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Sustainable Designer Furniture

Defining Sustainable Furniture

Things to think about when determining what makes a piece of furniture sustainable include-

Materials used:

  • Look for furniture that is made with sustainable materials from renewable sources, like FSC wood.  Also find out if any of the materials are recycled materials.
  • In addition, see if the furniture can be recycled and the materials themselves be used again in some form.


How the furniture has been manufactured: 

Furniture that has been manufactured according to ethical standards that include human rights, safe working conditions, fair trade practices, and without causing harm to the ecosystem and the environment all contribute to its sustainability.

Here are some exemplary world class designer furniture companies that produce sustainable furniture that will add pleasure to your daily life with a clear conscience and positive global impact.

LOOP & No. 14 chair by Gebruder Thonet Vienna

Gebruder Thonet Vienna (GTV) continues to produce furniture according to the Patent awarded to Micheal Thone in 1842 to manufacture furniture using only hand bent steamed wood and finished with “Vienna Straw” in the traditional pieces. Today all the wood used by GTV is Certified wood by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) which ensures the raw materials used come from forests
with strict environmental, economic, and social standards. FSC also calls for a chain of custody for the wood through all stages of manufacture. All GTV products share this proud history of design and sustainability from the famous and world’s best – selling No. 14 café chair of 1860 to the 2023 LOOP designed by India Mahdavi.

India Mahdavi LOOP chair 2023
Michael Thonet No.14 chair 1860

SOFFIO by Lema

Designed by renowned Norm Architects, SOFFIO is a modular seating system that is informal, super comfortable, designed and engineered with recycled and recyclable materials.  The structure is made with FSC plywood, the cushions are filled with Microflock recycled materials, and 2 new fabrics: Ofelia, made from GRS certified recycled cotton, and Ariel, a chenille made with recycled PET yarn.

SOFFIO by Norm Architects for LEMA
SOFFIO by Norm Architects for LEMA

Eco-Friendly Outdoor Furniture.

CHELSEA by UNOPIU’:
Unopiù was founded in the heart of Tuscia, Italy over forty years ago and remains an industry leader in the production and distribution of designer outdoor furniture and accessories. 

The CHELSEA collection is made from only the best “A Grade” quality teak which continues to be a preferred material for the creation of outdoor furniture due to its strength and resistance to weather conditions.  All Unopiu’ teak comes from Indonesia, the nation with the largest and oldest certified renewable teak plantations in the world.  These plantations, established in the 1800’s, feature harvesting and planting that are carried out simultaneously to guarantee they remain a source of renewable material and revenue for both present and future generations.

Chelsea Collection by UNOPIU’
Chelsea Collection by UNOPIU’
Chelsea Collection by UNOPIU’

MARENCO by ARFLEX

The Marenco sofa designed by Mario Marenco for Arflex is an excellent example of how quality also contributes to furniture’s sustainability.   

A quality piece that costs more will be made with better quality materials, last longer and often be made with sustainable materials and according to ethical practices.  And its design will endure through time, and it will last through stylistic fads, so Use it and Re-use it!

Arflex sofas are designed with removable upholstery fabric that can be replaced, they are tailored “slip” covers that fit tightly to the cushions and frames and can transform the pieces, and at a fraction of the price of buying a new sofa.

It’s like putting on a new dress or wearing a new suit.

Marenco Sofa by Mario Marenco for ARFLEX in different dresses changes mood and look

TOKIO by claesson koivisto rune for ARFLEX. Day and Night

Marenco lounge

Written by dzineelements Not AI

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