10 Sustainable Outdoor Furniture Brands For Your Eco-Friendly Backyard Oasis
image: Crate & Barrel
The Best Sustainable Outdoor Furniture Brands
The outdoors are calling, and these sustainable outdoor furniture options are answering! Over the past year, we've all come to appreciate our outdoor oasis, whether it's an apartment balcony or a fenced-in square of grass. These spaces have become little places of reprieve from the reality of being at home much more than we're used to. So as we spend more time outdoors, it makes sense that we want to fix the space up for optimal enjoyment. This summer is meant to soak up the sun, entertain friends and family around the table in the cooler evenings, and enjoy our outdoor spaces as much as possible. These outdoor furniture pieces will help you create the perfect atmosphere for that. So whether you're looking to relax on a 100% recyclable lounge chair or chill some rosé for your dinner party in a reclaimed wood potting table, there's a sustainable outdoor furniture brand for everyone's style!
While revamping our outdoor spaces sounds wonderful, it’s important to be conscious about what we purchase and why. Avoiding seasonal, poorly made pieces ensures that your purchase will bring your space comfort for years to come, not just this summer. Buying second-hand is also always a fantastic option, or simply using what you already own. When you do need to buy new, know that these sustainable options are better for the planet.
So what exactly makes an outdoor furniture brand sustainable?
A few of the companies we've included have 100% recyclable products that you can return to them (as a whole or as parts) when their time has come to an end. This circularity and corporate responsibility is an encouraging effort to see; for so long, companies have put a vast amount of responsibility upon the consumer to solve the waste issue, when their over-production of goods made without sustainable materials is the real issue. Putting an end to that mentality is a step in the right direction. In addition to being responsible about their product, a good indicator of a brand's sustainability is their manufacturing transparency. When purchasing hand-crafted, artisanal pieces, being able to see what materials are used, where they are sourced from, and who is making them are important bits of info.
What materials should I look for?
Items created using natural or recycled materials (especially post-consumer recycled) are great sustainable options! When purchasing natural wood items, finding an FSC-certified product “ensures that products come from responsibly managed forests that provide environmental, social and economic benefits.” In addition to natural and recycled materials, options that will last for years and years to come are a good investment. For example, materials like Sunbrella can last for decades, leading to less need for replacements and waste.
here are some of our favorite eco-friendly & sustainable outdoor furniture options:
1) Yardbird
Yard Bird boasts 100% recyclable furniture shipped directly from the production factory to your door, cutting down immensely on middle-man carbon emissions.
In 2020 alone, 64% of the plastic in their wicker sets came from collecting plastics from beaches and other vulnerable locations in the Philippines.
Half their packaging comes from recycled materials, and they use 30% less plastic than the industry norm.
They also offset 100% of their carbon emissions through CarbonFund.org. This lounge chair is made from rust-proof aluminum, making it lightweight and durable. The cushions are made with Sunbrella fabric, a durable outdoor fabric that doesn’t need to be replaced for years and years.
2) Made Trade
Price | $245-6185
Materials | Bamboo, Recycled, Teak
Made Trade is a 1% For The Planet partner and is climate-neutral certified as of April 2021 (you can read about their journey toward being climate neutral in this blog post).
On their website, there is a feature to “shop by value”; from BIPOC-Owned to Vegan to Fair Trade (and more), they have a handful of options that you can feel good about purchasing.
3) Crate & Barrel
Crate & Barrel is taking baby steps toward sustainability, and we’re all for progress over perfection. Their FSC-certified teak collection of outdoor furniture has some chic minimalist designs. So, even if C&B may not be the best choice in the lens of sustainability, this collection is created with responsible materials.
They’re also taking steps toward a socially responsible and transparent business and have published a supply chain transparency document, which focuses on human rights at every level of their supply chain.
4) Scaramanga
This U.K. based company is full of vintage, upcycled beauties, including this shabby chic coffee table! Scaramanga, a family-owned business, focuses on finding antique and vintage furniture worldwide and then masterfully refurbishing it by hand to add charm to your home. We love a company that reduces, reuses, and repurposes before recycling! Every piece is truly one-of-a-kind, as once it’s gone, it’s gone; They never do reproductions. Fun fact: since they first started selling refurbished products in 2008, their antiques have been used as props in 12 Hollywood and U.K. blockbusters.
5) Etsy
Etsy is a major online shopping site that keeps sustainability in mind. The company is powered by 100% renewable energy and offsets its carbon emissions for shipping through a partnership with 3Degrees. You can find a ton of handmade, artisanal products on their site (though you do have to sift through some unsustainable ones, too!). If you’re balling on a budget or just a DIY nut, you can also find cheap blueprints for just about anything, including these show-stoppers Kentucky Stick Chairs. Reclaim some local wood and go forth to make your very own sustainable seating area!
6) Joybird
Joybird is a One Tree Planted partner and works with a multitude of charities like Habitat For Humanity to donate time, money, and products to those in need.
Their corporate HQ is in Los Angeles, CA, with a warehouse distribution center nearby in San Diego, CA. Their manufacturing facilities are just south of the border in Tijuana, Mexico.
This portion of their supply chain is all within a 2.5-hour drive of one another, which helps cut down on carbon emissions.
They also have storefronts in Brooklyn, Washington D.C., and Chicago. Each item is hand-crafted and made-to-order, cutting down on overproduction, just like this aluminum-framed pouf with a 100% acrylic fabric rope woven through it.
7) Loll Designs
Each piece of Loll furniture is made with either post-consumer or post-industrial high-density polyethylene (HDPE) - their colored pieces are post-consumer, while black and dark pieces tend to be post-industrial, which is basically scraps from the production process of other products. As they use recycled materials to create new furniture, Loll still creates waste of its own, but they have committed to recycling 88% of their waste. Being made from a highly recyclable post-consumer/industrial plastic as well as other recyclable materials like stainless steel means that each Loll product is 100% recyclable.
Consumers are able to send products or parts back to the company to be repurposed into something new. All recycled materials are sourced in the U.S. and then created into Loll pieces in Duluth, MN, minimizing each piece's carbon footprint. Loll is also a 1% For The Planet partner and is Cradle to Cradle certified, which you can read more about here.
8) VivaTerra
This company proudly created products using reclaimed or recycled materials and supported fair-trade artisan organizations in over 20 different countries, including the U.S. With so many incredible artists, you are sure to find unique outdoor options at Viva Terra.
All their wood products are either reclaimed or FSC-certified, as the company is invested in the fight against deforestation.
About the Author: Paige Annelayne is a freelance writer and digital media specialist currently based in Alabama, who loves to cook, learn about intersectional sustainability, and read a lot of books. Her cat, Gnocchi, her plants, and a good cup of matcha bring her joy. You can connect with Paige on Instagram @vitality.blog and at www.vtltyblog.com
