What does it mean choosing an eco-friendly piece of furniture to furnish your home? There are many aspects to be considered when speaking about eco-sustainability, but initially we would like to explore FSC® certification. In itself, the choice of wood is a furnishing solution of ‘natural origin’ but, in order to truly speak of respect for the environment, it is best to opt for FSC ® certified wood.
The Forest Stewardship Council NGO (abbreviated to FSC®) is an international organisation established in 1990 in California to control and ensure responsible forest management, and prevent uncontrolled logging. According to the latest FAO report, there are now 4.06 billion hectares of forest on our planet. On a net basis, the world’s forest area has been reduced by 4.7 million hectares per year since 2010.
In 2019, the total number of FSC® certified companies in Italy was over 2500. (FSC® Annual report 2019): Brugnotto Group - of which Morica is part - is proudly among these companies, with Chain of Custody (CoC) certification. The certification guarantees traceability of materials from responsibly managed forests.
Choosing FSC-certified furniture means buying a product that has an eye on life, is respectful of nature, the ecosystem and future generations. To furnish your home in a manner that is genuinely green, there are other choices that can be made, in addition to applying for certification. You may favour furniture that is created without the use of toxic chemicals, or companies that use oil finishes or water-based varnishes that guarantee low formaldehyde emissions.
It is also important to opt for durable furniture, manufactured to high-quality standards to avoid having to replace furniture due to wear and tear after short time intervals. A versatile piece of furniture can also be an environmentally friendly choice – a coffee table, for example, that can double as a bedside table in the bedroom, or a dresser that can double as a bedroom sideboard.
Not only that, but the other elements of a piece of furniture – such as leather upholstery – can also be sustainable, as they are made from waste from the food chain, do not require chemical treatment in the tanning process and reduce water usage in production cycles. The choice of Morica fell on leathers of Italian origin (certification Leather from Italy - full cycle UNI EN 16484) and certified for the low environmental impact and reduced emissions. We prefer raw materials from tanneries that have environmental, ethical-social, economic and product area certification.
The final aspect to consider when choosing sustainable furniture is attention to packaging. Recycled cardboard packaging, with no plastic or polystyrene, is certainly the trump card for furniture that sees itself as environmentally friendly and 100% green.
A number of details need to be taken into consideration when purchasing eco-friendly furniture for your home, especially if sustainability is chosen as a lifestyle choice. Even in the furniture sector, the choices we make today will provide a better future in a greener world for us and our children.