One of my favorite parts of moving into any home or apartment has always been arranging the furniture. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely loathe struggling to carry and lift everything but I love the feeling I get when everything is done and you have a fresh new space. If you're in the market for furniture, my first recommendation will always be to purchase used or upcycle. However, if you're looking for something specific or if you have furniture that's about to bite the dust, definitely pursue sustainable options! Here are some options to consider:
Price Range: $$$
What I love about Sabai is how direct their choices are. They literally only have three furniture
options to choose from which helps if you get overwhelmed like me. You can choose from either an ottoman, a sofa, or a sectional. While there is a limitation to what different furniture items you can choose from, you have complete creative control! You get to choose from the fabric color, cushions, and legs. Orders typically arrive at your home within two weeks and assembly is a breeze. All of the furniture is made in the US, specifically North Carolina using FSC Certified wood, certiPUR-US Certified foam, and velvet made from recycled water bottles.
Price Range: $$$
If you're strictly looking for shelving units that provide effective storage and are simple in design without any frills, check out FOM. FOM designs their furniture to have a modular look that is not only aesthetically satisfying but also sustainable. The pieces are made from recycled plastic and natural wood. Each collection is only produced in certain quantities, meaning you will always get unique pieces.
Price Range: $$$ - $$$$
You're probably familiar with the brand as I've mentioned them when recommending what sustainable mattress to consider when making your purchase. Well, I'm bringing them back up because they also sell furniture! Avocado's furniture is specific to the bedroom, consisting of end tables, dressers, and bed frames. Their furniture is handmade in California using reclaimed wood that does not contain any harmful chemicals. Avocado offsets 100% of their carbon emissions, is a member of 1% for the Planet, and B-Corp Certified.
Price Range: $$$
In keeping with the bedroom furniture theme, I present Thuma. Thuma specifically sells one item; their classic "The Bed" platform bed frame. This bed frame is made from handcrafted, repurposed wood containing no harmful chemicals. The bed frame also comes with a cushioned headboard made of polyester linen-weave. This bed frame is shipped to your door and is so easy to assemble, no tools are required. Thuma is partnered with One Tree Planted. For every bed sold, one tree is planted to help reforestation efforts.
Price Range: $$$ - $$$$
Made Trade is an online shop featuring a wide variety of eco-friendly and sustainable products from artisans around the globe. Since the site is extremely diverse, you have a variety of furniture to choose from such as dining tables, chairs, sofas, desks, etc. Made Trade prides themselves in sourcing their options from sustainable sources including companies that are founded and led by BIPOC and women, fair trade, and made in the USA.
Price Range: $$$ - $$$$
If you're in the market for a modern and minimalist table or bench, check out Simbly. All of their pieces are handcrafted in North Carolina and the materials are sustainably sourced. You can choose from maple or walnut finishes. The furniture is so lightweight and easy to assemble/disassemble. It's perfect if you have a small space or tend to move things around frequently as it takes up little space! Simbly is a member of 1% for the Planet and is partnered with One Tree Planted.
Price Range: $$ - $$$$
VivaTerra is a sustainable furniture and home decor brand that began in 2004 in California. The brand's mission is to show others that you can have a beautifully decored home without compromising precious environmental resources. Today, VivaTerra works with artisans in over 20 different countries to bring the beautiful designs seen on their site. All of their products are made using sustainable resources and through ethical practices. They have a wide variety of furniture products to choose from! You can filter through furniture specifically designed for certain rooms (living, dining, bedroom, etc) or filter by materials used such as reclaimed wood, metal, upholstered, etc.
Price Range: $$$$
EcoBalanza is another place to check out if you're exclusively looking for sofas! All of their sofas are made from natural fabric such as organic cotton and merino wall, in addition to only using FSC-certified wood. To ensure their sustainability initiatives, EcoBalanza exclusively works with third-party suppliers that are ethical and credentialed through organizations such as the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), Global Organic Latex Standard (GOLS), Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), and GreenGuard.
Price Range: $$$ - $$$$
Exclusively looking for wood furniture? If so, check out Vermont Wood Studios. All of their furniture is handcrafted in Vermont by local artisans. You can also customize the type of wood your furniture will be made with. What I love most about the company is that because they are devoted to forest conservation, all of their materials are sustainably sourced from local areas. Additionally, in an effort to assist reforestation, Vermont Wood Studios has 55,000 trees in areas known to be depleted by companies who harvest wood illegally.
Price Range: $$ - $$$$
Interested in buying from small businesses on Etsy? Did you know they have a page specific to reclaimed furniture? If not, have a look there! I love shopping through Etsy because I am able to support a variety of small businesses. I especially love that rather than having to dig through the entire site, I can simply browse the page for all things regarding recycled furniture. Whether you're into rustic and charming, or modern and sleek, you're sure to find what you like here!