9 Eco-Friendly Sofas & Sustainable Couches For Netflix & (Conscious) Chill
We’re getting up close and cozy with eco-friendly couches.
Why?
Because between Zoom calls and Netflix binges, we spend a lot of time on our sofas.
Unfortunately, due to flame retardants and a plethora of toxins associated with polyurethane foam, many of us are lounging about on piles of harsh chemicals that are bad for our health and the planet’s.
Thankfully, sustainable couches mean that being eco-conscious and comfortable are not mutually exclusive.
A nap has never been nicer on our planet than with some of our fave non-toxic sofa brands.
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Before you dim the sustainable lighting and draw those organic linen curtains for that full-length feature, recline all the way to the end to see how we picked these sustainable sofa brands.
The Full List Of Sustainable Sofas & Couches
- Medley | Visit Store
- Yardbird | Visit Store
- Floyd | Visit Store
- Etsy Upcycled Furniture | Visit Store
- Sabai | Visit Store
- Barker and Stonehouse | Visit Store
- Massaya & Co. | Visit Store
- Oliver Space | Visit Store
1. Medley
About Medley
Price Range: $2,123–$6,438
Medley has some good advice: “Your home is your cozy little nook of the universe. Whatever you bring into it better be made of good stuff.”
Once you’ve got your sustainable bed frame sorted, you might want to consider an eco-friendly sectional couch or perhaps an eco-friendly sleeper sofa with a chaise lounger design.
This sustainable and ethical furniture brand offers both, and while they might not be the least expensive sustainable sofas, their extensive range and level of quality are hard to match.
They also have a personalized design service so you can custom design whatever piece fills your space best.
Medley’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Unlike most other eco-friendly sofa brands, the couches from Medley start with solid wood (not plywood).
They only use USA-sourced and FSC-certified wood (kiln-dried alder hardwood) for their frames. The wood is finished with natural furniture polish made from only beeswax, carnauba wax, and olive oil.
Customers have two environmentally sound choices for foam cushions: CertiPUR-US®-certified foam or GOLS-certified organic latex——making these most comfortable eco-friendly sofas, from the planet’s perspective.
They also use natural OEKO-TEX certified eco wool as filling and GOTS-certified organic cotton for fabric lining, making them one of the only brands to sell organic sofas.
When they use synthetics (like polyester, recycled polyester, and polypropylene), they’ve been certified by OEKO-TEX or Greenguard Gold and are free of azo dyes, ozone depleters, heavy metals, and carcinogens.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Filling living rooms with Medley’s USA-made sustainable sofas (and furniture) means “hand to home craftsmanship” is embedded in each of the organic sofas—just like those lost remote controls.
They use their Los Angeles-based workshop to go back to crafting practices used 150 years ago.
Green business practices:
Domestic manufacturing means carbon emissions from shipping are kept at a minimum.
Waste is also minimized through a tailor-made model.
2. Yardbird
About Yardbird
Price Range: $2,280–$5,770
For watching birds instead of Netflix, Yardbird offers sustainable outdoor furniture including sectional sets, sofa sets, and loveseat sets.
With a focus on durable, recyclable, and eco-friendly materials like ocean-bound recycled plastic, you can kick back with a clear conscience.
Some collections feature a modular customizable design giving you maximum flexibility when designing your pro planet patio.
Yardbirds’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Yardbird’s wicker is a high-density polyethylene (HDPE) crafted from 50% ocean-bound plastic collected from beaches in the Philippines.
They use commercial-grade aluminum for their durable frames.
The seat foam is made from high-density polyurethane and the back cushions from 100% polyester batting. Both are covered in fade-and-water-resistant Sunbrella fabric.
Sunbrella® is unfortunately acrylic-based—meaning it’s a synthetic fabric made from plastic similar to polyester. However, it’s designed to last, water and stain-repellent, and produced in a way that minimizes energy and water waste.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Fabrics, thread, and mechanical parts are sourced from the USA. Other materials come from Europe and Asia.
