maiden Home is a women-founded direct-to-consumer furniture brand with some of the most gorgeous earth-minded furniture you’ll find. And that includes their organic, contemporary sustainable bar stools and counter stools that are expertly crafted to order by North Carolina furniture artisans just for you.

Check out Maiden Home

3. Medley

Materials: Domestically Sourced Wood, CertiPUR-US®-certified foam

Highlights: Made-to-Order, Crafted in California, Solid Wood, In-Home Trial

Price: $695

Handcrafted in California to your specifications with quality sustainable materials — like domestic solid alder, walnut, and maple wood — Medley’s sleek modern furniture is as sustainable as it is beautiful. The company has one eco-friendly counter stool available, called the Jasmi Counter Stool as well as other dining chairs.

Check out Medley

4. Greenington

Materials: Solid Moso Bamboo, Some Leather Upholstery

Highlights: Tree-Free, Ergonomic Design

Price: $630+

Greenington is among the most popular sustainable furniture brands for a reason. As a founding member of the Sustainable Furnishings Council, Greenington uses 100% solid Moso bamboo for their furniture — a material they claim is 20% harder than red oak. They offer eco-friendly counter stools and bar stools in a stunning variety of finishes.

Check out Greenington

5. VivaTerra

Materials: Teak Wood, Banana Bark,, Repurposed and Reclaimed Wood

Highlights: Natural and Recycled Materials, Artisan Handmade

Price: $379+

Green lifestyle online retailer VivaTerra has plenty of sustainable stools, including bar stools, counter stools, bathroom stools, accent stools, and garden stools. You can even find a full kitchen island set or repurposed barrel bar set, each complete with two stools. Check out the product icons to see each item’s sustainability qualities.

Check out VivaTerra

6. Pottery Barn

Materials: Reclaimed Wood, Recycled Aluminum, Recycled Plastic 

Highlights: Expertly Crafted, Natural and Repurposed Materials

Price: $159+

Furniture brand Pottery Barn has recently been expanding their sustainably sourced collection, so you may just find your new eco-friendly bar and counter stools there. Their collection features stools made from reclaimed and recycled materials in a range of aesthetics, from farmhouse chic to mid-century modern.

Check out Pottery Barn

7. West Elm

Materials: Sustainably-Sourced Wood

Highlights: Quality Products, Use of Some Responsible Materials

Price: $219

Another larger furniture retailer with a sustainably sourced collection is West Elm. Their selection is a bit smaller, but you can still find an eco-friendly bar stool / counter stool made from FSC-Certified wood from responsibly managed forests or contract-grade mango wood sourced from trees that no longer produce fruits.

Check out West Elm  

Looking to complete your eco space?

Check out our full guide to sustainable furniture brands and our guide to non-toxic furniture brands.

Pin this sustainable stools guide for later:

The post 7 Sustainable Bar Stools and Counter Stools To Complete Your Space (2024) appeared first on Conscious Life & Style.

When searching for eco-friendly outdoor furniture, take a look at:

• The materials and finishes used (are they recycled, natural, and/or sustainably sourced?)
• The company’s production practices (do they use renewable energy? produce locally? work with skilled craftspeople and pay them fairly)
• And the durability (does the company commit to a warranty period or even lifetime guarantee? what do reviewers say about the quality? are they long-lasting materials?)

Places To Find Sustainable Outdoor Furniture

This guide contains affiliate links. As always, we only feature brands that we love — which we think you’ll love too — that meet high standards for sustainability. 

Secondhand Options

It’s always great to look secondhand first, but with over 12 million tons of furniture & furnishings going to the landfill in the U.S. alone according to the EPA, furniture is an especially great category of goods to shop for pre-loved.

In addition to your local secondhand furniture stores and thrift shops, here are some spots to check out to find secondhand outdoor furniture!

• OfferUp (online marketplace, local)
• EstateSales.net (find estate sales near you!)
• Facebook Marketplace (online, local)
• Ebay (online)
• Chairish (online vintage; on the pricier side)
• Modern Resale (online, also on the pricier side)

The Best Eco-Friendly Outdoor Furniture Companies:

If you can’t find what you’re looking for used, you may be interested in looking at brands that create eco-friendly patio furniture or sustainable garden furniture. 

