Eco-Friendly Furniture Guide

We are living in a time of transition, a moment in which everything we had taken for granted and that seemed to be our daily routine is being questioned. The vast majority of our energy sources and production processes that guarantee our standard of living—at least in so-called developed countries—have proven to be unviable in the long term and threaten our survival on this planet.

The change in model is beginning to be felt, and there are now few companies that have not yet begun to consider the life-cycle repercussions of their activity.

Whether because regulations are becoming stricter for processes and products that pollute or generate waste, or due to environmental awareness, the truth is that we are all obliged to initiate a shift toward a fair, sustainable consumption model in harmony with the planet.

In this regard, at Slow Studio, we work and research daily to improve construction processes, reduce our ecological footprint, and use materials with minimal environmental impact and systems that achieve a closed life cycle.

Furthermore, we work on projects that ensure the well-being of people in interior spaces, something we have become aware of at an accelerated pace following COVID-19.

The fact is that we spend 90% of our time in interior spaces—at home, at work, at the gym, at school—and this means that the air we breathe must come from the outside in good conditions of temperature, humidity, CO₂, and without the presence of pollutants.

We have realized that, even if we make efforts to achieve zero-consumption passive houses, ensuring good air renewal and using natural, toxic-free materials and finishes that do not emit any type of pollutant into the indoor air of a space, upon completion of construction, the user often introduces furniture or decorative elements that alter the natural conditions of the indoor environment.

A toxic paint, for example, can emit various harmful agents for several months or years, which accumulate in the indoor air if there is no adequate ventilation. The same occurs with carpet or curtain fabrics that, in many cases, incorporate flame retardants or products to facilitate washing, which represent authentic chemical cocktails emitted into the environment in small quantities over long periods of time.

When we enter the field of furniture, the considerations are many, from the environmental awareness of the eco-friendly furniture company that manufactures them—valuing the use of natural materials and their origin—to the implications for the indoor environment, ranging from the electrostatics of surfaces to the emission of toxins or contribution to the natural regulation of the environment.

In this article, we wanted to compile a selection of companies that prioritize natural raw materials of local origin, with environmental awareness in all their production processes and finishes that ensure good indoor air quality in our homes, without binders, glues, varnishes, or synthetic surfaces, among others.

Each of the companies we have selected is a local production company; some are more family-oriented or use artisanal processes, while others are beginning to organize themselves to compete in price with giants like Ikea.

Undoubtedly, opting for this type of furniture is not only a way to improve health and quality of life in our home, but a clear commitment to more conscious consumption in which our ecological footprint is reduced to zero by choosing materials of natural origin, minimally processed, and whose production process allows them to be recovered and reused or transformed at the end of their life cycle.

In this eco-friendly furniture guide, we analyze all the options available in the Spanish market for incorporating eco-friendly and natural furniture into our spaces. We analyze the main brands and the catalog of furniture and products they have available, paying attention to the origin and transformation process of the materials, the ecological footprint of the production process, the application of circular economy principles, and health criteria.

1. Hannun

Hannun is an eco-friendly furniture company specialized in so-called ‘Slow-furniture’, which they describe as furniture that follows the values of ecology, handcrafting, and local craftsmanship.

It is a distribution company that does not have a physical eco-friendly furniture store; instead, through an online platform, it markets products manufactured in small Spanish workshops, which it details on a map on its website.

Thus, it demonstrates its social commitment by supporting small businesses and the local economy, with more than 25 workshops employed directly, mostly concentrated in the communities of Catalonia and Valencia, but also present in Galicia, the Basque Country, and Madrid. In all of them, pieces are made by hand, resulting in unique products as they are not industrialized.

This condition allows them to offer two delivery options. If the model is in physical stock, it is shipped within the next 2-3 business days. However, if the furniture must be created through a manual process, the manufacturing period ranges between 10 and 15 business days due to the company’s commitment to high quality and finish in each piece.

The catalog of products they offer ranges from tables, chairs, and armchairs, to headboards and bedside tables, as well as auxiliary furniture, mirrors, or decorative elements. For furniture made of wood, the type and origin of this raw material depend on the different artisans, whose information and philosophy are detailed in files on the website. Many of them follow a small family eco-friendly furniture company model with years of experience in traditional techniques. Solid wood from sustainable forests is used, generally pine, along with eco-friendly varnishes.

