HOUSEWORKS is passionate about sharing quality products that are modern, stylish and will last a long time. We stand behind the brands we carry for a variety of reasons. While they’re all quality pieces, many of them also were produced with their environmental impact in mind. If you’re environmentally conscious (and we hope you are), here are a few brands you should know about.
COPELAND
When it comes to being good stewards of natural resources, few do it better than Copeland Furniture. Headquartered in beautiful Vermont, Copeland Furniture’s environmental values are reflected in each piece of furniture they make.
Copeland uses sustainably harvested hardwoods from he American Northern Forest, with most of it within 500 miles of their factory. This consumes less energy in transporting the lumber to the factory. Inside many of their pieces, you’ll find CertiPUR-US foam, which are made without ozone depletes and other harmful materials. Copeland also uses renewable energy. In 2016 they installed a solar array on their grounds which produces 800,000 kilowatt hours of power per year. This amount is roughly two-thirds of their annual electricity consumption! Copeland has their own box making machines, which allows them to make only the boxes they need, so there is no waste. Their building is completely heated with wood waste from their manufacturing operation, which reduces their consumption of imported oil.
In addition, Copeland furniture is extremely durable with beautiful designs that will always be in style. Because their furniture lasts for generations, this eliminates the need for replacement pieces; which also lessens the environmental impact.
GUS*
Gus* uses PET Upholstery Fill in select products. This is a revolutionary new fill material made from plastic bottles. The recycled bottles are purified and refined in several stages to create a synthetic-down upholstery fill that gives long-lasting comfort while maintaining cushion loft and shape.
In select pieces, Gus* Modern uses Vegan AppleSkin Leather. It’s a new, eco-friendly material for customers who want a a leather-quality alternative. It’s formed by upcycling discarded fruit fiber to make a durable covering that retains the classic aesthetic of natural leather. The material was designed in Italy and was created to re-purpose the remnants of the country’s apple orchard and juicing industries, and to answer a global call for an alternative to natural leather.
Gus* is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, in support of responsible forest management. This means the lumber Gus* uses is responsibly sourced, which allows you to make a purchasing decision that you know is beneficial to the environment.
Chilewich
We wrote about out love for Chilewich textiles last month when we honored you women-ran businesses. What we didn’t mention, is that for 20+ years, they’ve been creating beautiful products while constantly trying to minimize their environmental impact. Here are all the ways they’re working with the environment in mind:
- The yarns used are made in the USA and are free of heavy metals.
- A plasticizer is a substance added to a material to make it softer. Where many companies may use petroleum to do this, Chilewich uses soybeans. This means a 40% reduction in their greenhouse gases.
- Half of all Chilewich flooring uses BioFelt, which is a backing system made from water bottles and other post-consumer recycled materials.
- All Chilewich textiles can be washed with water and biodegradable detergents.
- Chilewich products are tested and certified by the Green Label Plus and GreenGuard programs.
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