The environment at home plays a significant role in maintaining and preserving human health. Wall and floor decoration, furniture, textile materials can cause serious complications and exacerbations of chronic diseases if harmful components were used in their production. IN modern world many manufacturers focus on production environmentally friendly furniture, which is in increasing demand among buyers who prefer a healthy environment in their home.
Pieces of furniture are purchased for more than one year, so even a slight content of harmful impurities in the materials, varnishes and paints that were used in their manufacture can cause harm during prolonged contact with a person. One of the most hazardous substances, used in furniture production, is formaldehyde. Even a small concentration of it in the air can provoke allergies and asthma. Therefore, when buying furniture, especially for a child’s room or bedroom, it is important to purchase environmentally friendly products.
Why you should choose wooden furniture
Give preference to furniture made of natural wood - right choice, because wood contains beneficial phytoncides that are released even when the product has been in use for several years. In addition, it is no secret that trees have positive energy. Do not think that solid wood furniture is not affordable for everyone. Domestic manufacturers They make excellent products from inexpensive species - birch and pine.
In addition, the tree fits perfectly not only into, but also into almost any.
Furniture made from wicker - an eco-furniture option for home and garden
All in great demand enjoys beautiful and practical furniture made from wicker. Originally intended for country houses, it has successfully taken root in city apartments. Elegant tables, cabinets, armchairs and especially beloved rocking chairs are made from rattan, willow or bamboo. It also occurs combined options with glass or steel. Such items, despite their elegance and apparent fragility, can last up to 25 years. They don't require special care, are easy to clean with a vacuum cleaner, and their only drawback is that they are afraid of rain.
How to check if furniture is environmentally friendly
- When purchasing, ask the sellers for an environmental certificate. The presence of a certificate guarantees that the product does not contain, for example, cadmium, used in paints, or lead.
- If New furniture emits a pungent odor, it is worth thinking about its environmental friendliness. Despite the fact that, according to GOST, the smell should disappear in no more than 2.5 months, such a purchase can result in an unnecessary headache. After all, your well-being largely depends on the air in your apartment.
- When choosing a bed or sofa, avoid products with foam rubber - over time it decomposes, which leads to the release of harmful substances.
- Give preference to upholstery made from natural, non-electric fabrics.
Leading furniture manufacturers around the world are increasingly striving to use environmentally friendly materials in production. Tables and chairs, walls and cabinets, sofas and armchairs made from natural ingredients, or at least without toxic or harmful components, will bring peace and comfort to your home. We list materials that will not cause harm to human health and the environment.
Let's start with upholstered furniture. In upholstered furniture, the use of environmentally friendly materials; for example, natural fabrics (cotton, wool, linen, velvet) instead of synthetic ones in the upholstery of sofas and armchairs. , will last longer. Genuine, carefully crafted leather - the most prestigious and at the same time practical look coverings. At proper care she will keep hers for a long time appearance. Nubuck is also environmentally friendly - it is genuine leather that has been treated by special means, so that it acquires a soft and fleecy texture, reminiscent of suede. Let us dwell on nubuck in more detail, because this material has recently begun to be actively introduced into the production of upholstered furniture. Nubuck is highly durable and water-repellent properties, increased wear resistance, antistatic effect, heat resistance. So, for example, to remove ink or grease stains from furniture made of nubuck, you need to moisten a napkin with water or a solution of washing powder and rub the dirty area in a circular motion. Using a dry cloth, carefully remove any remaining moisture. That's all!
Let us remind you that the “specialist” in sofas and armchairs with leather and nubuck upholstery is the Keoma factory, which recently presented in Moscow at the iSaloni exhibition 2013, their latest new products.Separately, in the production of environmentally friendly upholstered furniture, it is worth mentioning polyurethane foam - it is often used in seat cushions, backrests and armrests. This high-tech material It is also environmentally friendly, and at the same time it allows you to achieve maximum comfort of upholstered furniture: there are different degrees of hardness.
Products close to upholstered furniture are mattresses for beds. As for them, here you can also find options made only from natural fillers. These include coconut coir, natural latex (from the sap of the rubber tree), horsehair, sisal, seaweed. Natural ingredients are usually more expensive, but they are no less durable than their synthetic counterparts, and, unlike them, are hypoallergenic and environmentally friendly.