Additionally, there is a line of products that uses recycled wood, the Reuse Market, following the principles of the circular economy—despite the fact that this does not usually come from a local distributor due to a lack of national supply. The reuse of wood is, according to Hannun, its greatest commitment to the environment, as it requires less paint and dye since the materials have been previously treated. However, the lack of information regarding these previous finishes can lead to a higher concentration of the chemicals mentioned at the beginning of this eco-friendly furniture guide.

Following the principles of the Zero Waste philosophy, products with minor defects are sold at a significantly lower price to prevent them from becoming waste. The company also aims for its packaging to be fully eco-friendly by 2025, but for the moment, packaging is largely based on recycled cardboard, and recyclable packing tapes with biodegradable adhesive have been incorporated.

To justify the sustainable origin of the wood, there are two forest management certifications that guarantee controlled felling and replanting to ensure renewal: the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) and the PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification). Furthermore, Hannun has a new commitment against animal cruelty, PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), avoiding the use of materials such as leather or silk.

Finally, the presence of chemicals in the products is controlled through the application of eco-friendly varnishes, which offer natural finishes and contain no toxins in their composition, as they are manufactured with bases such as linseed essential oil, waxes, mineral pigments, or even water.

2. Fustaforma

Fustaforma is an eco-friendly furniture company with a family tradition that was founded in Benicarló in 1990 and today has distributors in Barcelona, Castellón, Zaragoza, Bilbao, Pamplona, and Madrid. It is a production model based in its own large workshop that has specialized in the design and patenting of ergonomic chair prototypes.

They market a wide range of products: wardrobes, desks, bookcases, tables, chairs, bunk beds, trundle beds, living-dining room furniture, and furniture for children and babies; however, their specialty is ergonomic chairs. They also offer textile materials such as mattresses, futons, pillows, and other natural accessories to improve rest. For this reason, they use two types of raw materials: wood and textile materials.

The wood is solid and mostly of the pine variety, which is characterized by rapid growth, meaning the sustainable forest regenerates faster. Furthermore, it is a type of wood more suited to our temperate climate, coming from northern European countries that have long-standing and strict forest preservation laws and FSC and PEFC certification. In this way, they avoid wood from abusive logging, such as tropical woods, which are also often produced with labor under undignified working conditions, creating a double comparative grievance. Beech wood is also used in some cases.

The natural textile materials used are cotton, hemp, wool, and 100% natural latex, which are combined to ensure the durability, elasticity, and breathability of the various products associated with rest. The intrinsic qualities of the materials are thus joined with the principles of comfort and ergonomics through the proposal of innovative models such as futons. Thinner than conventional mattresses, they provide the same performance in a total thickness of about 20 cm, thanks to the combination of a cotton filling and a 13 cm latex core.

Below is a brief summary of the different properties, origins, maintenance, and effects on the user of each of the textile materials and their possible combinations:

Linking the properties of these materials with the concept of ergonomics, which is very present for Fustaforma, the ergonomic rocking chair model stands out. This product combines wood and natural textile materials to ensure benefits over traditional chairs for growing practices such as remote work. It allows the backrest to be adjusted to four positions that adapt to the height of the user, who rests their feet on the floor to distribute weight and avoid loading the knees, in a continuous distribution of bodily effort that allows the vertebral discs to relax.

Furthermore, Fustaforma takes circular economy criteria into account and applies them in the recycling of wood waste to convert it into pellets, which in turn produce energy for the manufacture of more designs.

On the other hand, it considers the user profile with MCS (Multiple Chemical Sensitivity), as well as electrosensitivity. For this reason, the wood finishes are all eco-friendly, using either natural oils or water-based products, and it is never painted unless expressly indicated to avoid adding odors, despite the eco-friendly nature of the paint. In fact, its website includes a Blog that disseminates information on the need to avoid toxins in an activity as essential to daily life as rest.

Here, the chemicals that textile materials may contain come into play, as they are in direct contact with our bodies and penetrate through the skin and respiration. They therefore exclude any type of artificial foams, whether memory foam or polyurethanes, both derived from petroleum.

Another reason for discarding these materials relates to electrosensitivity, as artificial materials charge easily, while natural materials behave as electronegative, constituting a healthy environment free of static electricity.