And this guide has you covered with plenty of brands with outdoor seating, tables, storage, and more made from materials like FSC-certified teak, sustainably-sourced wood, recycled HDPE plastic, and recycled aluminum.

1. Masaya & Co

Teak is one of the best materials to choose for eco-friendly outdoor furniture. It’s durable, weather resistant, and requires little maintenance. Plus, it’s gorgeous!

Masaya & Co has the most beautiful options of sustainable teak furniture that I’ve seen. You can find everything from adirondack chairs to chaise lounges and coffee tables to full dining sets. Each piece is artisan-made from responsibly-harvested teak from Nicaragua, and the brand plants 100 trees for every order.

Conscious Qualities: Sustainably Sourced Wood, Lifetime Quality, Ethically Made, Reforestation Projects

Categories: Chairs & Chaise Lounges, Tables, Side Tables, Stools, Sofas

Price Range: $$$

Check out Masaya & Co

2. Loll Designs

All of Loll’s furniture is made from Cradle to Cradle Certified BRONZE recycled high-density polyethylene sourced mostly from discarded post-consumer milk jugs. And each part of Loll’s sustainable outdoor furniture is recyclable as well.

Plus Loll Designs manufactures their furniture in Duluth, Minnesota, Loll and sources their materials domestically to help reduce their carbon footprint. reduces shipping distances, minimizing their carbon footprint.

Conscious Qualities: Recycled Materials, All Parts are Recyclable, Domestic Production

Categories: Outdoor tables, lounge & dining seating, and storage

Price Range: $$$

Check Out Loll Designs

3. Made Trade

This lifestyle retailer’s sustainable outdoor furniture collection features furniture for any style. Made Trade has sleek pieces made out of recycled aluminum and eco concrete that are designed to last a lifetime as well as all natural chairs crafted by artisans from locally-sourced materials like bamboo. Each piece is ethically crafted in intentional quantities or made just for you.

Conscious Qualities: Sustainable Materials, Carbon Neutral Certified, 1% For The Planet Member

Categories: Outdoor tables, chairs, barstools and loveseats

Price Range: $$$

Check Out Made Trade

4. West Elm Sustainably-Sourced Collection

West Elm is a large furniture retailer with several sustainability-minded collections that you can filter by. Select from Sustainably-Sourced Wood (typically FSC-certified), Fair Trade Certified, Local, and/or Contract Grade (for high quality, durable pieces).

And you’ll find any type of outdoor furniture you’re looking for from seating to tables to storage in West Elm’s signature elevated aesthetic.

Conscious Qualities: Sustainably-Sourced Wood

Categories: Outdoor sofas & sections, dining sets, ottomans, outdoor storage, benches, coffee & side tables

Price Range: $$$

Check out West Elm

5. POLYWOOD 

POLYWOOD’s recycled outdoor furniture is made in the USA from a blend of upcycled plastics sourced from milk jugs and detergent bottles. The brand has classic, durably built Adirondack chairs, rocking chairs, swings, and other backyard furnishings.

Conscious Qualities: Recycled Materials, Domestic Manufacturing

Categories: Outdoor seating, tables, and accessories

Price Range: $$

Check Out POLYWOOD

6. VivaTerra

Using materials like reclaimed wood, FSC-certified eucalyptus, teak, rattan, rust-proof aluminum, and stainless steel, VivaTerra has a variety of elegant and sturdy sustainable outdoor furniture offerings. The green lifestyle retailer also has unique outdoor accessories like lanterns and sculptures.

Conscious Qualities: Recycled and Eco-Friendly Materials

Categories: Outdoor chairs, tables, fire pits, and accessories

Price Range: $$-$$$

Check Out VivaTerra

7. Yardbird

Whether you’re looking for an outdoor lounge set to create a backyard sanctuary, a full fire pit and seating set set for cozy evenings, or a complete dining set to enjoy dinner al fresco, Yardbird has eco-friendly outdoor furniture for every need.

The brand incorporates ocean-bound plastic into their wicker furniture and puts a focus on using as much recyclable materials for their furniture as possible. Their Sunbrella fabric comes with a 5-year warranty and frames have a 10-year warranty.

