Biggest Mistakes When Buying Built-In Furniture: Number 7

We are now at the final mistake in our series, and it is arguably the most important to avoid. As fitted furniture specialists, the team at Empatika are all too familiar with homeowners and families who have made choices they’ve come to regret. That’s why we decided to help people who are thinking about buying built-in furniture, with our informative blog series. Our entire Biggest Mistakes series is also available in a helpful guide, which you can download here.

Onto the last point we need to address before you decide on the company to fit your furniture: not considering the future implications of your purchase. You probably don’t think this personal interior design choice could impact the lives of future generations, of your children – but it can.

Every single purchase you make can have consequences around the world – hence the new wave of conscious consumerism. By researching a company’s green credentials, ethical and sustainability policies, you can determine whether it’s a business which is dedicated to reducing its carbon footprint and protecting the planet for future generations.

Sustainable Carpentry

You can be the positive change in the world by buying clothes made from organic Fairtrade cotton, or buying cards from a stationery shop with only uses recycled paper and card. When you’re buying products made from wood, it’s incredibly important to check where that wood is coming from – is it a sustainable resource? Is the company committed to replanting the trees it has used for timber?

Fact: An area the size of a football pitch is lost from tropical rainforests every single second, from logging.

Many people think they can’t make a difference alone – but if every consumer chose a company which only uses wood from sustainable sources, and boycotted businesses which aren’t transparent about their resources, a positive change would be inevitable.

Whenever you are choosing a carpentry company, be sure to find out where they get the wood they use for making furniture. Check for a F#C certification (Forest #tewardship Council) which proves that the wood has come from a legal and sustainable source, and isn’t contributing to rainforest destruction.

You can also look at extra ways a company is committed to the environment. For example, we support the World Land Trust and the Woodland Trust, which includes planting trees for our customers and buying up areas of rainforest to protect them from illegal logging.

Recycled and Alternative Materials

Many people presume that all fitted furniture has to be made out of wood to be of the highest quality – but this is simply not the case. Some companies with a strong environmental conscience will offer alternative building materials, to create the ultimate range of eco furniture. Materials such as hemp boards, straw, bamboo and recycled glass and plastic can make for suitable furniture resources, and still gives a premium appearance. Alternative materials such as these have less of an environmental impact.

It’s Not Just About the Materials…

Being eco-friendly doesn’t have to stop at the foundation of the materials used to build the wardrobes or media units. Choosing a recycled material or sustainable timber source is the first step, but there are other ways to make sure your bespoke furniture is as green as possible.

Once the furniture is crafted and fits perfectly in your home, it will need to be painted. Normal paint contaminates the environment of your home, and the dangerous toxins have even been linked to allergies and diseases. This should especially be avoided if you have children in your home.