For all these reasons, the eco-friendly furniture company Fustaforma won the award for ‘Social Recognition for Research and Development of Natural and Healthy Furniture Elements, combined with respect for the Environment’ in 1998.

3. Ecomueble

Ecomueble is an eco-friendly furniture company located in Pamplona with more than 25 years of experience in the sector. A year and a half ago, they created their new line of eco-friendly and healthy furniture for people and the environment, called Ecomueble.

From their workshop in Aizoain, they work with artisanal criteria and a Nordic aesthetic, dedicating themselves to designing and manufacturing durable furniture with ecological and environmental responsibility. They start from the modular concept, a strategy that allows for the simple design and assembly of furniture suitable for each space. Thus, their standardized design offers different modules and finish options with which to create an infinite number of healthy and eco-friendly pieces of furniture for the home, office, and retail.

They offer all types of bedroom furniture: master, children’s, and youth rooms (beds, cribs, bedside tables…), as well as living-dining room furniture (coffee tables and dining tables). Furthermore, they solve all types of storage needs through modules to create wardrobes and shelving that paradoxically allow for greater customization of the furniture.

The raw material used in their eco-friendly furniture factory is birch plywood, which is a board made with several thin layers of wood placed on top of each other, alternating the direction of the grain. Due to its mechanical and aesthetic properties, birch wood is used more frequently as plywood than as solid wood.

It is a very abundant wood in the northern hemisphere, and currently Finland is one of the countries with the most significant industry for this type of material, which Ecomueble imports for the manufacture of its products. Such is its importance in the country, which is so attached to nature, that the birch is one of its national symbols. Furthermore, it holds European certificates for sustainable forest management and environmental quality, PEFC and CARB.

The thickness of the boards ranges from 12 mm for drawer bottoms to 36 mm for countertops. Ecomueble makes the technical data of the material it uses accessible on its website: average density of 570 kg/m³, static bending strength of 1,500 kg/cm², compressive strength of 520 kg/cm², and modulus of elasticity of 165,000 kg/cm².

Furthermore, to guarantee compliance with European health regulations and due to an awareness of customers with MCS—stemming from the personal experience of one of the partners—Ecomueble pays close attention to the concentration of chemicals present in materials and finishes. They avoid using chipboard, MDF, or fiberboard to avoid glues, silicones, or sealants that have harmful vapors.

In contrast, the resin used by the manufacturer for gluing the Finnish birch plywood does not produce toxic emissions or irritating odors. To prove this, they hold the rigorous Californian CARB (California Air Resources Board) certificate regarding practically zero emissions of formaldehyde and other toxins. Thus, these boards can be used without issue for the manufacture of countertops for food applications and children’s toys.

The Finnish supplier provides the plywood boards with three types of finish: natural, transparent, and semi-matte white, all of them free of harmful odors for any type of person, but especially for the MCS profile. For edges that have not been treated, the process followed is to sand them in the workshop and apply cold-pressed natural almond oil, a product that is completely harmless to health.

Ecomueble is characterized by disseminating and providing technical specifications on the paints it uses, especially regarding toxins and their health implications. When looking for finishes other than those offered by the supplier, the eco-friendly furniture factory opts for sustainable paints with a minimum level of VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) emissions and recyclable packaging, from the Fleur or Milk Paint brands.

Both brands market paints and varnishes with high coverage and protection, solvent-free and water-based. For example, one of the paints used at Ecomueble is made from milk casein and does not cause any type of irritation to the skin, eyes, or throat.

Similar to the issue of chemicals discussed at the beginning of the eco-friendly furniture guide, the partners at Ecomueble advocate for raising awareness of these types of chemicals present in our environments and turning this reduction trend into a future obligation. It is a responsibility linked to the concern for those who will use the furniture, offering solutions to their ultimate goal: achieving a healthier home.

In short, if we surround ourselves with furniture made with natural materials, without chemical treatments in its preparation and finishing, and coming from sustainable operations, we will not only be contributing to maintaining and improving the environment, but also to caring for the quality of our home and the health of those who inhabit it. A thought that sounds innovative but which, in certain situations, is associated with a rustic type of furniture—a belief that Ecomueble breaks with its updated aesthetic.

4. Muebles Lufe

Muebles Lufe is an eco-friendly furniture company with its own production that designs and manufactures furniture in the Basque province of Guipúzcoa, in its workshop in Aizarnazabal. They do not have a physical eco-friendly furniture store, so they have an online sales platform that allows for national distribution within a week.

