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Loading...Furniture: What to Look For, What to Avoid
- Annie B. Bond
- July 31, 1999
- 4:21 pm
- 21 comments
You can find a wide range of styles of furniture on the market (and in flea markets and auctions), so avoiding furniture that causes environmental pollution during its production or that damages indoor air quality does not mean a limited choice or having to settle for “rustic” styles.
As with so much else today, you have the option of following older traditions that have little impact on the environment or choosing items made by new, clean production methods. Available furniture includes traditional handcrafted furniture, recycled furniture and that made with waste materials, new materials, aluminum and metal furniture, air-filled furniture, mass-produced panel furniture, and fireproofed furniture.
Furniture to Look For
Well-made, long-lasting furniture from local materials that can be repaired if necessary.
Furniture made with naturally occurring materials that biodegrade safely.
Furniture made from certified woods.
Furniture made with wood or metal (aluminum) frames, which is fairly easy to repair.
Materials that are solid rather than veneered, finished with traditional oils and waxes that can be renewed at home and improve with age and use.
Used furniture or furniture made from recycled materials.
Organic fabrics and natural padding and fillings.
Soft furnishings that can be removed for washing.
Furniture to Avoid
Laminated finishes that are supersmooth; these will become damaged and look worse over time.
Particleboard made with urea or formaldehyde glues.
Furniture made from tropical hardwoods.
Finishes that are high in VOCs and other chemicals.
Furniture made from PVC, nylon, and other petroleum-based plastics.
Foam- and plastic-filled furniture.
Upholstered furniture.
Fireproofing that contains bromines, halogens, or formaldehyde.
Stain-resistance treatments containing fluorocarbons, PFOs, or formaldehyde.
Read more: Crafts & Design, Green Home Decor
Adapted from Your Naturally Healthy Home, by Alan Berman. Copyright (c) 2001 by Frances Lincoln Limited. Reprinted with permission of Rodale Press.
Adapted from Your Naturally Healthy Home, by Alan Berman.
Annie B. Bond
Annie is a renowned expert in non-toxic and green living. Named one of the top 20 environmental leaders by Body and Soul Magazine, Annie has authored four books, including "Home Enlightenment" (Rodale Press, 2005) and "Better Basics for the Home" (Three Rivers Press, 1999).
Go to the Source
Your Naturally Healthy Home
Whether youre building a new house or upgrading the one youve already got, Your Naturally Healthy Home will help you create a home that is comfrtable to live in as well as kind to your health and to the planet. With more than 200 lush color photographs for inspiration, youll find all this to be an essential handbook for the environmentally conscious homeowner.buy now
Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may
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people are talking
Great .
True
great ideas
Thank you for sharing :)
#6 should be Epsom salts, not just good old table salt.
21 comments
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sometimes it's not possible to find out what the items are fully made of, what chemicals are involved, where they've been made, what source it's from etc. try going into somewhere like next, dunhelm mill, scs, dreams, etc and asking the staff 'so where was this item made from and what materials and polishes have been used?' they'd look at you funny and give you head office's number which would be a wild goose chase, or they'd tell you to leave the store! as for getting items specifically made, most people don't have the luxury of a five figure bank account. mebbe it's really easy in america, but here in the uk it's not
I have a random collection of furniture, some new and mostly second hand. The best thing about second hand hardwood furniture is how well it does with moisture and heat compared to new, particle board. My oldest furniture is the stuff that's going to be around the longest. It's unfortunate things just aren't made to last any more.
Thanks for sharing
Useful tips:) Thank you, Annie!
Thanks you Annie for sharing the great tips and suggestions.
Thank you for the share!
I design and then have my friend build my furniture and we also find useful ways of recycling old trees into new projects. ;-)
Great article! Along the same lines, it's a great idea to add color to your home. Here are a few tips I wrote on doing just that.
http://www.helium.com/knowledge/566542-tips-for-using-color-in-your-home
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