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You may already know about Earth Day, but did you know that the entire month of April has been recognized as “Earth Month” since the 1970s? What originally started as a single day in 1969 after a devastating oil spill off the coast of Santa Barbara spurred a group of activists to seek out ways to support our planet, is now an internationally celebrated month dedicated to promote activism and awareness on behalf of environmental causes. This year’s theme is “Invest in our planet,” and there are lots of ways to do that, not the least of which is choosing to invest your dollars in sustainably made furniture. Here at Urban Natural, we’re very selective about the workshop partners we choose to collaborate with, because it’s important to us to offer the most eco-friendly, high quality, and beautifully designed furniture possible. In turn, our incredible partners have their own sustainability commitments, and are always looking for new ways to improve their efforts too. In honor of Earth Month, we’d love to share some of the ways they’re doing their part every month of the year:
In the furniture industry, we certainly take wood seriously, but in our particular business, we keep responsible wood sourcing especially close to our hearts. In fact, our efforts were rewarded with one of the top placement scores on the 2022 Wood Furniture Scorecard, an initiative spearheaded by the National Wildlife Federation, and Sustainable Furnishings Council (FSC). Several of our workshop partners are also going above and beyond when it comes to protecting the future of our trees. American Leather, a founding member of the FSC, harvests wood for their frames from sustainable forests, and even recycles any scrap pieces to be used as filling in pet bedding! Ethnicraft not only sources from responsibly managed forests, but their distribution centers also carry the FSC Chain of Custody which further empowers them to buy, stock and sell products made from sustainably managed forests, controlled sources, and/or reclaimed materials. Luonto makes the most of their wood use with a “Zero Wood Waste” policy that collects all sawdust from their sawmill to be pressed into pellets that can then be used to heat their own production lines in the cold winter months. With these and other sustainable wood practices, we believe every effort makes a difference in the fight to safeguard our invaluable forests, and preserve the significant impact they have on combating climate change.
Another way our workshop partners are committed to reducing their carbon footprint, and making thoughtful use of natural resources is through sustainable manufacturing processes and the implementation of innovative technology. Copeland, for example, expanded their solar panel array to accommodate nearly all of their electrical consumption, and Ethnicraft continues to improve their packaging with the mission to eliminate plastics, and use only recycled and biodegradable materials. They’ve also initiated circular programs like Live Light and Re-Loved to extend the lives of their durable, high quality pieces through furniture rentals and second-hand purchase opportunities. American Leather uses precision technology to minimize wood and leather scraps; any scraps they do have are then recycled or repurposed for the production of small leather goods. Some brands like Rowe have even launched entire initiatives like EcoRowe to further the research and development of sustainably-minded design and processes, and we couldn’t be more proud to work with each and every one of them!
One of the easiest ways to determine whether a piece of furniture was made with sustainable practices in mind is to look at the materials used to construct it. In addition to responsible wood sourcing, many of our workshop partners have also devised incredibly creative and innovative ways to utilize renewable fabrics and recycled materials when crafting brand new (not to mention stunning) collections. One leading company in this arena is Mater, who developed their own cutting-edge technology to create a new kind of material from recycled waste like discarded fishing nets, beer kegs, industrial plastic waste, and even coffee shells! Mater Circular Material is not only durable, easy to work with, and beautiful to look at, but the process of making it also reduces the amount of carbon gas released from waste into the atmosphere by capturing it into new materials instead. Luonto also makes the most of plastic waste by using recycled water bottles to create the fiber in their cushion upholstery. In addition, their materials boast an impressive array of environmental certifications that prioritize reducing the amount of chemicals and harmful PFCs used. When it comes to more sustainable fabrics and textiles, Libeco, a CO2 neutral company, crafts their natural Belgian linens from flax fiber that’s not only milled using 100% green energy, but also produces zero waste since every part of the plant is used. All of American Leather’s hides are dyed with water-based pigments, and their glues are also water-based and chemical free to reduce the toxic impact on the planet and in your home.
When you choose sustainably-made furniture and other products, you’re not only investing in the planet with each purchase, but also in the health and wellbeing of your family. There are so many ways to get involved with sustainably-minded goals this Earth Month, and while we’re inspired every day by our workshop partners and their dedication to these causes, we know there’s still more we can all do together. Learn more about Earth Month 2023 to find out how you can volunteer, donate, or attend events near you, and be sure to follow us @urbannaturalhome as well, because we’ll be releasing more special announcements and news closer to Earth Day too!
The health of our customers, craftsmen, and the environment are integral to our company values. We carefully source the high-quality furniture you want, made with the safe and natural materials you deserve. All our Workshop Partners must meet at least three of our five values: Ethically Sourced; Handcrafted; Made with Organic Materials; Made Sustainably; Made in the USA.
