General Education

How to Select Eco-Friendly Outdoor Furniture

Environmental awareness has affected so many aspects of our lives. Many people are looking for eco-friendly options so that they can help protect the environment. In this article, we are looking at how you can make more environmentally friendly choices when selecting outdoor furniture.

Check whether the outdoor furniture Brisbane are made from sustainable materials. The materials can be sourced in a responsible manner or they can be recyclable or renewable. If you are looking for wooden outdoor furniture, you can look for sustainable wood species like bamboo, team and eucalyptus. They have to be harvested from responsibly managed forests. You have to ask the supplier for more information as well such as whether these forests are certified by reputed organisations. And by choosing weather resistant, durable and biodegradable furniture, you will be able to make a more eco-friendly choice in your furniture selection. You can also choose furniture that is made from recycled or reclaimed materials. Some options you can consider here are aluminium, recycled plastic or reclaimed wood furniture. Recycled plastic furniture are made from plastic waste and these tend to be quite durable and come with less maintenance requirements. These are also resistant to fading, insects and rot. Purchasing recycled plastic furniture can help prevent plastic going to landfills. By choosing reclaimed wood furniture, you can reduce the demand for new timber.

The finishes for outdoor furniture has to be considered.

Look for non-toxic finishes such as eco-friendly sealants and coatings. These should be free from VOCs and other harmful chemicals. Traditional finishes tend to have VOCs or volatile organic compounds. These tend to give off harmful fumes into the air and contribute to indoor and outdoor pollution. There are also certain health risks associated with VOCs. You can instead choose outdoor furniture that has water based finished that are environmentally safe. Consider how the outdoor furniture are manufactured. There should be ethical manufacturing practices throughout the supply chain. There are brands that are committed to reducing their waste, carbon emissions and support the conservation of natural resources. You can also check whether they support fair labour practices. There are also companies with certifications that indicate their commitment to environmentally-friendly practices. 

Think about the durability of the outdoor furniture.

These will be subjected to more wear and tear as they are exposed to the elements. Therefore, you need to choose furniture that require fewer replacements so that you don’t consume more resources and generate a lot of waste. This means investing in furniture that is made with sturdy materials and solid construction. The hardware should be weather resistant and the furniture should not deteriorate rapidly when exposed to environmental conditions. Look for outdoor furniture with modular designs so that they can be adapted to changing needs. For example, you will be able to easily change the configuration of the outdoor furniture so that it can support different activities. This maximises its versatility and functionality. For example, you can use furniture that  can be easily reconfigured for different gatherings.

Leandro Flynn
the authorLeandro Flynn

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