The responsibly-sourced teak is harvested in Indonesia.
The final assembly takes place in Vietnam, China, and the US.
Green business practices:
Yardbird offsets 100% of its carbon footprint via Carbon Fund.
The brand wants to “furnish homes not landfills.” Materials are selected for durability and longevity and there are detailed instructions on care and maintenance.
The Sunbrella fabric has a 5-year warranty and Yardbird’s frames have a 10-year warranty.
They use recyclable materials and packaging where possible.
3. Floyd
About Floyd
Price Range: $1,475–$4,030
Floyd is responsible for “the world’s most take-apart-able Sofa”.
If you’re looking for a modular sustainable sofa, you can’t get any more modular than this.
While a seemingly small selection at first glance—The Sofa and The Sectional—they more than make up for it with customizable options.
Each sustainable customizable sectional sofa is available in endless configurations which you can build, take apart and reconfigure whenever you need to switch things up.
Floyd’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Starting from the bottom, the legs on The Sofa are powder-coated steel, the world’s most recyclable material.
Then choose between all-natural, top-grade birch plywood, FSC-certified walnut veneer, and upholstered radiata pine plywood panels.
All plywood is TSCA Title VI and CARB-2 certified free of formaldehyde.
The stain-resistant exterior fabric is 95% polyester and 5% nylon, chosen for its durability.
Beneath that is polyurethane foam, which while still derived from oil, requires fewer chemicals than alternatives. It meets regulatory VOC emission standards and is fully compliant with ISO 14184-1:2011. The back and arm cushions are filled with synthetic feathers.
The frame of The Sectional is made from a high-density Oriented Strand Board (OSB) made from American Plywood Association Voluntary Product Standard 2-10 compliant Southern Yellow Pine.
For upholstery, you can choose between four different types of fabric: 100% polyester, 80% recycled cotton/20% polyester, 90% new wool/10% Helenca, and a blend of 90% Norwegian wool, 8% New Zealand wool, and 1% nylon.
None of the upholstery is treated with chemical fire retardants. Their Performance fabric and Boucle fabric conform with California Proposition 65.
Supply chain & labor practices:
This American-made furniture brand designs all products in Michigan and works with factories in the United States, China, and Mexico.
For their Tonus and Sisu upholstery fabric, Floyd has partnered with Denmark-based textile company Kvadrat.
Green business practices:
Floyd makes “furniture for keeping [because] furniture should be made for the home, not landfill”.
4. Etsy Upcycled Furniture
About Etsy Upcycled Furniture
Price Range: Various
Etsy is the Certified B Corp and global ethical marketplace giving small brands a loudspeaker.
Not only is it one of our favorite places to find zero waste beauty brands and support Black-owned art and jewelry shops, but it also happens to be one of our go-to’s for the best sustainable affordable sofas.
Like those created by Sustainable Salvage out of coffee sacks. Turns out your morning cup of joe produces an excellent eco-friendly fabric for sofas!
Another creative re-purposer is Aikin Innovations, which transforms old non-toxic cribs into loveseats.
For an upcycled sofa as unique as you are, see the bespoke vintage vibe of Jane Hall Design’s recycled upholstered chairs and settees.
Etsy’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
The innovative eco-friendly materials used by Etsy shops are just as unique and creative as the two million sellers are.
When looking for sustainable sofa furniture, check for salvaged or reclaimed wood (for a vintage home decor vibe), upcycled fabrics, certified organic fabrics, and sustainable sofa fillings (like organic wool batting and natural latex).
Supply chain & labor practices:
Most sellers are up-front about their sourcing and production practices, but there’s always an opportunity to directly connect and ask any additional questions.
Small-scale operations mean cutting out middlemen and promoting smaller, more transparent supply chains.