Conscious Qualities: Use of Recycled Materials, Recyclable Furniture (many pieces)

Categories: Outdoor sectionals & sofas, chairs & chaises, outdoor dining sets, fire table sets, ottomans

Price Range: $$$

Check out Yardbird

8. Outer

Dedicated to creating comfortable, durable, and weather-proof furniture from responsible materials, Outer has a solid selection of eco-friendly outdoor furniture. Their tables are made FSC-certified teak, and the seating is made from partially recycled + recyclable wicker or recyclable aluminum.

Conscious Qualities: Durable and Designed to Last, Low Impact Materials

Categories: Outdoor chairs, sofas, and tables

Price Range: $$$

Check Out Outer

9. Crate & Barrel FSC-Certified Collection

If you’re looking for the convenience and choice from a larger brand but still want to shop more responsibly, take a look at Crate & Barrel’s FSC-certified teak furniture collection. The retailer also has a variety of pieces making it easy to complete your eco-friendly patio furniture set.

Conscious Qualities: Responsibly-Sourced Wood

Categories: Outdoor seating, tables, and ottomans

Price Range: $$$

Check Out Crate & Barrel

10. Neighbor

Neighbor is an outdoor furniture company that uses several sustainable materials. Their outdoor chairs, tables, and other furniture comes in materials like FSC-Certified solid teak, partially recycled Sunbrella fabric, and HDPE recycled plastic lumber.

The company also prioritizes quality with details like marine-grade hardware and using kiln-dried wood.

Conscious Qualities: Recycled & Sustainably Sourced Materials, High Quality & Durable

Categories: Lounge chairs & sofas, dining sets, outdoor rugs & accessories

Price Range: $$$

Check out Neighbor

More Furniture Guides to Browse

21 Best Sustainable Furniture Companies

Eco-Friendly Pots and Planters for a Green Oasis

21 Ethical Home Decor Brands for a Conscious Space

The post 10 Sustainable Outdoor Furniture Brands For Your Backyard Sanctuary (2024) appeared first on Conscious Life & Style.

The sustainable table brands featured in this guide have furniture for any of your living and dining places:

• Dining tables,
• Side tables,
• Nightstands,
• Coffee tables, and
• Bar tables.

But first, you might be wondering: what is a sustainable table anyway?

What to Look for in a Sustainable Table

The word “sustainable” is used frequently and in so many different contexts that it can be difficult to pinpoint what exactly sustainable means. 

That said, here are some key elements to consider when looking for your next coffee table, dining table, or desk. 

Eco-Friendly Materials

When it comes to eco-friendly tables, wood is the most common material used because it’s a natural, renewable, and durable material that works with nearly any room or interior design style.

Note: If you find a brand that uses engineered wood or pressed wood, make sure to look on their website or ask about what adhesives are used. These products are often made from wood pieces that are bond together with glue that contains formaldehyde, which the EPA classifies as a “probable human carcinogen”.

Here’s what to look for to ensure sustainably-sourced wood:

• Reclaimed Wood. Using existing resources reduces waste and the need to cut down additional trees. Plus, reclaimed wood — especialcan add authentic character to your table!
• FSC-certified. The Forest Stewardship Council’s certification is the most widely used verification for responsible forestry practices. Just like any other large certification, the FSC seal is not perfect but can be an additional seal of approval to look for.
• Traceability. Look to see if the brand can tell you where the wood was sourced from. Usually, smaller furniture brands will be able to have more transparency and traceability of their supply chain!
• Local sourcing. Locally-sourced wood (from native or climate-appropriate trees) is preferable because sourcing locally reduces emissions from transportation. 

Zero-VOC or Low-VOC Finishes

Similar to paints, finishes can contain Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). Not only do VOCs create environmental hazards like air pollution and smog but they also pollute your indoor air too. 

According to the EPA, health impacts of VOCs include:

• Eye, nose, and throat irritations
• Headaches and nausea
• Damage to the liver, kidney, and central nervous system
• Some VOCs are also known or suspected carcinogens

All too often we think of environmental sustainability as something separate from ourselves — something “out there in nature”. 

But as with so many aspects of sustainability, what’s healthy for the environment is also often healthy for us as well — humans are, in fact, part of the environment. That’s why this sustainable table guide only includes non-toxic tables, too.