Now let’s get back to cabinet furniture and the environmental friendliness of the materials used in its production.
Solid wood is certainly the most natural material in the production of cabinet furniture. Wood is used to decorate countertops and furniture facades. Typically, coniferous and hardwood types of wood are used for this - oak and beech, pine and ash, walnut and cherry, yew and larch. The coating is often treated with special compounds (stains, impregnations) to give it water resistance and more bright color or to create an unusual visual effect(patina, gilding). Paints, waxes and varnishes that are applied to the surface of an object undergo the most thorough examination. According to GOST, in furniture production it is recommended to use only compounds of the 3rd (moderately hazardous) and 4th (low-hazardous) classes. Solid wood furniture is considered the most expensive and elite. Here you can also name wicker furniture made of rattan and bamboo. Armchairs, stools, bookcases and other pieces of furniture from Indonesia can certainly also be classified as environmentally friendly and made from natural materials.
Veneer comes immediately after solid wood - it is practically not inferior to it in popularity and is just as environmentally friendly, but much more a budget option. This facing material represents thin sheets wood, so it retains the texture of wood. In addition, veneer can be used to create plywood.
Chipboard (wood- particle board) is a material that you should definitely avoid in your home, although in Russia it is still used in the production of furniture: beds, tables, cabinets and other items. This material is the leader in the number of harmful substances. It contains phenol-formaldehyde and urea-formaldehyde resins, which are unsafe for health, which act as its binding component and provide strength. The intensity of formaldehyde release depends on the temperature and humidity in the room: the warmer it is, the higher the formaldehyde content in the air. Therefore, all chipboard products are glued protective film or veneer. Now chipboard is being replaced by other, more harmless modern compositions and materials.
MDF (finely dispersed fraction) is considered an environmentally friendly material. It is created by pressing very small wood chips, and the binding element is lignin, a substance that wood releases when heated. No carcinogenic chemicals are used in production epoxy resins and phenol. Furniture made from MDF boards is not susceptible to mold and other fungi, and this is another plus in its favor, especially in rooms where children are. MDF is durable and wear-resistant; it can be washed using cleaning agents.
In production kitchen sets HPL plastics are often used. This synthetic material, but it is also considered environmentally friendly. Decorative plastic consists mainly of cellulose and natural resins. It is famous for its resistance to moisture and abrasion, therefore it is suitable for cladding facades and countertops.
PVC (polyvinyl chloride) plastics can also be called environmentally friendly. They are light, strong and at the same time durable. At the same time, furniture made of plastic attracts dust, and plastic surfaces can act as sources of static electricity, which forces such coatings to be modified.
Materials such as glass, aluminum and stainless steel are not capable of having a harmful effect on human health.
Furniture made from environmentally friendly, natural materials is usually sold at a higher price than its counterparts made from synthetic substances, the safety of which is highly questionable. However, to paraphrase a well-known proverb, we can safely say: this is the case when health can be bought.
My home is my castle! This phrase can often be heard from people trying to make their home as safe as possible from external enemies. However, we do not always think about the internal security of our home. Meanwhile, invisible enemies can easily attack us and harm our health. It's about about toxic chemicals our internal environment, which do not at all contribute to the strength of our health.
The fact is that at the moment there is a wide variety of furniture on sale that is beautiful and comfortable. However, in the process of a competitive race, manufacturers often do not focus on the safety of their products, but rather think more about how to sell them better and faster due to beauty, functionality, and a cheap price. In such cases, the consumer has to learn to navigate the peculiarities of the furniture market on his own.
Let's figure out what materials it's made from. modern furniture and determine the most suitable ones for use in our home.
Solid wood.
It is usually considered the most environmentally friendly furniture. Such furniture is made from pine, birch, oak, walnut, mahogany, alder, etc. It is the most expensive on the market and often lacks trendy appeal (in the form of print, color, design), and in order to to meet your needs - most often made individually, to order. It is more durable and safer from the point of view of releasing hazardous substances. However, even in it there may be some danger from the point of view of the environmental friendliness of the adhesives used in its manufacture, varnishes, paints, as well as special additives for treating surfaces against pests and water ingress. Such furniture must be ordered only from reliable manufacturers with quality certificates for their products.
Chipboard.