Green business practices:
Buying recycled, upcycled, or reclaimed furniture helps prevent items from ending up in landfill.
You can often find a locally based seller (or at least one in your country) to minimize the shipping footprint. For those occasions where you can’t, Etsy offsets all shipping emissions.
Many sellers welcome custom, made-to-order options, which helps reduce waste from excess stock.
Community & charitable giving:
Etsy is involved in numerous charitable initiatives, in addition to those of individual sellers.
5. Sabai
About Sabai
Price Range: $745–$3,145
Certified B Corp Sabai’s mission is simple, yet impactful: design furniture that keeps costs low for customers and the planet.
This brand also takes the cake for best eco-friendly couches made in the USA.
Choose between the customizable Essential Sofa, the Essential Loveseat, and the Essential Sectional—their take on eco-friendly sectional couches—which comes with a convertible chaise.
Being customizable means all products are made-to-order, but you’ll only need to allow about two weeks for manufacturing.
Once it arrives, you’ll be able to assemble it in under 10 minutes (sans tools).
Sabai’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Sabai raises the bar (er, armrest?) high with FSC-certified wood frames (adhered with VOC-free water-based glue) and a choice of upholstery.
If you’re dreaming of a sustainable eco-friendly green velvet couch, you can choose OEKO-TEX Standard 100 and Global Recycling Standard-certified recycled velvet made from 100% recycled water bottles.
Otherwise, they offer 100% upcycled Greenguard Gold-certified olefin polyester.
Both fabrics are scratch-proof and stain-resistant. They cover CertiPur-certified non-toxic foam cushions and recycled fiberfill stuffed pillows.
90% of their materials are sourced within 100 miles of production.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Sabai’s ethical production partners are based in High Point, North Carolina for those seeking an eco-friendly couch in the USA.
Green business practices:
Sustainability for Sabai means 100% recycled boxes for packaging, zero plastic, carbon neutral shipping emissions, and couch leg bags that can be reused as produce bags.
With options to buy individual replacement parts, they encourage repairs over replacement.
Sabai Revive is their buyback program where you can sell your unwanted Sabai sofa and buy refurbished ones for up to 30% off.
6. Barker and Stonehouse
About Barker and Stonehouse
Price Range: £1,035–£2,945
Barker and Stonehouse has been making furniture for decades. Since the aftermath of World War II, in fact.
As one of the best sofa companies sustainable UK shoppers have access to, the Big Blue Sofa line is actually rather green with their recycled sofas made from plastic bottles.
The first of its kind, every single element of this sofa is 100% recyclable and sustainable.
Rest assured if blue isn’t your color, they also offer sofas with light gray non-toxic upholstery.
In addition to other furniture, their sustainable sofa furniture line includes large and small straight sofas, corner sofas, snuggle chairs, footstools, and swivel chairs.
Barker and Stonehouse’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices:
Materials:
Each sustainable couch features sustainably sourced wood frames and composite sheets held together with metal hardware or water-based, formaldehyde-free glue.
The outer upholstery is 80% recycled REPREVE, 20% recycled viscose, with an 80% recycled plastic bottle lining cloth.
The Quallofil Blue seat cushioning features 50% recycled content and the back cushions are Wellman’s fiber made from 100% recycled water bottles.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Each Big Blue sofa is made in the UK.
B&S compiles annual Gender Pay Gap reports and while they recognize there is still work to do, they make progress each year.
Green business practices:
All of these recycled plastic couches are made-to-order and (along with their mattresses) are 100% recyclable through their partner Speedy Clear.
Where possible, their stores and factories feature living walls, low-energy heating and lighting, and renewable energy via solar panels.
As the UK’s first Carbon Neutral Plus brand’ orders are delivered via the shortest possible routes in a fleet of lightweight, fuel-efficient vans. They’re exploring electric options for the future.
The delivery driver takes back the wrapping after unpacking so B&S can recycle it properly.
