How Sustainable Design and Care Practices Are Transforming Furniture
Sustainability has become a core expectation in the furniture industry. Designers, manufacturers and buyers are now evaluating products not only on aesthetics and comfort, but also on material choices, emissions, durability and end-of-life impact. A recent Furniture News article highlights how sustainable design and better care practices are changing how furniture is made, sold and used.
Manufacturers are shifting toward materials with lower environmental impacts, such as responsibly sourced wood, recycled content and textiles with fewer harmful chemicals. At the same time, low-VOC finishes, adhesives and substrates are gaining importance as indoor air quality becomes a key concern in homes, offices, schools and healthcare spaces. Independent testing and product certifications are increasingly used to show that furniture meets defined emission and performance criteria, especially in projects pursuing green building goals.
Sustainable design also extends to product longevity. More brands are focusing on durability, repairability and modular construction so that individual parts can be replaced or upgraded rather than discarding entire pieces. Clear care and maintenance guidance helps customers extend product life, reducing waste and total environmental impact.
Why This Matters for Furniture Manufacturers
For manufacturers and brands, transparent proof of sustainability is now a competitive requirement. Specifiers and professional buyers often request third-party evidence that products are low-emitting and conform to health-based standards. Programs like MAS Certified Green® provide this validation by certifying furniture and interior products against established criteria such as ANSI/BIFMA e3, BIFMA M7.1/X7.1 and CDPH Standard Method 01350. These certifications help demonstrate that products support healthier indoor environments. Learn more at MAS Certified Green.
This shift affects how products are designed, specified and selected. Green building projects and institutional buyers increasingly prefer or require certified low-emitting products. Verified claims backed by MAS Certified Green® can differentiate brands, support compliance with evolving standards and align with customer expectations for healthier, longer-lasting furniture. Contact MAS for more information.
Source
Furniture News. “How sustainable design and care practices are transforming furniture.” https://furniturenews.net/trends/how-sustainable-design-and-care-practices-are-transforming-furniture
Resources
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of thousands of "forever chemicals" that have been used in a wide variety of products since the 1950s. Generally, they are found in nonstick coatings on packaging and cookware, stain-resistant clothes and carpets, paints and coatings, firefighting foam, wire jackets, cosmetics and hygiene products, and many other products used daily.
If you manufacture and sell children's furniture or furnishings on Amazon, compliance is not optional. Amazon requires children's products intended for use by children up to 12 years of age to comply with applicable federal, state, and local regulations. But beyond meeting baseline legal requirements, today's parents and retail buyers want proof that the products their children use every day are genuinely safe.
Materials Analytical Services, LLC (MAS) and the MAS Certified Green ® Low VOC Materials Certification Program are excited to announce a professional services agreement with Sustainable Stewardship Private Limited of New Delhi, India. Under the agreement, Sustainable Partnership P.L. agrees to refer all of its clients seeking VOC emissions testing and certification to MAS for testing and to the MAS Certified Green ® Program for certification.
A recent Fox 4 News report highlighted a recall of countertop ovens due to a burn hazard, after consumers reported incidents involving hot contents and unexpected breakage or failure of components. Although the specific product and brand may change from recall to recall, the underlying message is consistent: product safety issues tied to materials, coatings or construction can quickly become public, expensive and damaging to a brand.
Sustainability has moved from a niche talking point to a central expectation in the furniture industry. Designers, manufacturers, retailers, and buyers are all rethinking what “good furniture” means – not just in terms of style and comfort, but in terms of materials, emissions, durability, and end‑of‑life impact.
MAS’s VOC testing program has been assisting manufacturers of building/construction products and furniture for over 20 years in meeting LEED requirements as a way to increase their sales to the green building market.
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Resources
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of thousands of "forever chemicals" that have been used in a wide variety of products since the 1950s. Generally, they are found in nonstick coatings on packaging and cookware, stain-resistant clothes and carpets, paints and coatings, firefighting foam, wire jackets, cosmetics and hygiene products, and many other products used daily.
If you manufacture and sell children's furniture or furnishings on Amazon, compliance is not optional. Amazon requires children's products intended for use by children up to 12 years of age to comply with applicable federal, state, and local regulations. But beyond meeting baseline legal requirements, today's parents and retail buyers want proof that the products their children use every day are genuinely safe.