Chipboard is made from sawdust and shavings, which are glued together with special resins, which, alas, most often contain formaldehyde, are then sanded and painted with enamels that may contain phenol. After the production of the boards, they are usually laminated - covered with a paper-resin film, and then the material acquires the name laminated chipboard.
Typically, such a film prevents the release of harmful aldehydes into the air. Therefore, if you have furniture made of chipboard, then check its integrity on the surfaces, and, if necessary, seal these places with PVA or varnish. Also ensure that all edges and seams exposing chipboard material were intact, this will reduce the concentration of dangerous resins that may be released through them.
Fiberboard.
Fiberboard is made by pressing wood fibers with the addition of binding elements, which also most often contain phenol and formaldehyde, etc.
MDF.
Medium-density fiberboard is made by dry pressing fibers and gluing them together using paraffin and lingin (natural wood glue). Thus, MDF boards are safer for our health, but only if they are high quality workmanship, since manufacturers can use epoxy resins instead of natural adhesives, chemical adhesives, which also release formaldehyde.
Plastic.
Plastic furniture is safe only if it is manufactured in accordance with quality standards and is used in rooms without temperature changes, away from exposure to sunlight and heat (batteries, near gas stoves etc.) In this case, the risk of release of polymer compounds (styrene) is quite low. However, you should not abuse its quantity in the interior, because over time, the outer covering layer is imperceptibly destroyed and harmful substances are released.
Furniture made from other natural materials
: vine (branches of shrubby willows), rattan - palm vines, reeds meet all environmental requirements and will add pleasant variety to your interior.
Whatever furniture you choose, always ask for an environmental safety certificate from the seller, which will indicate the formaldehyde emission coefficient: E 0- perfect option, E1 is an acceptable option, E2 is an average level, E3 is a dangerous option.
Thus, the safest for furniture are natural materials and MDF, provided they are made of high quality.
Looking for the best furniture for your home? – Don’t forget that it should not only be beautiful and comfortable, but also environmentally friendly! After all, only environmentally friendly furniture will benefit your home and preserve the health of your loved ones. This is especially important if you have children growing up at home.
Don't know where to get these home furnishings? – You have already found them. You can buy environmentally friendly furniture from us - at a competitive price and with a quality guarantee. So, you can choose and order from usWiemann bed for only 27.7126 rubles to ensure a healthy environmental environment in your bedroom, or for 29,159 rubles. Most other companies offer such furniture at significantly higher prices.
Why should you choose eco-friendly furniture?
As you know, furniture is made from various wood materials. This can be not only pure wood - very often semi-synthetic materials made from wood chips, including artificial fillers, are used. Such furniture has an attractive appearance and good performance characteristics. However, when in indoors it is capable of producing toxic fumes. And even if the percentage of their content in the air inhaled by a person is negligible, over time this can affect the health of those living in the apartment in the most negative way.
Such factors have a particularly detrimental effect on the health of children, causing them allergies and a tendency to diseases of the upper respiratory tract. And therefore, it is better to refuse to purchase such furniture in favor of options that are more suitable for a person.
Features of eco-friendly furniture
Eco-friendly furniture is produced using natural materials, mainly pure wood. However, in the production of furniture, in any case, it is necessary to use various adhesives and varnishes - otherwise the products will not have an attractive appearance. In the production of environmentally friendly furniture, the use of such substances is permitted, but with great restrictions. Thus, only those materials can be used that do not produce toxic fumes and cannot otherwise harm human health under normal operating conditions.
We only sell this type of furniture. A considerable part of our German-made samples have a Blue Angel certificate, which indicates the highest degree of its environmental friendliness and suitability for use in any apartment and children's rooms. Such furniture not only has good external qualities - it will under no circumstances harm your health or the health of the younger generation of your family.
Furniture – with health benefits!
You may not believe it, but using good, eco-friendly furniture can help improve your well-being, and even your overall health. If you use just such furniture in the interior of your home and get rid of the old one, the content of harmful substances in the air will sharply decrease, and you will very quickly feel how much easier it has become to breathe in the apartment. You will no longer be tormented by allergy attacks, headaches will stop, and you will even catch colds less often. Your children will delight you with increased academic performance and physical activity. After all, they will receive more oxygen and significantly fewer harmful substances. And this is very important for their full development, both mental and physical. With such furniture, your children will grow up healthy, and you will not have to constantly take them to doctors and look for the causes of their next ailment.