Other Sustainability Initiatives

Some other initiatives to look for from sustainable table brands include:

• Use of renewable energy to power their operations or the purchase of renewable energy credits to offset fossil fuel energy use.
• Take-back and/or repair programs to extend the life of their tables.
• Quality manufacturing that ensures durable products built to last.
• Trustworthy tree planting projects, especially if the company uses wood for their products.

Where to Find Sustainable Tables

Just as with fashion, looking secondhand first is a great way to find eco-friendly furniture at a more affordable price. Check out your local flea markets, secondhand stores, and keep an eye out for estate sales. 

For online secondhand options, check out:

• FB Marketplace
• OfferUp
• Chairish
• AptDeco

If you’re looking for a new eco-friendly table made from responsibly-sourced or reclaimed materials, take a look at the brands below!

Disclaimer: This guide includes affiliate links and partners, but as always all brands are vetted rigorously for sustainability and are brands we love, that we think you’ll love too

Best Luxury Sustainable Tables: Maiden Home

Maiden Home is a woman-founded furniture brand that produces all of their furniture made-to-order in North Carolina, which is, as the brand explains, “home to the world’s premier furniture craftsmen”.

And all of their wood furniture — like their sustainable dining tables, coffee tables, benches, and ottomans — is made from responsibly sourced hardwood that meets the standards of the Sustainable Forestry Initiative.

This is heritage furniture build to last generations — and as a direct to consumer brand, Maiden Home can create luxury quality furniture at a fraction of typical luxury furniture prices.

Conscious Qualities: Made to Order, Locally Made, Woman-Founded, Solid Wood

Price Range: $$$$

Check Out Maiden Home

Best for Dining Tables: Medley

Medley uses only FSC-certified walnut or maple hardwood for their solid wood eco-friendly dining tables and accent tables. Each table is finished with an all-natural furniture polish that consists of just beeswax, carnauba wax, and olive oil. And every table, just like the rest of Medley’s furnishings, is made in their own workshop in Los Angeles.

Conscious Qualities: FSC-Certified Wood, Transparent Local Production, Non-Toxic Finishes, Plants Trees

Price Range: $$$

Check Out Medley

Best for Side Tables: Avocado

Founded as a non-toxic mattress brand, Avocado has now expanded into a variety of sustainable and non-toxic furniture like beds, dressers, and of course tables.

Their collection of eco-friendly tables includes accent tables, nightstands, side tables, benches & stools, and a beautiful zero waste coffee table. Every table is made to order in the company’s Los Angeles woodshop from either reclaimed wood, FSC-Certified solid wood, or even 100% upcycled wood (which is not particleboard or fiberboard).

The Sustainable Furnishings Council member also uses non-toxic finishes and glues, like zero-VOC stain and safe odorless glues. And, Avocado offsets more than 100% of their emissions and has several product- factory- and company-level certifications of note.

Conscious Qualities: Made-To-Order In Avocado’s Own LA Woodshop; Uses Reclaimed and Sustainably-Sourced Materials; Non-Toxic Finishes; Renewable Energy-Powered Operations

Price Range: $$ – $$$

Check Out Avocado

Best Sustainability Practices: Sylvan Craft

Perhaps you’ve heard of slow fashion or slow food — well Sylvan Craft is the epitome of slow furniture with their “Forest to Table” approach.

Sylvan Craft’s heirloom-quality tables (and other furniture) are all crafted with care from solid wood by their Amish business partner. And it’s not just any wood — this is wood that was sourced from Sylvan Craft’s own sustainably managed forest. Since their entire process from harvest to finished furniture takes place within a 5 mile radius, this “hyper-local” business also boasts a small carbon footprint and impressive average 8-10 week lead times on delivery. Blanket-wrapped shipping also minimizes packaging waste.

On a mission to preserve and restore forests through sustainable forestry and land management, Sylvan Craft has a meticulous forest management plan that centers on forest health. They employ selective harvesting (i.e. prioritizing damaged or dead trees for their wood), plant a variety of tree species to promote forest biodiversity, and use low-impact timber removal practices instead of heavy machinery.

Sylvan Craft’s selection of sustainably-crafted tables includes end tables, sofa tables, coffee tables, dining tables, and benches.

