Buying furniture can be a daunting task for the ecologically-motivated shopper. A life cycle assessment of the average piece of big box store furniture is a scary sight. Carbon emissions, toxicity of materials, forestry practices, VOCs, and other concerns often lead furniture seekers to greener alternatives.
Vintage Furniture
Vintage or used furniture is one option. By keeping money out of the new furniture market, old furniture reduces threats to the health and growth of forests around the world.
Older furniture is also generally made with better materials and techniques, like solid wood and dovetail joints, saving the cost of replacing inferior furniture when it inevitably breaks down. New furniture also may contain harmful VOCs in paint, upholstery, leather treatment, glue, plywood, and pressed wood. In older furniture, harmful VOCs are generally not a problem as they have already off-gassed.
Sometimes older furniture just needs a little TLC and imagination to give it a second (or third) life. Broken table legs and chair seats are usually fixable without too much trouble. Refurbishing or repurposing vintage furniture is a rewarding experience that results in a unique piece made just to your specifications. Mismatched furniture can be made into a set by incorporating similar color or upholstery schemes. Karaeris turned an old broken radio into this magnificent bar.
Custom Furniture
At the Eco Relics architectural salvage warehouse, our heirloom quality custom built furniture is a sustainable option for your green home. All of our wood is acquired locally by salvage, reducing carbon emissions and 
pressure on our forests. Stone, steel, aluminum, and other reclaimed materials are also available to complete a project. Choose your own finish to meet your VOC, food prep, or toxicity standards. Using a local maker and local materials means less transportation, less processing, less packaging, and less wasted energy.
Quality craftsmanship is a top priority for our custom fabricators. The quality of the materials and build is the most important aspect of any piece of furniture calling itself “green.” If isn’t built to last, then the energy that went into making it is wasted. Our fabricators hate waste. We take every opportunity to ensure that our custom work will stand up to generations of use, keeping it out of the waste stream that leads from our precious forests to big box stores to the landfill.
Buying custom furniture is easy with the Eco Relics architectural salvage company. It starts with an in-store consultation with one of our freindly fabricators. You can bring us a design or we can work on a design together. We’ll give you a quote based on your specifications. Then we’ll get started on your piece! You dream it, we’ll help make it happen. Stop by our retail warehouse at 107 Stockton Street, 32204 Jacksonville, Florida.
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