Eco-friendly children's furniture is really important!
Taking care of your well-being and harmonious development children, it is important not to lose sight of providing them with a healthy, environmentally friendly environment at home. Especially in the children's room. By purchasing eco-friendly furniture for your child, you will provide him with the opportunity to breathe clean air, And harmful substances will not enter his body. But if we talk about children, it is important to mention not only the fact that there are no toxic fumes, but also the safety of the material itself. After all, kids can allow food to come into contact with pieces of furniture, and even just try to taste them. At the same time, eco-friendly furniture will not harm them at all.
In addition, perhaps you yourself have repeatedly felt that products made from natural material It has its own warm aura, good energy. Children feel this too, but even more acutely than adults. They feel that such furniture is truly alive, that it breathes and does not get cold. The child feels in a comfortable environment, feels a beneficial atmosphere, and can develop harmoniously.
The best furniture
Thus, eco-friendly furniture is superior to conventional furniture in many respects. And it will be useful in any apartment, bringing joy to life to both children and adults.
There is no “organic” category for furniture, as is used in food and clothing labeling. Although some items may have the word organic in the product name or description.1. Choosing upholstered furniture
Let's start with home furniture, where you can find the word organic on the label or in the product description.- Cushioned furniture: Look for chairs and sofas covered in natural, organic fabrics and filled with natural latex foam.
- Mattresses: organic cotton, organic wool and natural latex - good alternatives materials used to create conventional mattresses. Most organic latex mattresses have a core wrapped in wool (a fire retardant, naturally) or cotton or a combination of both, and some are usually wrapped in a combination of these materials. Choose mattress toppers made from organic cotton or organic wool.
2. Consider bamboo
Bamboo furniture is a good option. Although it is not technically a tree (it is a grass), it looks like a tree, and is typically grown without pesticides. Because it already grows so quickly that resistance to renewal is not a problem for it. The only drawback is the traffic trail.3. Transportation
Since transportation also uses energy, being responsible in transportation is also part of getting sustainable eco-friendly furniture.- Furniture must be transported efficiently without incurring excessive space and energy during transport.
- Local furniture using only local production and raw materials has less .
4. Stay away from toxic materials and finishes
The easiest way to avoid toxins such as formaldehyde is to buy furniture made from materials that do not contain them.Choose hardwood furniture that contains less paint. Less commonly, furniture made of glass and metal.
5. Try to avoid:
- Upholstery marked STAIN RESISTANT may be toxic
- Inflatable furniture, faux leather and vinyl furniture covers. All may contain phthalate based PVC.
- Furniture made from chipboard, fiberboard, plywood - anything that may contain formaldehyde adhesives.
- Avoid all tropical hardwood(mahogany and teak) as well as mahogany and many western cedar products, which are typically made from irreplaceable old-growth woods - unless they are certified.
Look for local furniture makers and artisans in local newspapers, classified websites and craft fairs. Look for artisanal furniture made from salvaged trees and forged metal, organic wool and cotton, recycled fabrics.
7. Choose functionality
Furniture should also be functional and durable.- Give preference to multifunctional furniture
- Durability also matters because well-made furniture with a longer functional shelf life contributes to the health of the planet without filling landfills.
8. Vintage furniture
Vintage and antique furniture are two of the most environmentally friendly choices you can make for furnishing your home. There are no hard distinctions when furniture becomes antique; For some people it's all that well forgotten old, others argue that the items should be at least 20 years old.Antique furniture is technically anything made 100 years ago. Most people simply assume that it is furniture made at the turn of the 20th century. In any case, if it is old, it does not use any additional energy, water or other resources associated with production.
If you choose antique furniture, keep the following in mind:
- Furniture must comply with current safety standards. Please note that the furniture is not radioactive.
- Vintage painted furniture manufactured before 1978 may contain lead. Old antiques - early 19th century - most likely not. Lead paint is a problem; if it peels, you can varnish it, for example, but this can affect the appearance and value of the piece. If you have small children around, you may want to think twice before purchasing these items or delay purchasing them until your children are older.
- Refinishing or restoring antiques is also usually best left to the experts. If you are thinking about paint coating or repainting 20th century furniture, you will find that all paint contains lead and you should take appropriate precautions when working with it.
