Environmentally Conscious Furniture for Your Home Office

Eine Wiese mit mehreren Schafen und Windkraftanlagen im Hintergrund.

Environmentally Conscious Furniture for Your Home Office

In times when more of us are working from home, the design of our home office is becoming increasingly important. Alongside factors like comfort and functionality, we should also consider the impact of our choices on the environment.

By opting for environmentally friendly home office furniture, you too can actively contribute to environmental protection.

But what does "environmentally friendly" actually mean? In summary, it involves choosing furniture that is resource-efficiently manufactured and has minimal negative impacts on the environment throughout its entire lifecycle. Consider the following aspects:

The first aspect is the selection of sustainable materials. Furniture made from recycled or recyclable materials reduces the need for new resources and decreases environmental impact. Additionally, non-toxic and pollutant-free materials should be used to improve air quality in the home office.
Another crucial factor is the durability of the furniture. High-quality, robust, and well-crafted furniture has a longer lifespan and doesn't need replacement as quickly, minimizing resource consumption and reducing waste.
The manufacturing and transportation of the furniture also play a role. Furniture produced under environmentally friendly conditions with short transportation distances causes fewer CO2 emissions and reduces the ecological footprint.

Blauer Engel Umweltsiegel – das Umweltzeichen für nachhaltige Produkte

Der BLAUE ENGEL

The Blue Angel is an environmental label used in Germany to distinguish environmentally friendly products and services. It was introduced in 1978 and has since become one of the most well-known eco-labels.

The label identifies products that have been manufactured in an environmentally friendly manner and have a low environmental impact throughout their entire lifecycle. To receive the environmental label, furniture must meet specific requirements. These include, among others:

Use of environmentally friendly materials: Furniture should be made from recycled or sustainably sourced materials. The use of low-emission and environmentally safe materials is also required.
Energy efficiency: The production of furniture should be as energy-efficient as possible to reduce resource consumption and emissions.
Durability and repairability: Furniture should be designed for a long lifespan and be repairable when needed. This reduces waste and optimizes resource usage.
Low-emission production: Harmful emissions, such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), should be minimized during furniture production.
Social criteria: The Blue Angel also considers social aspects such as fair working conditions, occupational safety, and compliance with environmental standards in production facilities.

The GREENGUARD Certificate

The GREENGUARD Certificate is a recognized environmental certification. It is awarded by UL Environment, an independent organization for product safety and certification.

The GREENGUARD Certificate confirms that a product, such as a home office furniture piece, meets rigorous chemical emission standards. This means that the furniture piece does not release harmful chemicals into the indoor air that could impact the health of users during its use.

The certification is based on scientific testing procedures, where emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are measured. High concentrations of VOCs in indoor air can lead to health issues such as headaches, respiratory irritation, and allergies.

To obtain the GREENGUARD Certificate, the tested furniture must adhere to strict emission limits set by UL Environment. This ensures that they maintain low VOC emissions over an extended period, contributing to better indoor air quality.

The GREENGUARD Certificate has various subcategories, such as GREENGUARD Indoor Air Quality Certified and GREENGUARD Gold Certified.

GREENGUARD Gold has stricter standards and imposes additional requirements on the emissions of formaldehyde compounds and certain pollutants.

Grünes GREENGUARD-Zertifikat für geringe chemische Emissionen.

Mens sana in corpore sano

By choosing furniture certified for environmental and sustainability standards, you can minimize potential health risks from harmful emissions. This ensures that, especially in the home office, where we often spend many hours a day, you use furniture that is both health-friendly and environmentally friendly. Simply pay attention to certifications and environmental labels that confirm the furniture's environmental compatibility.