It’s difficult to deny that we’re living in a world that is becoming more eco-conscious by the day. Unlike a lot of things taking place in the world around us, this is a good thing.
The furniture industry is a large consumer of natural resources and is an industry from which almost no one is exempt.
Whether it is metals and woods for structure or cloth and fabrics for upholstery, a lot of resources go into making our lives comfortable. By sourcing and manufacturing responsibly, we can continue to innovate and design for generations to come.
A major dilemma with green industries is that they’re relatively new, so navigating your way around may be confusing and misleading. There have been very few industry-wide standards set in place to define terms like natural, sustainable, eco-friendly and green. Many of which are used everyday by companies who seek to take advantage of consumers who seek such products.
The Cabana Banana Bedroom Collection by Home Styles is an example of sustainable furniture that makes use of bountiful, natural materials like banana leaves. The headboard, footboard and side rails have all been constructed of woven banana leaves. The solid mahogany boasts a cocoa finish which proves that sustainable can indeed be beautiful.
Sustainable practices could be as simple as only using reclaimed woods or as drastic as refusing to use materials from a certain geographic region if they fall below certain levels. Until stricter industry definitions and guidelines are set in place, try to source your sustainable furniture from reputable manufacturers who are setting the trends.