Do you know how your outdoor furniture was made? Was it made sustainability or ethically?

Consumers like you are more conscious about their purchases. They seek sustainably sourced and manufactured home products to help minimize their environmental impact. 

Thankfully, buying sustainable furniture with recycled plastics and reclaimed or sustainably sourced wood isn’t hard when you know what to look for and why. 

The impact of sustainable furniture

Choosing sustainably made furniture from ethically minded manufacturers has an impact on our planet and your health:

- Many manufacturers are continually looking for ways to further reduce the harmful chemicals used in manufacturing outdoor furniture. 

- Furniture made from recycled plastic or wood saves these materials from landfills.

- Sustainably sourced materials ensure precious resource supply for generations to come. 

- Sustainably harvested wood helps prevent the harmful effects of deforestation.

When you buy sustainable furniture, you’re doing a small part to help preserve our earth’s precious biodiversity and ecosystems. 

Understanding recycled plastics

Post-consumer plastic particles are broken down into pellets and re-melted in a mold or extrusion machine to make new products, including furniture. 

Globally, we produce 400 million metric tonnes of plastic annually and generate about 353 million metric tonnes of plastic waste. Buying recycled plastic furniture is a great way to save some of this plastic from landfills.  

Recycled plastics look virtually identical to new plastic and are just as durable. They’re suitable for various home decor and patio or garden furniture. Like the Patioflare GRS Plastic Patio Furniture Collection, which is:

- GRS (Global Recycled Standard) certified

- Made from 50% recycled plastic 

- Shipped in packing that can be recycled 

- Low maintenance with no painting or staining needed.

Exploring FSC wood furniture and outdoor products

Managing our global tree and lumber supply is critical to our planet's health. Look for furniture with Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification, as it means the wood has been sourced sustainably and is traceable. 

Over 250 species of trees can be FSC-certified, and common ones for furniture include pine, acacia, oak, cedar, teak, and redwood. For added peace of mind, you can also use FSC-certified reclaimed wood. 

FSC-certified wood in furniture and outdoor products:

- Contributes to healthy, resilient forests 

- Helps prevent deforestation

- Protects biodiversity

- Supports community rights

- Provide fair wages and work environments 

Check out our spring catalogue's new Grapevine FSC-certified wood planters and furniture. 

Why choose eco-friendly furniture?

Every family can do their part to conserve our natural resources. Choosing eco-friendly sourced and manufactured furniture gives you comfort, knowing you’re reducing waste.  

Eco-friendly furniture comes with a variety of benefits including:

- Longevity - They’re made (and often certified) to last with included warranties and low maintenance requirements

- Durability - They’re made to withstand even outdoor weather as good as net-new material furniture. 

- Natural Beauty (wood) - Their natural, one-of-a-kind beauty can’t compare to synthetically created wood-like furniture. 

- Reduce landfill waste - Furniture made from recycled wood or plastic keeps these products out of the landfill. 

Buying eco-friendly furniture may inspire you to make other eco-conscious changes, like Caroline, “I am growing vegetables in this for the summer. I purchased two of these [planters] and I am happy with the product.”

4 tips for making sustainable furniture choices

When shopping for sustainable furniture for your home:

- Look for the percentage of new vs. reclaimed or recycled materials. Not all furniture is 100% recycled or reclaimed, and that’s okay. 

- Consider the packaging to see if they’ve made it as minimal or recyclable as possible. 

- Look at maintenance requirements to understand how to keep recycled or sustainably sourced furniture looking new. 

- Know your budget, but be flexible, as some reclaimed materials may cost more due to the extra resources and time needed to collect, process, and clean raw recycled materials. 

We also suggest verifying any sustainability claims to ensure they’re genuine. Check if the products you’re interested in have an official eco-certification from the Forest Stewardship Council (for wood sustainability claims) or Recycled Claim Standard (RCS) Global Recycled Standard (GRS) (for 50-100% recycled material claims).

Choosing sustainable outdoor furniture 

Instead of choosing indoor or outdoor furniture based on aesthetics and budget, look deeper to ensure it is made sustainably. When you buy from sustainability-minded manufacturers, you do your part to preserve our natural environment and minimize landfill waste. 

Outdoor furniture made from recycled plastics or FSC-certified wood positively impacts the environment while creating beautiful and functional outdoor living spaces for your family to enjoy for years to come. 

For a great choice of sustainable outdoor furniture, check out the Spring 2024 outdoor furniture collection from JR Home.