What We Do
accent-leaf-white

Initiatives / Programs

The Wood Furniture Scorecard and the "What's It Made Of" initiative are valuable tools and programs that can help home furnishings companies become more sustainable by promoting transparency, responsible sourcing, and eco-friendly manufacturing practices in the production of wood furniture. Here's how each initiative contributes to sustainability in the industry:

Wood Furniture Scorecard

The Wood Furniture Scorecard is an assessment tool that evaluates and ranks companies based on their wood sourcing and manufacturing practices. It focuses on wood-based furniture, which is a significant material and component of the home furnishings industry. Here's how it helps companies become more sustainable:

icon-tree-green  

     Encouraging Responsible Sourcing

The Scorecard encourages companies to source wood materials responsibly. It assesses whether companies use sustainably harvested wood, which helps protect forests and biodiversity.

icon-transparency-green  

     Transparency

By publicly ranking companies based on their sustainability efforts, the Scorecard promotes transparency. This transparency motivates companies to improve their practices and helps consumers make informed choices.

icon-confident-consumer-green  

     Consumer Confidence

When companies receive high scores on the Scorecard, it boosts consumer confidence in their products. Consumers are more likely to support companies that prioritize sustainable wood sourcing and manufacturing.

icon-benchmark-green  

     Benchmarking & Continuous Improvement

The Scorecard provides benchmarks for companies to measure their sustainability performance against industry peers. This encourages healthy competition and motivates companies to continually improve their practices.

icon-door-green  

     Market Access

Companies with higher scores on the Scorecard may gain easier access to markets and retailers that prioritize sustainability. This can lead to increased sales and market share.

 

The Green Leaf Award

The Sustainable Furnishings Council judges The Green Leaf Award, a subcategory of the ISFD Pinnacle Awards that recognizes products that meet high design standards and are also eco-friendly. This award will be presented by the SFC Leadership Team at The Pinnacle Awards Gala held during High Point Furniture Market on Monday, October 28, 2024.

Green_Leaf_Awards
 

The Green Award

In 2010, ART (Accessories Resource Team) partnered with the Sustainable Furnishings Council to create the ART Green Award for manufacturers. ART acknowledges the importance of the Best Practices and Standards for Sustainability established by the Sustainable Furnishings Council, which contribute to a company's overall well-being and support a healthier future for all.

Sustaining a healthy future requires addressing the "triple bottom line" of sustainability: protecting ecosystems, supporting communities, and maintaining profits.

ART Green Award finalists are evaluated based on their sustainable practices. Evidence is gathered from the application, publicly available information (such as the company’s website), and self-reported details provided by the company, including supporting comments and evidence. The ARTS Awards is the premier international awards program dedicated to the home industry. Up to 28 categories exist under the headings Manufacturer, Retailer, Product Designer, Interior Designer, Sales Representative, Green Award, and other specialty honors.

The Green Award is presented by the Sustainable Furnishings Council at the ART Awards Gala in Dallas, Texas each January.

Dallas Arts Award
 

What's It Made Of Initiative

The "What's It Made Of" initiative is a campaign that emphasizes the importance of transparency in disclosing the materials, including harmful toxins, used in furniture and home furnishings. Here's how it contributes to sustainability:

icon-wood-green  

     Material Transparency

This initiative encourages companies to disclose the composition of their products. By providing clear information about the materials used, companies enable consumers to make informed choices about the environmental impact of their purchases.

icon-beaker-green  

     Reducing Harmful Materials

Companies are encouraged to reduce or eliminate harmful materials in their products. This includes avoiding the use of toxic chemicals, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and other hazardous substances that can harm both the environment and human health.

icon-leaf-green  

     Promoting Sustainable Alternatives

By highlighting sustainable and eco-friendly materials, the initiative steers companies toward using alternatives that have a lower environmental footprint. For example, companies may opt for recycled or renewable materials in their furnishings.

icon-rating-green  

     Consumer Empowerment

When consumers are aware of what goes into their furniture, they can make choices that align with their sustainability values. This empowers consumers to support companies that prioritize eco-friendly materials.

icon-leaf-bulb-green  

     Innovation & Research

The initiative encourages research and innovation in materials and production methods. Companies are motivated to explore new, more sustainable materials and processes to meet consumer demand for eco-friendly products.

By participating in and aligning with these initiatives, home furnishings companies can not only improve their sustainability credentials but also contribute to a more sustainable and responsible industry. These initiatives create a win-win situation where companies benefit from increased consumer trust and market opportunities while also advancing the goals of environmental conservation and responsible manufacturing.