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12 million tons of furniture are dumped every year according to the 2021 Global Furniture and Home Furnishings report. Kaiyo is built on a mission of sustainability, and we’re here to make sure quality, pre-loved furniture finds a new home and doesn’t up in a landfill. But what exactly is sustainability?
Going green is all about doing our part in our daily lives, and there’s more to it than sorting plastics from paper. With so much terminology floating around, it’s not always clear how to spend your money in the most earth-conscious way. We’ve put together this glossary to help you understand key phrases and make more informed choices when shopping for furniture or your home.
Sustainability
As a concept, sustainability is the ability to maintain a process or production while avoiding the depletion of natural resources. For furniture companies, this usually means the manufacturing process and the materials used, but it can also refer to their marketing approach, sales materials, and more. As an online marketplace for secondhand furniture, sustainability is central to our model and mission here at Kaiyo.
Carbon Footprint
Your carbon footprint is the amount of carbon dioxide produced by your existence. Companies have a carbon footprint as well. Thankfully, more and more brands and businesses are finding ways to offset it.
When shopping for your home, buying secondhand furniture has a much lower carbon footprint than buying new because there is no production required. For example, buying a used sofa or sectional can offset as much as 71 kg of CO2.
Pre-Owned
Of course, we love anything pre-loved. Selling furniture is a great way to make some space and make a little cash, but it also gives timeless pieces a new lease on life.
At Kaiyo, you’ll find pre-owned furniture in excellent or like-new condition and gently used furniture. We also have furniture in fair or salvage condition which just needs a little love and care to bring it to its former glory.
Sometimes — we’d argue rarely, but sometimes — it’s just not possible to find what you’re looking for with a pre-loved purchase. Yes, there’s an allure to buying fresh from the factory, but it comes with the guilt of knowing there is a more significant impact on our environment. Fast furniture is bound to wind up in the trash after a year or two. Luckily, it’s a lot easier to identify built-to-last pieces made eco-friendly way from day one thanks to helpful labeling and certifications.
Greengard Certification
Greengard certification speaks to a product’s chemical emissions. If the product has Greengard certification, you can rest assured that there are low levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) being given off relative to the industry standard.
Environmentally Friendly
This is a big one! Environmentally friendly (or eco-friendly) is an all-encompassing term that can be extremely vague or very specific.
Typically, it describes a company’s commitment to more sustainable methods of production. More and more, eco-conscious brands have a section of their website dedicated to transparency around their production methods, hiring practices, and sourcing methodology. Room & Board, West Elm, ABC Carpet & Home, and Restoration Hardware are just a few of those making sustainability a key part of their brand’s ethos. From planting trees for every purchase made to making donations to cancel out their carbon footprint altogether, companies are finding smarter and greener ways to source, package, ship, and more.
Sustainable Sourcing
What are the most sustainable materials to look for in a furniture purchase? The answer is, that it’s all about sourcing.
Conventional logic would dictate that plastics are not sustainable, however, many options available use recycled materials.
Reclaimed wood — that’s wood that was previously cut and manufactured for a different purpose — is a great option, as is any FSC-Certified wood.
When it comes to textiles and fabrics, organic materials with natural fibers are going to be your best bet — think cotton, hemp, or linen. Organic here means that these fabrics were designed to use fewer chemicals during the production process. And, of course, any material obtained secondhand is inherently eco-friendly.
Renewable resources are manufacturing materials that can be quickly replaced despite their continued use in production. Bamboo furniture & decor is known for being just as stylish as it is renewable.
FSC-Certified
When something is FSC-Certified, it has gone through the process of being reviewed by the Forest Stewardship Council. This certification ensures that materials used are sourced from forests that are managed responsibly and in a way that benefits our environment.
Fairtrade
Fairtrade is one of the most reputable and trusted labels in the world when it comes to sustainability. The Fairtrade emblem means that the company values ethical policies and fair compensation for the individuals who work for them, and requires rigorous criteria to be met by manufacturers, factories, farms, and other members of the supply chain.
Handcrafted vs. Locally Sourced
Being handcrafted means that something was made by hand and not by a machine as a part of a large-scale manufacturing process. Being made locally means that something was made nearby which minimizes the impact of shipping and transportation. A mass-produced item can be made locally, and a handcrafted item can be made far away.
You’re probably wondering, “Does being made locally mean the item was locally sourced?” Not exactly. If something is made locally, it does not mean that the materials were locally sourced. A local maker or factory might churn out pieces using materials that were shipped in from across the world.
Kaiyo’s Commitment to Sustainability
Our mission is to make great furniture accessible to everyone and better for the planet. To date, we’ve kept over 3,000,000 pounds of furniture out of landfills and in people’s homes. We also work with the National Forest Foundation to plant a tree for every order made on Kaiyo. Sellers on Kaiyo can also choose to donate a portion of their earnings to Trees NY which goes toward their goal of achieving a 30% tree canopy in NYC by 2035.
We hope this guide helps you make more educated decisions on your next furniture purchase. Happy Earth Month!