The raw material used is the insignis pine variety, present in the local forests of the same community, which holds the PEFC sustainability certificate. At Lufe, they defend the knots and intrinsic natural characteristics of the material, which are sometimes discarded and avoided due to an aesthetic sense that seems to seek a type of material similar to plastic—a trend opposite to the company’s philosophy. Thus, they propose to value this characteristic of wood, a living and natural material that provides us with pieces that are all grained differently, thereby forming unique furniture.

They offer all types of products: beds, shelving, tables, storage, sofas, chairs, benches, garden furniture, and other decorative elements. Furthermore, they specialize in the Montessori educational method, which promotes the independence of children. Following this philosophy, Montessori furniture designs seek to create safe spaces where children have more autonomy. A children’s Montessori space must be based on order and a simple, real aesthetic, where each element has its reason for being in the development of the little ones.

To this end, avoiding the presence of chemicals is very important. However, to keep solid wood in the best condition for as long as possible, it is necessary to apply a protective varnish. With this awareness, Lufe recommends a range of emission-free water-based varnishes and teak oils, which also allow for a great diversity of tones.

It is interesting how their eco-friendly furniture factory applies one of the first principles of ecology: prioritizing local products to minimize the carbon footprint of transport. Thus, the Iruxil W range of water-based varnishes is produced by Irurena, a company located in the same province and characterized by high quality, protecting furniture both outdoors and indoors.

5. Biofusteria

Biofusteria is an eco-friendly furniture company from the Catalan province of Lleida that manufactures toxic-free wood furniture of its own production in its workshop. Manuel Gayete, its founder, is a firm believer that a more responsible, ecological, and sustainable lifestyle is possible. He reaffirms this through his own experience, as in 1996 he decided to exchange big city life for a rural environment, beginning a path of learning to work with wood.

He traveled to Switzerland where he was able to train in carpentry, cabinetmaking, and carving, learning business management and energy-saving techniques to successfully merge his passion for working wood sustainably with his way of life. A pace of life that allows him to live slowly, enjoying the small pleasures of day-to-day life.

It is a living project, like the material he uses, which advocates for placing human needs at the center, recovering respect for a business model that adds value. The values that emerge from his projects are health, the use of non-toxic materials, the durability of the work, care for his workers, and cooperation between different professionals.

They offer all types of custom-made furniture for the home, as well as a branch of children’s furniture and solutions for schools or businesses. Furthermore, they go further and dedicate themselves to the manufacture and resolution of high-quality eco-friendly carpentry and to advising on making the home healthy, comfortable, and functional.

In line with their principles, they work with local suppliers, committing to offering a good handmade product without compromising on quality. The raw material is solid wood of the pine, oak, or chestnut varieties from Montseny, always locally sourced and certified with the CE certificate required by the European Union, FSC, and PEFC.

In fact, they disseminate information about the value of the Montseny and Guilleries massifs, a universal heritage and biosphere reserve, which has forests certified with the PEFC forest management seal. Chestnut wood is extracted from there, with excellent qualities for the manufacture of doors, windows, and furniture due to its high resistance and low permeability.

This wood is felled while guaranteeing its regeneration and is processed in a factory in Montseny itself, simplifying its transformation process and minimizing the economic and environmental cost. Following their philosophy, if a local material is available, it makes no sense to consume fuel to obtain the same thing elsewhere.

Biofusteria also focuses on dissemination through its Ecoblog but also through courses and workshops, especially on eco-friendly wood finishes.

The presence of chemicals is also a key issue for them, especially considering people with respiratory problems or allergies, such as those suffering from MCS. To this end, they treat the wood with oils and varnishes free of toxins and volatile compounds that, in general, conventional furniture contains and which remain suspended in the environment.

Furthermore, due to its properties, wood avoids the negative effects caused by electromagnetic fields and microwaves.

These varnishes penetrate the wood without sealing the pores, allowing the living material to breathe and naturally regulate humidity. This treatment requires minimal maintenance in the case of outdoor furniture to prolong its useful life, and it is not necessary to sand the wood before applying the product.

Following the principles of the circular economy, at Biofusteria they are convinced that ecology does not always go hand in hand with sustainability and that using certified, biological, eco-friendly, and zero-kilometer products can be a hallmark or a first step. However, the next step is being able to guarantee that at the end of its useful life, the product can be reused without having to become waste, as they demonstrate with their practice.

