Eco-friendly Designer Home Office

With more and more unethical practices being uncovered every day with large corporations and big business, many of us are choosing to shop more ethically and responsibly. We are consciously choosing to not support these practices, as we are becoming more and more aware of the many issues that these products and companies produce. We want to feel good about our choices ... our shopping habits being one of them.

With the current stay at home situation many of us are experiencing, one of the areas we are looking to shop for currently is the home office. From furniture to décor and accessories, we want a well-designed space that is ethical as well. If you are wanting to start off your conscious choice shopping, we have put together a few tips for designing your office (or other spaces in your home).

Choose FSC Certified Furniture

When shopping for wood furniture, such as your desk, bookcases, or guest chairs, check and see if these items are FSC Certified. FSC stands for Forest Stewardship Council. This is a non-profit organization that sets high standards for forestry practice, making sure that products come from environmentally managed forests. These approaches make sure that clear cutting, a method of chopping down entire forests, does not happen. They track the wood to understand where it is coming from, and ensure that methods like replanting trees and only cutting down certain aged trees is followed. This is an easy way to consciously shop for furniture. Just look for the FSC label on furniture pieces.

Look for Fair Trade Items

Similar to shopping for wood furniture and the FSC certified label, look also for the Fair Trade Certified label.  This is a great way to shop for ethically designed pieces. This global network focuses on supporting the trades people from around the world that make these products, giving them proper wages, make sure they are working in safe conditions, and protecting the environment. They value human rights and environmentally conscious efforts. Look for this label on décor and furniture pieces.

Choose Natural Materials

A huge part of creating a conscious space is through the use of materials.  Many of today’s products are mass produced. The high demand of items and goods has not only shortened the time in which these products are created, but it has lessened their quality. Many are made of cheap MDF woods or plastics that are quick to make, but even quicker to deteriorate. Shopping for products that contain natural materials such as solid wood, organic fabrics, and metals help to protect the environment and are a conscious choice in your office space. Look for jute rugs, linen drapery, and other natural furniture and décor pieces.

1. Rug - Serac made from natural jute - West Elm.
2. Desk  - Reclaimed Pine Workstation - West Elm
3. Pendant light - Ula Solid Brass Pendant Light - Dounia Home 
4. Basket - Nomad basket made from natural Seagrass - EQ3
5. Chair - Colusa Upholstered Swivel Desk Chair, Fedora Oatmeal - Pottery Barn

Shop Authentically from the Source

Love Moroccan lamps or Turkish rugs? There are so many reproductions that big box stores make that look like these authentic items, but rest assured, they are not. Most of these items are made with synthetic materials and are still cheaply produced. Consciously choosing products that you know are from these areas might take a bit of extra homework on your end, but a quick Google search of ethically designed home décor can help in narrowing down the wide variety of products out there to help you in finding ones that are ethically made. For example, did you know that all of our lamps are ethically handcrafted in Morocco? When you buy a lamp from us, you are getting an authentic fixture that has been made from sustainably sourced metals and handmade by small artisan groups that we pay a premium to help fund their community needs. Which helps preserve traditions and create employment in rural areas.

Happy Ethical Shopping!