Community & charitable giving:
Through their Trees4Trees initiative, they aid in Indonesian reforestation efforts by planting two trees for every tree used in their furniture, as well as another for every delivery.
So far they’ve planted over 3 million, simultaneously providing economic and social benefits to thousands of local farming families.
7. Massaya & Co.
About Masaya & Co.
Price Range: $1,400–$6,220
The functional stylings of Masaya & Co. are so eye-catching that they practically double as sustainable home decor.
This brand will spruce up your home inside and out with furniture for every room in the house—plus the garden.
They’re also one of the best sustainable sofa companies with several styles ranging from one-armed futons to loveseats.
They offer minimalist yet multi-purpose designs, like their Floating Couch which features built-in end tables.
Masaya & Co’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Masaya & Co. uses sustainably harvested hardwood for the frame, a low-VOC natural oil finish, and hand-made Sunbrella® fabric for the upholstery.
Supply chain & labor practices:
All products are fair trade, heritage, sustainable, and animal-free (pssst, if you’re looking for a vegan sustainable sofa, this could be it!).
You can see where their environmentally friendly couches have been produced (Nicaragua) along with the rest of the product information.
Green business practices:
Masaya & Co. sources sustainably harvested Teak, Rosita Walnut, and Royal Mahogany and dries it in solar-powered kilns.
Their Seed to Seat business model helps to reforest land previously used for cattle farming.
Community & charitable giving:
Since this sustainable sofa company started as a reforestation project, it’s not surprising they plant trees.
What may be surprising is that they plant 100 (no, we didn’t accidentally add a couple of extra zeros there) trees for every product sold.
Also available on Made Trade
8. Oliver Space
About Oliver Space
Price Range: $316–$2,800
Oliver Space helps us furnish our space more sustainably by offering refurbished options for their range of furniture, lighting, textiles, art, and accents.
You’ll find sectional sustainable sofas, eco-friendly loveseats, and plenty of classic and contemporary designs for a sustainable centerpiece.
Filter your search by New, Like New, Very Good, and Age Worn with prices that reflect each piece’s condition.
If you decide not to keep your new “forever sofa” forever, you can schedule a pickup via their take-back program and receive credit toward your next order.
Oliver Space’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Durability is a top priority when it comes to the choice of materials.
For upholstery, Oliver Space mainly uses synthetic fabrics that are durable, fade-resistant, and easy to clean.
The Blume collection uses cotton-polyester upholstery and the Corbus range uses vegan leather.
There’s not a huge amount of specifics with regard to the fabrics, fillings, and material sourcing, so we’ll be reaching out for more details.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Oliver Space works closely with highly-regarded manufacturing partners who supply many other well-known brands.
Again, we’re short on specifics here and will update after speaking to the brand.
Green business practices:
With its “anti-fast furniture” approach, Oliver Space uses high-quality materials and builds furniture items to last.
Their take-back program is also helping move the industry into a circular future.
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Why Choose Eco-Friendly Sofas & Couches
One of the most dangerous aspects of the furniture industry is that it is responsible for products that are quite literally dangerous to our health.
Furniture finishes and fabrics treated with flame retardants often contain toxic chemicals like formaldehyde, neurotoxins, carcinogens, and heavy metals.
The same can be said of lots of homewares, which is why items like sustainable bedding, eco-friendly pillows, organic rugs, and sustainable shower curtains should be considered carefully.
The foam filling in couch cushions and mattresses, for example, contain PVC and other harmful chemicals known to cause nerve damage.
All this contributes to “Sick Building Syndrome” and indoor air pollution, which the EPA maintains is worse than outdoor air pollution, leading to chronic illness and severe health issues.
An air-purifying apartment garden is probably sounding pretty good right about now.
The furniture industry is also making our earth look like something straight from Hoarders.
Most “build-it-yourself” box furniture and futons from the likes of Walmart and Ikea are cheaply made and designed to die.
