Wooden furniture is considered the staple for home decor. Let’s be honest, our homes are pretty empty without them. However, did you ever consider the amount of wood that was chopped off to create those wooden tables and chairs? Wooden furniture isn’t eco friendly, but there is a type of furniture that is. Let’s talk about what is eco friendly furniture and why you should consider buying it over wooden furniture.
What is eco friendly furniture?
Eco friendly furniture is simply furniture that can be sustainably sourced, produced, disposed and distributed to customers. Traditional wooden furniture is made from well known trees such as Oak and Mahogany. The problem with these trees is that they take an excessively long time to grow, and once they do they are chopped down in a matter of hours or even minutes (A single mahogany tree can take 25 years to mature!).
Trees are an important part of the ecosystem, and if we’re chopping them down faster than they can grow, it won’t be long before every country has some of the most polluted cities in the world.Thankfully, sustainable furniture can solve this problem. Manufacturers have started looking for more sustainable sources that can offer the same finish as high-end furniture without contributing towards global warming and other natural disasters.
One such example is bamboo furniture. Bamboo is known to be one of the most sustainable plants on the planet, and with an average growth period of mere days compared to years for other trees, it can be the perfect alternative for producing eco friendly furniture.
Now that we have established what is eco friendly furniture, let’s move on to why it is better than wooden furniture for your home
Quicker growth period
As previously mentioned, one of the most critical factors that makes materials like bamboo a much more eco friendly alternative to wooden furniture is the growth period. A single Oak tree takes several years to grow, and once chopped off does not regrow. In contrast, a bamboo tree can grow several meters in a matter of weeks, and once chopped off regrows into a new tree, again within a few weeks time. So no matter how much furniture you buy for your home, you can be sure that it’s not contributing to deforestation.
Sterile
Eco friendly furniture, specifically bamboo furniture, is known to be sterile. But what does that mean? Bamboo has a built in antibacterial/antimicrobial substance called bamboo-kun. This prevents the furniture from being infested by termites or fungi, which helps with the longevity of your furniture. With the increased need for cleanliness due to the recent pandemic, eco friendly furniture is the perfect solution that will not only last longer but also prevent the build up of germs, bacteria and other infectants
Less material required
One great feature of bamboo is its versatility; it can be used to make both hard and soft products. While bamboo can be used to make the frame of the furniture, the pulp can be used to make cloth and stuffing, thereby reducing the need for cotton, wool or even synthetic materials such as polyester. Cotton and wool are much less sustainable than bamboo, whereas polyester is riddled with chemicals. Eco friendly furniture will help reduce the need to source extra materials, as well as prevent the use of chemical-induced items like polyester.
No harmful chemicals or products involved
Another reason why you should consider eco friendly furniture is that they are free of toxic or harmful chemicals. Manufacturers of traditional furniture often add chemicals and harmful toxins to preserve the furniture for a longer shelf life.
In doing so, they release a huge amount of chemicals into the air which are harmful to both plants and animals. Manufacturing of eco friendly furniture, on the other hand, does not involve the use of any toxic chemicals, and is therefore much safer to have in the house.
Inexpensive
Buying eco friendly furniture looks and sounds expensive, but the reality is completely different. Due to the lower amount of chemicals used, as well as lesser amount of raw material sourced, the manufacturing cost of sustainable furniture is much lower, therefore, so is the price.
Today, you can easily buy sustainable furniture such as bamboo furnishings for a price equal or even lower than your traditional furniture, making it another reason why you should consider eco friendly furniture instead of traditional ones.
Eco friendly furniture is a great way to contribute towards a more environmentally friendly home without compromising on quality or price. Not only does it have health benefits, but also looks great in your living room, bedroom or anywhere else (not to mention helping the environment in the process!).
Although eco friendly furniture is the future, you should definitely be vary of the corners that manufacturers try to cut and sell substandard furnishings as eco friendly furniture. Either way, eco friendly furniture is a great way to take your sustainable game to the next level, and when done properly, it can save both your wallet and the environment.