Turning Tables

Sustainable furniture keeping chemicals out of landfills

A lot of the furniture around our homes and offices is made from plastics such as polyurethane and polyester. Even some wood furniture is really wood veneer slapped over plastic. These plastics can take hundreds of years to break down. But the push for sustainability has reached the furniture industry too. Giants such as Williams Sonoma and Ikea are making pledges to use sustainably sourced and recycled materials in their wares. These furniture makers are ahead of the curve, using sustainable materials to turn out high-quality pieces.

Agroprene

Agroprene’s foam is made from seaweed and plant-based biopolymers. The company turns seaweed into powder that is then baked and molded into its unique properties, including buoyancy, insulation, and sound absorption, making it ideal for applications in packaging, construction, and marine industries. “The foam is 100% biodegradable. You can simply leave it in the soil, and it will naturally degrade over eight months – faster if you cut it into smaller pieces,” founder Celine Sandberg told the BBC. “We tried a bunch of different materials, but most of them turned out as rigid foam, not flexible.”

Mater

Mater is a Danish furniture brand renowned for its commitment to sustainable design and ethical sourcing. Their pieces are crafted using high-quality, recycled materials, such as coffee bean shells, sawdust, and ocean waste. Mater’s focus on circular economy principles ensures that their products have a minimal environmental impact. “We like mixing creativity with innovation,” CEO Ketil Ardal told the BBC. “While it takes a lot of cash to manufacture these sustainable collections, and I get some grey hairs because of it, it’s in our DNA to be a green company.”

Living Textiles Group

The Living Textiles Group’s BioKnit project is pioneering the use of biological materials in construction. By combining knitted fabrics with living organisms like mycelium, BioKnit creates a sustainable and adaptable building material. This innovative approach offers a promising solution to the challenges of traditional construction methods, reducing environmental impact and promoting a more sustainable future. The material “decomposes since it’s bio-based and doesn’t use any binders or glue that wouldn’t decompose in a landfill,” group lead Jane Scott told the BBC.

Takt

The Takt Cross Chair, designed by Finn Juhl, is a timeless piece of furniture known for its minimalist aesthetics and exceptional craftsmanship. Before it went into production, it went through life cycle analysis of 16 factors like land use and carbon footprint that determined its sustainability. “I’m hoping for the situation where people will start to compare not just on monetary price but also the environmental price you pay,” CEO and founder Henrik Taudorf Lorensen told Fast Company. “That will be a competitive factor. Rather than thinking we’ve achieved final sustainability, it’s just an ongoing process of how to keep on getting better.”

Sabai

Sabai’s modular sofas use frames approved by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, and the company makes liberal use of recycled velvet and upcycled hemp. “We want to make as big of an impact as possible and need to be able to speak to as many people as possible and help them opt for the sustainable product, whether you’re someone who wants a woven natural fabric or velvet or mid-century design or a slipcover design that’s a little bit more traditional. We don’t want to limit our ability to offer sustainable products to people with different tastes. And so the different collections kind of speak to that,” co-founder Phantila Phataraprasit told Maxim.

The Citizenry

Made from high-quality, eco-friendly materials, The Citizenry’s furniture is both beautiful and responsibly sourced. With a focus on ethical production and fair labor practices, the brand offers a sustainable and stylish choice for conscious consumers. The company boasts “100% of products made with a Fair Trade process audited and guaranteed by the World Fair Trade Organization.”

Avocado

Avocado pieces are crafted using eco-friendly materials, including sustainably sourced wood and organic fabrics. With a commitment to fair labor practices and minimal environmental impact, Avocado Furniture offers a sustainable and stylish choice for conscious consumers. The certified B Corp is a member of 1% for the Planet and vows to recycle more than 90% of its waste. “Our mission is to be the most respected source for organic mattresses, pillows, and bedding at affordable prices — while maintaining environmentally conscious, ethical, and sustainable business practices across our entire supply chain.”

Yardbird

Yardbird’s outdoor furnishings are made from recycled materials such as ocean-bound plastic. The company says its furniture keeps hundreds of thousands of pounds of plastic from entering oceans each year. “At Yardbird, we’ve built sustainability into the core of our business. From incorporating ocean-bound plastic into our hand-woven wicker to using recyclable materials and packaging whenever possible, we are focused on creating the world’s most environmentally friendly outdoor furniture,” its website states.