So many of us spend hours and hours per day at our desks – do we really need to add off-gassing finishes and unethical practices into the mix together with our sore necks and lower back pain? If you’re in the market for a new desk, consider these more sustainable, non-toxic desks from brands who put the work into protecting the health of their customers, workers, and the environment.
Why Choose Eco-friendly Desks With Little to No Toxicity Concerns
Here’s why opting for a more thoughtfully made desk makes a big difference:
- Like the rest of the furniture industry, many office desks are either made with materials that are high in toxins like formaldehyde, or if they’re made from solid wood, are finished using VOC heavy finishes or lacquers. These contribute to indoor air pollution, potentially harming the user and the workers who made the desk.
- Conventional desks frequently use materials, like illegal wood or wood from unsustainable plantations, that contribute to deforestation and waste.
- Sustainable desk brands like the ones on this list often prioritize fair labor conditions, are taking climate action and actively give to or enhance their communities.
We’ve selected desks for this list that avoid harmful chemicals, use FSC® Certified or sustainably sourced inputs, and are doing more than your average brand to make the world a better place for people and the planet.
You may notice that we are starting to feature “rated brands” on our lists. Our Brand Rating System evaluates brands against 22 different sustainability-related criteria, including chemical management, customer safety, climate action, waste reduction, and ethical labor practices. Brands need to opt in to be rated, so look out for rated desk brands on the list below and find other rated brands here.
Related guides: Non-toxic Furniture Brands; Sustainable Office & Desk Chairs; Zero Waste Office Supplies
We independently research all featured brands and we ask them to confirm their claims. In many cases we personally review recommended products. This post contains affiliate links which means we may earn a commission if you buy something. Learn more here.
The Best Non-Toxic & Sustainable Wood Desks
MasayaCo’s elegant Nazarel Desk is made from FSC® Certified solid teak, sourced from reforestation projects in Nicaragua. It’s finished with a low-VOC, GREENGUARD Gold-certified water-based acrylic which is non-toxic. MasayaCo has been comprehensively rated by us on their sustainability credentials – find the full rating here.
Avocado offers an heirloom quality mid-century style desk (with 2 or 3 drawers) made from FSC®-certified solid walnut or maple wood. Avocado is Formaldehyde-Free Claim Verified by UL Environment and has a GREENGUARD Gold certification. They’re also a Certified B Corp and Climate Neutral Certified.
ergonofis make standing desks from cherrywood and walnut, sourced from sustainably managed North American forests. They only use water-based non-toxic finishes and provide fair wages and safe working conditions for their employees.
Index: Non-Toxic & Sustainable Desks
- MasayaCo Jump to brand
- Huppé Jump to brand
- ergonofis Jump to brand
- What WE Make Jump to brand
- Avocado Jump to brand
- Work From Home Desks Jump to brand
- Hoek Home Jump to brand
MasayaCo
Ethical Sourcing
Raw materials have been sourced ethically with people and planet in mind.
Handcrafted
Products have been made by hand, typically by an artisan or group of artisans.
Locally Made
Products are made local to the brand's headquarters.
Made To Order
Products can be made to order, thus limiting unnecessary production
Non-toxic
All products are made with ingredients or materials that are currently considered non-toxic
Sustainable Materials
Either all or most products are made with sustainable materials
Traceable Supply Chain
Brand is able to fully trace their entire supply chain from end to end.
Woman Owned
This brand is owned by a woman or a group of women.
FSC®-certified
MasayaCo’s desks and tables are made from FSC® Certified solid teak, sourced directly from either their own reforestation projects in Nicaragua, or similar local regenerative projects. Their Nazarel Desk offers a classic sleek design, which comes in either a natural or charcoal finish.
This sustainable wooden desk is finished with a low-VOC, GREENGUARD Gold-certified water-based acrylic which is non-toxic – ideal for a space you probably spend way to much time in. Desks are typically made to order (though there are some in stock at times) in MasayaCo’s solar-powered workshop by local artisans who are paid fair wages and offered ongoing training.
