Green Furniture – Beneficial or Just a Hype?

As soon as you enter almost any house today, an infinite number of air-borne pollutants that you cannot even see, will immediately get into your lungs and attached to your skin. This happens in any home, modern or old, at any office or reception area and at any other space where furniture and fabrics are used or displayed. Fortunately, over the last few years, a new method of furniture making has been occurring.

Eco-friendly furniture or green furniture is a new buzzword for a modern type of furnishing product. Environment friendly furniture not only aids and promotes a good cause; this type of furniture is specially crafted in such a way that it has minimum negative impact on the environment.

Green furniture is obtained from renewable natural resources and there are few or no chemicals used in their production, resulting in a very low impact to the environment and the user’s health. Furniture crafted from recycled materials and which also can be recycled falls under the same category.

Those who make and manufacture green furniture are committed to producing non-toxic, environmentally friendly and safe enough products to live without contamination. Herbal oils and polish are used in the finishing process to minimize the toxic levels.

One of the first steps towards manufacturing green furniture is to use wood that comes from a sustainable forest. Gone are the days of exotic woods found only in the few remaining rainforests, instead these woods are now found in areas managed by modern reforesting techniques. For every tree taken, another is either planted or left to grow to full maturity.

The second step is the use of non-toxic bonding agents. Many types of glue, especially those used in imported furniture, are known to release formaldehyde gases and other air-borne chemicals into the home or surrounding area. By utilizing non-toxic glues, green manufactures provide their customers with a safe product that produce no off-gasses in their homes.

The third step to green furniture is in the finish. Many chemicals known to cause cancer and other health problems are used in lacquers, varnishes and other methods of furniture finishing. By using natural approved herbal oils and water based finishes, green builders guarantee non-toxicity of the woods surfaces.

For those concerned about any of the above problems, replacing your old furniture with eco-friendly green furniture in your home may be the perfect solution. True, green furniture may cost a bit more, but the safety and health benefits for your loved ones and the peace of mind you receive is priceless.