Finding eco-friendly furnishings

Organic sections are standard at most grocery stores and recycling is the norm, but talk about an organic or green sofa and you might get some odd looks.

Even in the supergreen Northwest, eco-friendly home furnishings are still a bit of a mystery. But as more people become tuned into the impact the furnishings business has on the environment, sustainable furnishings that are free from toxins will start to feel, well, natural.

A few Seattle stores like One Earth One Design and Greener Lifestyles already are devoted wholly to green furnishings, and some major manufacturers are catching on. Crate and Barrel carries the Lockport, a sofa with a sustainable wood frame, soy-based foam and water-based finishes, along with bamboo and other eco-friendly furnishings and accessories.

West Elm also carries organic sheets, towels, bath mats and some furniture, while Home Depot carries some eco-friendly materials online.

And Ikea, already lauded for not using toxic PBDEs as flame retardants in its sofas and chairs for at least eight years, also offers some furniture built with wood that has been legally logged and does not come from threatened forests. Crate and Barrel also is moving away from using PBDEs in its cushions and some are already PBDE-free, according to spokeswoman Bette Kahn.

(The state Legislature recently banned the use of PBDEs, or polybrominated diphenyl ethers; the ban goes into effect for mattresses after Jan. 1, 2008, and for upholstered furniture, televisions and computers after Jan. 1, 2011.)

An "organic" label helps in the grocery store, but deciphering what makes a piece of furniture green is more difficult. There are layers of green for every option, and you may get varying degrees of help depending on the store.

Here's a breakdown:

Sofas

Sofas have the most potential for eco-friendly options, from wood foundations to upholstery.

Experts, such as Sandy Campbell, owner of eco-friendly store One Earth One Design in Seattle, recommend focusing on fabric first, because it comes in contact with your skin. Choose a fabric that has natural finishes instead of chemical treatments like flame retardants and repellants.

The next green step is the cotton cushion casing, which protects two layers, including the foam and a layer of batting. Consider organic cotton and/or wool as substitutes for those layers and natural latex instead of polyurethane foam. Green sofas also will use organic cotton batting to pad the rest of the sofa.

Consider the frame, too. A green sofa will be built around a hardwood frame from a sustainable source, like the Forest Stewardship Council, or else a local hardwood. The best wood finish choices are water-based.

If you're not in the market for a new sofa, you can green the one you have by reupholstering it in an organic fabric and swapping cushions for natural latex.

Mattresses

Healthier mattresses include green components like natural latex or the more conventional metal springs, which are wrapped in wool, a natural flame retardant, or organic cotton.

If the cotton is not organic, be sure there are no additional treatments or chemical finishes. Conventional mattresses are often treated with PBDEs.

Tables, chairs

There are a couple of options for environmentally friendly tables, including reclaimed or salvaged materials and sustainable wood from certification programs like the Forest Stewardship Council.

If the wood is reclaimed, find the source. Wood used for industrial purposes, like railroad ties, for example, may not be healthy for some indoor use. If the wood is painted, make sure lead paint was not used. Water-based finishes also are safer.

Carpets, rugs

For the best indoor air quality, limit carpeting in your home, which collects dust and can include glues that emits toxins into the air. For better indoor air quality, pick a natural fiber such as wool or hemp with a natural backing such as jute or cotton and a latex adhesive. And avoid stain-resistant coating, mothproofing and other finishes.

Nicole Tsong: 206-464-2150 or ntsong@seattletimes.com