It is important that everyone does his or her part to save the planet. One of the many things that anyone can do to help is to buy more eco-friendly furniture. Shoppers do not strictly need to stick to buying all bamboo-made furniture. There are many options to choose from- some that they might have never thought of before.

Shop at Online Thrift Stores

There is no furniture that is more eco-friendly than used furniture, no matter how recently the furniture was made. This is because buying used furniture doesn't use up any new resources. It doesn't matter if this furniture is made entirely of plastic or rainforest hardwood. The furniture is already made, has been well-loved, and is ready to move into a new home. Many thrift stores have an in-person and online presence. 

There are a couple of other bonuses that come from buying used furniture, both ecologically speaking and not. The first is that used furniture is almost always less expensive than new furniture. Another perk is that buying used furniture helps to keep it out of landfills. The fewer items we have in landfills, the better. 

Buy Sustainable Wood Products

If you are buying wooden furniture, it is best to check to see if it was made with sustainable wood or not. When buying furniture online, it should say in the item description if it was made with sustainable wood. If the furniture was not made with sustainable wood, the item description will likely not say anything about it at all. Smart shoppers can also check for the Forest Stewardship Council's seal of approval. The Council's logo looks like a mix between a tree and a checkmark. If this symbol is on the furniture's label, customers can be sure that the item was made with sustainable wood.

Look For Recycled Plastic

When buying new furniture, it is generally best to avoid plastic goods if you are trying to be eco-friendly. Part of the reason for this is that plastic takes hundreds of years to break down, while furniture made out of organic materials is likely to break down much faster. Plastic is also refined from oil; collecting oil alone takes a big toll on the planet's health. 

If you are going to buy plastic furniture, try to stick to furniture made from recycled plastic. This kind of furniture will not take much (if any) new plastic to create. Like buying used furniture, it also helps to keep plastic items out of landfills, which is always a plus. 

Be careful when buying any furniture that contains synthetic materials, as oftentimes, these materials are made out of some type of plastic. Pleather, AKA fake leather, is often made from plastic. Anything made out of polyester is also made from oil-based materials. Knowing this, even if you are buying furniture primarily made out of wood or another organic material, it is important to check if there is any plastic (or disguised plastic) in the item. If so, make sure that it is recycled!

Test the Furniture at Home

While non-eco-friendly furniture can also sometimes be tested at home, it is important to look for a shop that has this feature so that a customer doesn't get stuck with a piece of furniture that doesn't suit their needs. If you have back problems, it’s important to get the best mattress for back pain for example.

Conclusion

Buying eco-friendly furniture isn't as tricky or tedious as some might make it out to be. All you have to do is be conscious of the choices you are making. Try to stick to organic materials as often as possible. When you cannot stick to organics, go for recycling. All of these little things make a big difference to the health of the planet when everyone does their part.