MasayaCo’s vertically integrated Seed to Seat model gives full supply chain transparency while actively restoring deforested land.
MasayaCo has been rated by Sustainable Jungle. Find the full rating here and listen to our podcast interview with the Co-founder here.
Huppé
Huppé has not been rated.
Price Range: $2,430–$6,636
Huppé’s stylish modern desks are made from responsibly sourced North American woods, such as birch and American black walnut. They offer a wide range of desk designs including some with additional finishes like glass tops, granite, and marble. Most of the designs offer customizable configurations to fit various workspace needs, whether it be for a home office or a central workspace.
Their wood is FSC® Certified and finished with low-VOC finishes. They only use formaldehyde-free glues.
Huppé’s manufacturing facilities feature a heat recovery system that reduces natural gas consumption by 75%. They also partner with Trees For Canada to support reforestation efforts.
ergonofis
ergonofis has not been rated.
Price Range: $1,445–$2,595
Canadian brand ergonofis offers non-toxic standing desks built from responsibly sourced wood. The Sway Standing Desk is one of their most popular options. It combines the natural look of a wood top with modern technology, like easily adjustable heights so you can move from sitting to standing with ease.
The desks are made from wood, like cherrywood and walnut, sourced from sustainably managed North American forests. ergonofis only uses water-based non-toxic desk top finishes. They also offer desks made from laminate but we would stick with the solid wood if you want to minimize potential toxins.
As a Certified B Corp, ergonofis is committed to providing fair wages and safe working conditions for its employees. They design and build their products in the province of Quebec, Canada and source local materials whenever possible.
The Almost Perfect catalog offers products containing slight defects at discounted rates to reduce production waste. These sustainable standing desks are still high-quality—they just don’t meet ergonofis’s meticulous standards.
The company donates 1% of its profits to the David Suzuki Foundation
What WE Make
What WE Make has not been rated.
Price Range: $1,595–$3,125
Chicago’s What WE Make— wwmake on Etsy—uses reclaimed materials to make finely crafted non-toxic hardwood desks.
They’re made from repurposed wood that is so beautiful, that you might easily find yourself distracted from work by the gorgeous grains and colors. Some have shelves while others come with drawers, and they have a couple of standing desk options (see pictured).
Their 100+-year-old reclaimed old-growth hardwoods are finished with a VOC-free plant oil-based finish. Choose between patchwork (a mix of repurposed woods to create a patchwork aesthetic) and plank (reclaimed oak planks that span the entire length of the desk).
The old-growth wood is harvested from midwestern barns and will thus have beautiful variations (weathering, nail holes, knots, splits, etc.). Being a family-owned-and-operated brand, the wood is turned into each eco desk by brothers Dan and George Quinn in Algonquin, IL.
Avocado
Avocado has not been rated.
Price Range: $3,499–$3,999
Avocado offers just one desk: the Mid-Century Modern Desk available in 2 or 3 drawers. It’s designed to be heirloom-quality, made entirely from solid walnut or maple wood, and is handcrafted in their FSC®-certified Los Angeles woodshop.
The desk is stained with Titebond® wood glues and ECOS® wood stains. No synthetic glues, formaldehyde, or chemical flame retardants are used—helping Avocado to be Formaldehyde-Free Claim Verified by UL Environment and meet their GREENGUARD Gold certification.
As a Certified B Corp and Climate Neutral Certified brand, Avocado sources most raw materials directly through its own supply chains. All operations—from sourcing to manufacturing—prioritize ethical labor, living wages, and environmental restoration. The brand is also a member of the Sustainable Furnishings Council, has achieved the Zero Waste to Landfill certification, and donates 1% of revenue to environmental nonprofits through 1% for the Planet.
Work From Home Desks
Work From Home Desks has not been rated.
Price Range: $569–$2,519
Work From Home Desks seeks to improve on the standing desk concept with ultra efficient and adjustable office desks for adults and kids alike. Their flagship WFH Desk offers a fully modular design so you can sit or stand. Other items, like the Lambda, offer an extra minimalist desk design that fits neatly against a wall and sticks out only a couple feet.
