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Eco-Friendly Furniture: What to Look For

Over at Care2.com, which describes itself as "the largest online community of people passionate about making a difference," shares a wealth of knowledge with its visitors. This article is no exception.

Care2 contributor Annie Bond shares some tips, adapted from "Your Naturally Healthy Home" by Alan Berman, about what to look for and what to avoid when furniture shopping -- especially with an eye for the eco-friendly. A sampling follows. For more, be sure to check out Annie's article at Care2.

Furniture to Look For

• Furniture made with naturally occurring materials that biodegrade safely.
• Materials that are solid rather than veneered, finished with traditional oils and waxes that can be renewed at home and improve with age and use.
• Organic fabrics and natural padding and fillings.

Furniture to Avoid

• Laminated finishes that are supersmooth; these will become damaged and look worse over time.
• Particleboard made with urea or formaldehyde glues.
• Fireproofing that contains bromines, halogens, or formaldehyde.
• Stain-resistance treatments containing fluorocarbons, PFOs, or formaldehyde.

Originally published by John Kirchner at the MLuxe blog

tagged
furniture, green, sustainable