Five fantastic furniture materials for eco-friendly homes

Home decoration can be a fun yet daunting task to take on for any homeowner, new or old, and for many, finding the right piece that suits both you and your lifestyle can be difficult. If you are more environmentally cautious than others then finding furniture that contributes the least to the climate crisis could be a high priority to you, so knowing what materials to look for is essential. With that in mind, let us help you out, as we list five fantastic furniture materials for eco-friendly homes.

Reclaimed Wood

It may seem a bit counterintuitive to say buy wood when discussing environmentally supportive furniture, but wood is a great natural resource for furnishing homes, and reclaimed wood is an even greater way of utilising the material we already possess, instead of cutting down fresh timber for every home. Many carpenters are taking it upon themselves to fashion new products out of old or reused pieces of lumber, and in fact can create some very imaginative and decorative furniture pieces, so if eco-friendly is what you are after then this is arguably the best option for you.

Bamboo

The reason why this is separate to the rest of the woods is due to the growth patterns of bamboo. Bamboo, if left unchecked or grown in the wild, can sprout up very quickly and grows similarly to a weed, and therefore is in abundance. It is very easy for us to cut down bamboo, create whatever furniture we like and still have a healthy source of it, so instead of cutting down trees that take decades to grow, use bamboo and watch as the materials used to create your new chair grow back in no time.

Cork

Another natural, wood-based substance that seems to be in abundance, cork is a great material to be used in any eco-friendly home. Whether it be part of your seat, your bookshelf, or just a simple corkboard in your kitchen, you can utilise cork all over your home, you can even make decorations out of old cork tops from bottles, so if you’re ever feeling bad about opening that second bottle of wine just keep the cork and think that you are doing your part for the climate crisis.

Recycled metal

Mining, no matter how essential it is to our society, scars the earth and can have massive environmental impacts, when done improperly, so to lessen the impact of commercial mining take the time to invest in reused and recycled metal furniture. Metal recycling has become a massive industry in its own right, and there is no shortage of furniture made from old cars or reclaimed building materials, so for a more contemporary feel in your home you should definitely look into buying recycled metal.

Concrete

Definitely a more industrial answer to your furniture needs, but it is hard to deny the eco-friendly potential of concrete in the home. This is not to say you have to sit on solid blocks in your house, as with the moulds and techniques available to designers it does not have to look like a building site in your home, and there are some items that could be swapped out for this sturdy and natural (it’s just rocks, cement, and water) material. If you’re redoing your house then try a concrete sink in the bathroom, or a concrete coffee table in your lounge, there is potential to have concrete all over your home, it is amazing what people can design when they put their mind to saving the environment.