Sourcing Green Furniture

Solid wood construction, robust joinery such as mortise and tenon and dovetail joints and non-toxic finishes will serve your clientele well over many years, while keeping our landfills virtually furniture-free. Look for high quality craftsmanship when sourcing sustainable furniture. This low quality furniture, often made of particle board, MDF, pressed cardboard, staples and glue typically has a life of about 2-5 years before it ends up on the curbside and eventually in our landfills. It was in the 1980s that furniture making shifted from North Carolina and the Great Lakes areas to overseas in response to a burgeoning demand for cheap furniture.

The biggest jump in landfill volume occurred in the 1980s and continues still. The statistics I've seen show that the amount of cheap, low-quality furniture we are throwing into landfills increased six-fold between 1960 and 2008. What Effect Does Furniture Quality Have on Sustainability? If they can't tell you, look elsewhere for authentically green furniture.

Always ask your furniture vendor for specific information on where the wood or other material in your furniture comes from. Their LEED certification program specifies that furniture must be sourced within a 500 mile radius, and they emphasize: the closer the better. The US Green Building Council prioritizes local sourcing as well.