In October 2006, a small group of furniture manufacturers, retailers, designers, and advocates gathered at High Point Market around an idea that was ahead of its time: that the home furnishings industry could be a force for environmental good. That gathering led to the formation of the Sustainable Furnishings Council.
This October, we return to High Point to mark our 20th anniversary. It is a milestone I am deeply grateful to share with all of you, because SFC's story has never been about one organization. It is about the people and companies who chose to treat sustainability not as a trend, but as a commitment.
When I look at our timeline, what stands out is how consistently this community moved from conversation to practice. A few of the moments that shaped us:
Each of these milestones was made possible by members who were willing to ask harder questions of their own supply chains, and to share what they learned with one another.
On Friday, October 16, SFC and Cascale will host an invitation-only reception at the American Home Furnishings Hall of Fame in High Point. It is fitting that we celebrate where SFC began.
The evening will honor our Founding Members, longtime member companies, board leaders, staff, and industry partners, including our Founding Director, Susan Inglis. We are also grateful to our anniversary sponsors, Naturepedic, Gat Creek, and the High Point Market Authority, for helping make this celebration possible.
Chair of the SFC board, Michela O'Connor Abrams said: "Twenty years is a remarkable milestone, but what matters most is what those 20 years have made possible: a community that continues to challenge the industry to think differently and act with greater purpose."
This anniversary is not a farewell. It is a continuation. Through Cascale, SFC's work now connects to a global community working on climate, materials, chemistry, supply chains, and workers' rights, which opens new opportunities for home furnishings companies to collaborate beyond our own industry.
In the meantime, SFC continues as a membership organization, and the work goes on. Wood Furniture Scorecard 2026 assessments of more than 100 North American retailers have been finalized, with results to be published in November. A Home Furnishings Task Force is also helping shape what future membership will look like, informed by the voices of our members.
Ying McGuire, CEO of Cascale, shared: "As that legacy moves into a global community, we can build on what SFC created while connecting the home furnishings industry to broader collaboration."
To every member, partner, designer, and advocate who has been part of SFC over these 20 years: THANK YOU! You are the reason this milestone means so much.
If you are a member, I hope you will continue with us by renewing your SFC membership, so that your voice is part of what comes next. If you are new to SFC, we would welcome the opportunity to connect. Please reach out to me directly, and I hope to see many of you at High Point.
With gratitude,
Scarlette Tapp, Executive Director