greenliving
Sustainably Stylish Home Relax into Nurturing Furnishings
by April Thompson W
e all relish a cozy nest, whether that means light- filled views, the embrace of
form-fitting sofas and chairs or plush rugs that snuggle bare feet. A beauti- ful, comfortable home that reflects our personal style and embodies our values can be achieved by learning the origin of furnishings and investing in sustain- ably made pieces that will stand the test of time, say experts.
“Furnishing a home ethically doesn’t mean sacrificing comfort or style,” says JD Doliner, a business consultant in Charlotte, North Carolina. Doliner’s home is graced with 18th- and 19th-cen- tury antiques, organic cotton mattresses, comfy custom-made chairs from Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified wood and handmade wool rugs certified child- labor-free by GoodWeave. “They give me peace of mind as a humanitarian and environmentalist,” she says.
Signs of Progress
Debbie Hindman, marketing director for Associates III Interior Design, in Denver, is working with increasingly knowl- edgeable clients like Doliner asking for sustainably sourced products. Manufac- turers, in turn, are upping transparency about product origins, realizing it can
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provide a competitive edge, she notes. “We look at the story behind a product and make sure that it aligns with both our company’s and clients’ values,” says Hindman, a co-author of Sustainable Residential Interiors. “We ask questions like, ‘Are workers paid a fair wage? Was the product made with local materials? What is the story behind the company’s founding?’” The Sustainable Furnishings
Council (SFC) coalition of manufactur- ers, retailers and designers partners with businesses and informs consumers to increase environmentally responsible choices in the marketplace. Its 400 members commit to sustainability and transparency in their business practices and submit an annual action plan show- ing such efforts. Headquartered in Eden- ton, North Carolina, the council strives to minimize industry carbon emissions and remove unsustainable materials and harmful chemical ingredients from residential and commercial furnishings. “The residential furnishings indus- try frequently takes raw materials from one continent, processes and manufac- tures on another to be consumed on yet another, leaving a huge environmental footprint,” says Susan Inglis, the council’s executive director. As the third largest consumer of wood, these manufacturers bear significant responsibility for preserv- ing the world’s forest ecosystems and fighting deforestation, reports Inglis.
Savvy Shoppers To make informed decisions, furniture shoppers need to ask how, where, from what and by whom a potential purchase is made. Lisa Beres, a healthy home expert and former interior de- signer in Newport Coast, California, and author of Just Green It! advises not taking product claims at face value. Ask if the product has earned a certification like the Global Organic Textile Standard
Toxic Furnishings Alert T
oday’s mass-produced furniture may contain hidden chemicals such as formaldehyde-based adhesives, flame retardants and other volatile organic compounds (VOC) linked to serious health issues. Researchers from the Natural Resources Defense Council found 45 toxic chemicals in indoor dust, 10 of which were present in at least 90 percent of households sampled. “These chemicals enter the air as materials in the furnishings break down,” explains healthy home expert Lisa Beres. “Because we spend an average of 90 percent of our lives indoors, the exposure to harmful chemicals is troubling.” Beres advises shoppers to be wary of synthetic fabrics, which not only consume nonrenewable resources like petroleum, but may also contain toxic dyes, heavy metals or chemicals like Teflon. Foam and other fillings in mattress- es, sofas and chairs are often a hidden source of off-gassing VOCs. The Sustainable Furnishing Council’s seal of approval and member list at
SustainableFurnishings.org are a good place to start to find companies committed to offering healthier alternatives that include transparency and responsibility in their manufacturing practices.
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