6. Moblebo

Moblebo is a family-owned eco-friendly furniture company from Valencia located in Castellón, with a 40-year history that began as Muebles Vives, a store dedicated to the sale of solid wood furniture. In the back room, they began manufacturing their own furniture for the first time in a small workshop, which would give way to the current Moblebo.

Distribution is carried out from the website or from their physical showroom. As these are handcrafted pieces, their manufacture begins when the order is placed, so they do not have stock. This is the reason why most pieces have a delivery period of 30 to 40 business days.

They offer all types of products for the bathroom, living room, kitchen, and bedroom, whether for children or youth, as well as auxiliary or office furniture. The eco-friendly furniture factory produces them by hand, with a production process that is not intensive in energy consumption. The entire design and production process of their furniture takes place in the workshop, from the arrival of the raw material to the finished product, guaranteeing total supervision at any time during the transformation process. Furthermore, it is important to highlight that they are manufactured at their facilities in Castellón, highlighting the potential of local human capital.

For their manufacture, noble raw materials are used: solid wood, entirely from controlled operations certified with PEFC. It is a material they defend for its beauty and close, pleasant contact, whose age, species, and climate provide characteristics such as its grain, color, or texture. Following these aesthetic criteria, they work with wood varieties such as fir, which, being a species belonging to the conifers, has different characteristics from conventional pine, such as smaller and more uniform knots.

Both the fir and the rest of the wood they work with—oak, ash, and walnut—originate from Scandinavian countries, which implies a transport cost about which Moblebo is critical in line with the considerations of this eco-friendly furniture guide. After consulting them, the company believes that in the future, planting policies for tree species dedicated to furniture production can be promoted at a national level.

Regarding the finishing products they use, these are water-based products, solvent-free, developed from waste plant-based substances and oriented toward the principles of the circular economy, which guarantee products that are respectful of the environment.

Two types are used: water-based polishes or natural beeswax. Moblebo markets a maintenance kit with wax for the care of wood furniture, which provides nourishment with a smooth finish. Most importantly, it does not make the wood greasy as it is a natural material, whereas there are well-known products on the market that do. The method of use is as simple as shaking and spraying at a distance of about 20 cm from the furniture, letting it act for a few minutes, and rubbing gently with a cloth, preferably cotton or wool.

Moblebo has experience with customers suffering from Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS), to whom it always sends a prior sample to guarantee the safety of the product. Furthermore, they hold the Greenguard Gold certification, which ensures that the product is designed for interior spaces as it meets strict emission limits. This seal was developed by evaluating the chemical sensitivity of children and presents the most rigorous product emission criteria to date for low-emission materials.

Finally, following the principles of the circular economy, the only waste they generate in their eco-friendly furniture factory is wood shavings, which they reuse for energy generation.

7. Ecodecomobiliario

ECOdECO is an online eco-friendly furniture store made with recycled materials that operates from Valencia and distributes both nationally and throughout Europe. They offer products made from raw materials full of nuances and stories, which make each piece of furniture unique. In their catalog, we can find tables, shelving, shelves, coat racks, headboards, poufs, sofas, boxes, magazine racks, lighting, planters, and mirrors.

Following the principles of the circular economy, ECOdECO was born from the firm belief that everything has a second life, which is why the wood used is entirely recycled. They recycle fruit boxes or European pallets made from pine wood, which they in turn reuse to form other assemblies.

However, this wood is heavily treated afterward to ensure its durability and a new appearance, achieving a completely smooth touch and the cleanest possible look. To do this, they apply varnishes based on acrylic resins that protect the wood, repel water, and allow the interior moisture of the wood to breathe, protecting it against UV rays. This process achieves a finish with a natural color, thanks to the light tone of the pine wood, but it does not guarantee the absence of toxins as these are artificial materials derived from petroleum.

8. Ecomatalasser

Ecomatalasser is an artisanal company founded in 2013 that offers almost exclusively a product customization service, combining personal and modern design with tradition. The techniques and materials used make the final product an artisanal, high-quality product, far removed from mass and industrial production. The self-production business model consists of a workshop located in the Catalan municipality of Viladomiu Vell and a showroom in the city of Barcelona.

