Those of us who have been trying to lead greener lives for some time have no problem making our regular green purchases. We know where to buy the eco-friendly groceries, toiletries and other items that we use on a daily basis. It’s only when you need to make a major one-off purchase, such as new furniture, that you have to stop and ask yourself “where do I go to find the greenest option?”.

As with any green shopping, there are a lot of different questions to ask in order to establish how environmentally-friendly an item of furniture is. What is it made from? Are the materials sustainably-sourced? Are the materials recyclable? Is the finish non-toxic? Does the manufacturer have a social and environmental responsibility policy? All this can take time, especially if you’re purchasing something you’ve never bought before. I’ve recently been trying to find some eco-friendly bar stools and would like to share what I’ve found here:

Poor indoor air quality is a major contributor to sick building syndrome (SBS), symptoms of which include skin and eye irritation, as well as nose and throat problems. Indoor air quality can be detrimentally affected by the off-gassing of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the atmosphere. VOCs are present in many items of conventional furniture, in the finishes and adhesives used in manufacture. To avoid the potential health issues associated with off-gassing, green furniture should have a non-toxic, zero VOC finish. Look for the Greenguard Certified label, as this ensures furniture has been independently tested and certified as being low-emitting. A number of Knoll’s bar stools carry this logo.

If you recycle, it makes sense to buy products made from recycled materials where they are available. We’re all used to seeing recycled paper products, but it may surprise you to learn that there are bar stools made from recycled soft drink cans! These aluminum bar stools are made by Emeco to a very high standard. It is claimed they will last at least 150 years and they come with a lifetime guarantee. It’s nice to see a company actually making things that are designed to stand the test of time. Unfortunately, in our disposable society, it seems to be accepted as the norm that many items, (such as mobile phones for example), will fall apart or break after just a couple of years of use. Not only are these stools made from metal that would otherwise end up in landfill, they will provide many years of use and so you shouldn’t ever need to replace them.

With regards to bar stools made from wood, as well as checking they have a low-emitting finish, check where the wood comes from. Look for the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) logo for assurance that the wood is from a sustainably managed source and not from illegal logging. Calligaris, the Italian furniture manufacturer, has a range of bar stools made from FSC certified wood.

You can see some of these green bar stools at Getbarstools.com. As with all eco products, there are numerous issues to take into account when deciding on the greenest one. However, it is good to see that leading manufacturers are beginning to take steps in the right direction by making greener alternatives to conventional furniture. I hope this green trend will continue to grow and that eco furniture will become much more widely available.