The Big Bet on the Ecological Furniture
Ecological furniture are those made with natural or recycled raw materials that have not been subjected to any chemical or additive process that alters their properties.
Interest in ecological furniture does not stop growing among consumers who are more aware of environmental protection. Furniture manufacturers have very good reasons to integrate more sustainable practices into their production, packaging and transport processes. As well as to start using sustainable raw materials.
According to the Consumer Observatory in Spain 2024, created by Cetelem, 1 out of 4 Spaniards surveyed affirms that they take sustainability and ecology into account in their purchases “always or almost always”. In this scenario of changing priorities, producing a more sustainable way is a medium-term objective for many companies in the sector who want to attract this kind of audience.
Ecological Furniture
Ecological furniture are those made with natural or recycled raw materials. These have not been subjected to any chemical or additive process that alters their properties.
Actually, they are not different from the furniture we already use. But their production follows ethical criteria. This is furniture that does not contaminate the customer’s home in which biodegradable materials predominate.
The best thing about this production approach is that it doesn’t necessarily increase costs. The sale prices, compared to items in the same non-organic range, are the same.
Sustainable raw materials
There is a wide variety of materials that can be incorporated in the manufacture of ecological furniture. The most prominent, at present, are vegetable fibers, wood, cardboard, iron, stone, among others.
When it comes to selecting wood, responsible companies opt for raw materials which have been extracted in controlled farms that are periodically reforested. And, preferably, they choose local sources to reduce the impact of transportation.
Certifications
There is no common regulatory certification framework established to ensure that the woods used come from responsible farms. That’s why each manufacturer decides which forest certification system is the best to trust them.
One of the most renowned is the PEFC – Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification, who promotes the sustainable management of forests supervised by a third party.
On the other hand, the Forest Stewardship Council, known by its acronym FSC), is a non-governmental organization who certifies that the woods have been extracted in well-managed farms.
As a conclusion, although the ecological furniture market is still being developed, there are more and more big manufacturers and small artisans who are embracing sustainable practices in their supply, production and distribution processes to minimize the impact of their economic activity on the ecosystem.
