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Although more and more people are trying to make being green part of their daily lives, I would imagine the majority of them have never given green furniture much thought before. Furniture is not something you buy very often, but when the time comes to make a new purchase, how many of us know where to find eco-friendly furniture? I have been searching for environmentally-friendly bar stools recently, and would like to share what I’ve learned here.

First of all, what makes an item of furniture “green”? Like any
eco-friendly product, you will need to look at its environmental impact, taking into account its whole lifecycle from manufacture to disposal. This means finding out things such as whether it is made from a sustainable or recycled material, whether any adhesives and finishes used to make it are non-toxic, and what the manufacturer’s environmental policy is.

One of the essential things to check is that the furniture has a non-toxic,
zero-VOC finish. Off-gassing of conventional furniture, where VOCs
(volatile organic compounds) are released into the atmosphere over time, has
a negative impact on indoor air quality. Obviously, we all want the air in
our homes to be healthy (poor indoor air quality is associated with the
symptoms of sick building syndrome). Therefore, look for furniture with a
natural, eco-friendly finish. Look out for the Greenguard label, as this is
a clear sign that a product is “low-emitting”. With regards to bar stools,
Knoll carries a range that is Greenguard certified. As a company, Knoll has
played a key part in LEED certified projects and focuses on lifecycle
analysis within its business practices.

Another important environmental issue to consider is that the materials used
are from sustainable sources. Our planet’s ancient forests and the unique
eco-systems they support are under threat. It’s critical to check that any
wood product has not come from illegal logging. The FSC logo is the most
recognized symbol that shows a product is made from wood from a sustainable
source. The Italian furniture company Calligaris offers a selection of
FSC-approved bar stools. Calligaris has a clear commitment to environmental
sustainability in its raw materials supply policy for all its products.

The other company I’ve discovered that makes eco bar stools is Emeco.
Emeco’s aluminum bar stools are actually made from recycled soft drink cans!

It’s a natural progression that if you make the effort to recycle everyday, you
then buy things made from recycled materials when you can. As well as being
made from trash that could have ended up in landfill, these bar stools are
built to last *at least* 150 years. It’s good to see a company making
quality furniture that won’t fall apart in a couple of years, like much of
the cheap furniture widely available in our disposable society. Aluminum
does not off-gas either, so these stools are good in terms of healthier
indoor air quality too.

As I’ve found, there are many issues to look at when deciding how green an
item of furniture is. It’s encouraging to seeing leading furniture
companies taking positive steps towards a greener future. You can see more
information on the eco bar stools mentioned here by visiting Get Bar
Stools. I believe that as more people realize the importance of
our natural world, demand for greener furniture will increase and soon
eco-friendly options will become much easier to find.

Tags: eco bar stools, green furniture