Conscious Qualities: Sustainable Forestry Management, Hyper-Local, Traceable Supply Chain, Heirloom Quality, VOC-Free Finish Option

Price Range: $$

Check Out Sylvan Craft

Best for Durability: Emeco

Handcrafted in their own factory near Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Emeco’s minimalist sustainable tables are made to pass commercial-grade standards, ensuring they’ll be pieces for decades (if not generations!) to come.

The brand uses sustainably-harvested ash or reclaimed accoya wood and recycled aluminum to create their industrial-chic pieces. Many of their pieces are Cradle to Cradle Gold Certified, and are free of toxic chemicals like VOCs and formaldehyde.

One major bonus of Emeco’s sturdy eco-friendly tables? Most of them are suitable for outdoor use too. (Check out more sustainable outdoor furniture in this guide.)

Conscious Qualities: Sustainably-Sourced and Recycled Materials, Crafted in the Pennsylvania, Contract Grade Quality

Price Range: $$$$

Check Out Emeco

Best for Smaller Spaces: Sabai

Sabai is a leader in sustainable furniture with their use of eco-conscious materials, ethical production practices, and low-waste shipping. Not to mention they’re committed to circularity with both a repair program and a resale program, called Sabai Revive.

Their City Table is so exception. This eco-friendly coffee table is made using recycled steel, wood sourced from urban fallen trees in Baltimore and a non-toxic, zero VOC water-based finish. Did we mention the brand is also a certified B-Corporation?

Conscious Qualities: Recycled & Natural Materials, Zero VOC Finish, Circularity Program

Price Range: $$

Check Out Sabai

Best for Outdoor Tables: Masaya & Co

Originally founded as a reforestation project, Masaya & Co. is a mission-driven sustainable furniture company planting 100 trees (yes, you read that number right!) in Nicaragua for every product sold. The company partners with local Nicaraguan designers and craftspeople to produce their sustainably-made furniture. The hardwoods are dried on-site in solar kilns and finished with water-based low-VOC finishes.

Conscious Qualities: Traceable Sourcing, Reforestation Projects, Small Batch 

Price Range: $$$

Check Out Masaya & Co.

Best Artisan-Made: The Citizenry

The Citizenry has the most beautiful artisan tables ideal for completing your natural cozy minimalist aesthetic or adding an earthy touch to your bold boho living room. The brand has sustainable coffee tables made from natural rattan and eco friendly nightstands made from hinoki or mindi wood.

Every single product sold on The Citizenry is handcrafted in a fair trade environment, and their natural non-toxic tables are no exception. Most of this retailer’s sustainable side tables and coffee tables selection was made in Indonesia by artisans using traditional crafts.

Conscious Qualities: Artisan-Made, Fair Trade, Cultural Preservation, Natural Materials

Price Range: $$$

Check Out The Citizenry

Best Non-Toxic Accent Tables: Savvy Rest

Non-toxic furniture brand Savvy Rest has a sleek set of sustainable tables and benches made in Central Virginia from solid wood. Each table is made with responsibly-sourced maple — a durable yet lightweight hardwood — and is available unfinished or in a variety of zero-VOC finishes: linseed oil, walnut, cedar, or mahogany.

Their benches could also double as a sustainable coffee table in your living room!

Conscious Qualities: Zero-VOC Finishes, Local Production, Sustainably-Sourced Wood

Price Range: $$

Use code CONSCIOUSSTYLE20 for 20% off all products on Savvy Rest!

Check Out Savvy Rest

Best For Low Waste Tables: Etsy Reclaimed

Forget rustic or vintage-inspired and go for the real thing! Etsy has an incredible selection of both vintage tables and reclaimed wood tables from small-batch makers around the world. There are also some shops on Etsy that offer custom-made sustainable tables at reasonable prices so you can get the unique specifications you need for your space without spending a fortune.

Conscious Qualities: Reclaimed Wood, Secondhand Options, Small Batch

Price Range: $ – $$$

Check Out Etsy Reclaimed

We hope you enjoyed this guide to sustainable tables! Looking for more furniture & home furnishings?

Check Out These Sustainable Home Guides:

15 Ethical Home Decor Brands for Your Conscious Space

The Best Places to Find Eco-Friendly Furniture 

Sustainable Non-Toxic Sofas for Truly Restful Relaxation

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