Sure, they may satisfy an immediate seating need, but when the moving trucks arrive, they probably won’t make the cut.
Amazon may offer free shipping but the environmental cost of lugging these heavy, made-in-China pieces is far far higher.
Speaking of lugging (logging), many furniture pieces (including couch frames) are made from wood that encourages illegal logging, rainforest deforestation (since many desirable hardwoods grow there), and biodiversity loss.
How We Found The Best Eco-Friendly Sofas & Couches
Sofas and couches are a little more complex than other types of sustainable furniture.
Much like sustainable mattresses, your average sofa contains a lot of different materials—meaning there’s more to look at in assessing what qualifies as truly environmentally friendly sofas.
Materials:
Sustainable sofas need to be made of sustainable fabrics free of flame retardants, formaldehyde, and heavy metals with low-VOC emissions.
Then we love to see an organic cotton sustainable sofa or other organic materials like linen, jute, and modal fabric, natural fibers are sometimes less durable, so we were okay with recycled synthetic fabrics if chosen for their durability (much like recycled plastic outdoor furniture).
But what about leather—are leather couches eco-friendly?
There’s a lot to consider when it comes to ethical leather such as whether it can genuinely be called a byproduct of the meat industry, or whether it’s really more of a coproduct.
Traditional leather processing uses huge amounts of water and toxic chemicals that harm both the environment and leather workers who are exposed to them.
That said, there are more responsible ways of producing leather including vegetable-tanned leather, and recycled/deadstock leather.
For filling comfy enough for any eco-friendly sofa bed, sustainable options include PVC-free CertiPur certified foam, recycled polyester filling, vegan down alternatives, and natural materials like natural organic latex, ethical wool, and responsibly sourced down.
For the frame, natural materials like salvaged wood or sustainably harvested solid wood frames are ideal. If plywoods are used, look for those that use water-based formaldehyde-free glue.
If not certified wood from responsibly managed forests, we look for recycled metal frames.
- Certifications: CertiPur, Greenguard Gold, Global Organic Latex Standard (GOLS), Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS-certified), OEKO-TEX Standard 100, Global Recycling Standard (GRS), American Tree Farm System (ATFS), Sustainable Forestry Initiative, Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC), Responsible Down Standard (RDS)
Supply chain and labor practices:
Just because you’re looking for an eco-friendly green sofa doesn’t mean you want it stained with greenwashing.
Overall, a lot of these brands have relatively small supply chains, which makes it easier for them to ensure workers are supported.
While few of these eco couches are certified fair trade, many of them are made in the USA—some made with fair trade practices, to boot.
Not only is this better for workers (the US generally has labor standards), but it’s also better from an emissions standpoint since it means less shipping.
Green business practices:
Some of these eco-friendly pull out couches pull out all stops for sustainability by being handcrafted (less reliance on machinery = less energy consumption), delivered via carbon offset shipping, and wrapped in recycled/recyclable packaging.
Above all, brands can reduce their carbon footprint by making sofas designed to stand the test of time, and that can be repaired and eventually recycled when they do wear out.
Community & charitable giving:
While it isn’t possible for all of these eco-friendly couch brands to donate their money or time, we’re happy to see that some of them are doing exactly that.
Final Thoughts On Sustainable Sofa & Couch Brands
From affordable sustainable sofas to high-end reclining sofas, we hope these brands’ efforts inspire you to green up your living space.
Don’t get us wrong: there’s still a lot of (living) room for improvement, but they’re padding the way for a sustainable furniture future.
Supporting ethical brands is an important part of sustainable interior design.
But before you plop down on your (probably) less-than-sustainable faux leather sofa to research the best eco-friendly couches, here’s a friendly reminder to only replace your current sofa when needed.
You can also visit your local thrift store to give a secondhand couch a second life.
Now please pass the remote and, while you’re at it, pass on this list of modern eco friendly sofas to your binge-watching buddies.
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