WFH crafts their sustainable desks from premium, EPA, and FSC®-certified wood. Though it is plywood, it’s tested for low-formaldehyde, meeting EPA and CARB Phase 2 non-toxicity standards.
Work From Home’s desks are crafted in Torrance, CA, using raw wood sourced from sustainably managed forests with legal logging operations. They work with local, reputable plywood manufacturers who meet the highest industry standards.
From the initial prototype, WFH has managed to achieve a 50% reduction in energy consumption and a 30% reduction in material waste, like the number of offcuts for each unit. They also provide customers with Factory Seconds that are damaged, scuffed, and don’t meet their criteria at lower prices to prevent further waste.
Hoek Home
Hoek Home has not been rated.
Price Range: $195–$795
Hoek Home produces unique, functional, and high-quality eco-friendly standing desks made of FSC®-certified wood.
The NYC-based company has a circular design ethos with its patented snap-lock system. The modular design allows customers to quickly assemble and disassemble their furniture, making them easy to store and transport. For those who live in small spaces or are frequently in flux with a hybrid work environment, the Home Office Desk folds up almost flat in seconds.
All of Hoek’s furniture is made from locally sourced sustainable materials from Montana and sustainably sourced FSC-certified plywood from Canada. The base is made from high-density polyethylene (HDPE) made from 100% post-consumer waste, like recycled milk jugs. Hoek uses non-toxic desk finishes and glues.
Each HoeK piece is designed, precision-crafted, and hand-finished by highly skilled makers in Red Hook, Brooklyn. Combining cutting-edge CNC technology with traditional carpentry techniques, each HOEK piece is meticulously crafted to your specifications.
Hoek provides customers with a lifetime warranty covering any defects in materials or workmanship. They don’t charge any fees for repair or replacements, ensuring a circular design ethos.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Sustainable, Eco-Friendly, and Non-Toxic Desks
Q1: What makes a desk “non-toxic”?
These are made without harmful chemicals like VOCs and formaldehyde found in conventional furniture materials like MDF, particleboard, adhesives and finishes. Brands who make their desks safer use better materials (like solid wood) and other inputs to ensure a healthier indoor air quality.
Q2: Why should I choose an eco-friendly desk?
Your choice makes a difference and is essentially a vote for the type of world you want to see. Supporting better brands like the ones on this list reduces negative environmental impacts such as deforestation and waste, improves ethical labor conditions for workers, and in many cases helps to take climate action. Not to mention being way better for your own health!
Q3: Are non-toxic, sustainable desks more expensive than regular desks?
They can be priced higher due to the cost of sustainable materials and ethical manufacturing, but sometimes prices are comparable to conventional desks from fancy brands who price in big margins but no responsible practices.
Q4: What materials should I look for in a more sustainable desk?
Look for desks made from sustainably sourced wood, such as FSC® Certified wood and/or reclaimed materials. Desks that use non-toxic finishes like plant-based oils are also a better choice. Sustainability goes beyond materials though so look for brands who are super transparent about how they manufacture, how they ensure workers are paid fairly, and what else they’re doing to improve the health of the planet (like reducing their emissions for example).
Q5: Can eco desks be stylish and functional?
Yes, these healthier desks come in various designs that are both stylish and functional. From modern minimalist to vintage chic, you can find options that suit your taste and design preferences while remaining more sustainable.
Q6: Do sustainable desk brands offer customization options?
Many do offer customization options to fit your space and needs. Whether it’s adjustable heights for ergonomic benefits or personalized finishes, many brands aim to provide versatile furniture solutions.
Q7: How do I maintain a solid wood desk?
Definitely check in with the brand as they will have custom advice for their specific finishes. But generally speaking, we’d suggest avoiding harmful chemicals, and wiping with a damp cloth.
Q8: Where can I buy sustainable and non-toxic desks?
You can purchase sustainable desks from the brands listed in our guide above – simply click on the links to navigate to the respective brands or retailers.
