World production of furniture is worth about 575 billion US dollars. But that’s not all it costs. All those furniture use up massive amounts of trees, plastic, cotton and other materials.

The environmental impact of furniture

Worldwide, we buy furniture corresponding to the total economic output of Sweden - 18,000 US dollars every second. All those pieces of furniture require enormous amounts of trees, plastic, cotton and other materials.

Comfort has a price

Besides the resources required to produce furniture, furniture can contain toxic substances that off-gas into our homes. Without knowing it, we are exposed to a cocktail of chemicals.

Chemicals in your furniture

10 chemical toxins found in furniture and selected adverse effects on humans.

1. Formaldehyde - causes cancer.
2. Acetaldehyde - suspected to cause cancer.
3. Benzene - mess with our reproductive system and causes cancer
4. Vinyl Acetate - affect the human respiratory system and causes cancer
5. Hexabromocyclododecane - affects our reproductive, developmental, and neurological systems.
6. Perfluorooctanoic acid - toxic for the liver and kidneys, known developmental effects, causes cancer.
7. Trichloroethylene - adverse effects on developing fetuses, immune system and central nervous system.
8. Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs) - particularly harmful to unborn babies and can cause brain and reproductive system disorders as well as neurobehavioral effects.
9. Perchloroethylene - kidney dysfunction, neurological effects, cancer
10. Phthalates - mess with our hormone systems and have been found to result in genital deformities.

Small children particularly affected

Alarmingly, tests found much higher concentrations of some chemicals including PBDEs in young children than in their mothers - because children ingest more of the chemicals. The chemicals migrate out of products and stick to kids' hands, toys and other objects they put in their mouths.

Children from homes with vinyl floors have 15 times more benzyl butyl phthalate in their urine than children from homes without vinyl floors.

Chemicals in all types of furniture

The problem is not only with plastic or other synthetic materials. A lot of low quality wood furniture contain toxic substances that can off-gas into your home — including arsenic and formaldehyde - suspected carcinogens that are used in adhesives, paints, and varnishes.

The good news

Furniture produced from responsibly managed forests and without toxics is available!