It belongs to the Textile Artisan Guild of Catalonia and the Mattress Makers Guild, in addition to its recognition as cultural and professional artisans for its use of traditional 14th-century techniques adapted to the needs of our times. Ecomatalasser offers all types of bedding textile pieces: mattresses, pillows, and accessories such as poufs, blankets, duvets, sheets, mattress toppers, and mattress protectors; as well as wooden bed frames.

Their discourse is that the current industry only looks to create mass products, without taking into account the natural materials or fibers of the immediate environment. If we seek to be consistent with our health and our environment, adding value to the local and rural economy, we must opt for natural and eco-friendly relaxation. Furthermore, all these materials are beneficial for muscle relaxation, blood circulation, insomnia, stress…

They craft the sleep pieces with their hands using fibers and materials from the natural environment that our ancestors already used. They use natural materials such as organic wool, cotton, linen, hemp, bamboo, kapok, cereal husks, jute, coconut fiber, natural latex, soybean oil, esparto, shells, and a long list of aromatic plants (lavender, mugwort, orange blossom…) that they place inside their sleep pieces.

On their website, they specify the materials that make up each product, such as the mattress made with vegetable horsehair and palm leaf pieces inside, whose outer cover is made of linen and cotton. Cotton is a natural vegetable fiber of great economic importance as a raw material for the manufacture of fabrics and clothing, so it is essential to ensure its correct production. At Ecomatalasser, cotton is used that comes from the Las Marismas cooperative in Seville, which cultivates it following integrated production criteria. Subsequently, it is woven on the looms of Cotó Roig in the municipality of Navarcles.

The márfega, a type of very thin mattress, is filled with organic spelt husks sourced from a farmhouse called Cal Pauet, which practices organic farming and livestock raising, located in the municipality of Ripoll. These husks adapt to the body thanks to their flexibility, providing proper spinal alignment while regulating body temperature.

Another widely used product is natural wool, also sourced from Cal Pauet, which is selected by hand to ensure the fiber is not too long or bulky. It is then fluffed and softened to give the piece a quilted texture. Sleeping on a wool mattress offers a series of positive benefits, as it provides optimal thermal regulation and manages moisture naturally. Additionally, it is naturally immune to dust mites and neutralizes electrostatic charges.

The same applies to other products, which, being made from more natural materials, are more ecological, hypoallergenic, breathable, and free from artificial odors. They have a much longer lifespan than other mid- or low-range mattresses, thus contributing to reduced waste generation. All materials carry the GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) seal, which certifies that the product is made from organic fibers, making it the only one in the eco-furniture guide to hold this certification.

For wooden products, solid wood from the melis pine variety is used, characterized by high quality and very few knots; and beech, directly without knots. Both are obtained from sustainable forests and treated with a natural finish. There is also the option to avoid any metal components, eliminating screws from the equation in a coherent process of rejecting toxins in the interior environment, as it makes no sense to use a healthy bed base and then place artificial bedding on it, or vice versa.

However, it is true that by not adding pesticides, organic products remain unprotected against pathogenic microorganisms, mycotoxins, or insects. A wool mattress has a long lifespan, but maintenance and cleaning are necessary—a service that Ecomatalasser offers throughout Catalonia.

Following the principles of the circular economy, the maintenance process consists of ‘making and remaking’ the mattress, unstitching and emptying the wool to avoid purchasing a new mattress. The cover is washed with natural soap, while the wool is fluffed using traditional methods. Additionally, the user should rotate the mattress a total of 4 times per year, from right to left and from foot to head, bearing in mind that some mattresses have a summer side and a winter side.

9. Futonlit

Futonlit is an eco-furniture company based in Barcelona that since 1988 has been dedicated to selling furniture, Japanese decorative accessories, and the artisanal crafting of the futon, the traditional Japanese mattress.

They manufacture and import an extensive range of beds, tatami platforms, and sofa-bed convertibles, designed to offer an attractive, sober, and functional aesthetic. They also have a wide assortment of Japanese decorative products: wardrobes, lamps, screens, small tables, quilts, hand-painted fabrics, cushions, duvet covers…

Currently, one of their most successful products is the futon-latex, the Western version of the classic futon, which combines the natural qualities of cotton with the elasticity, comfort, and durability of natural latex.

The wood used is high-quality solid wood from environmentally sustainable plantations in northern Europe, of the cinius fir, beech, and Scandinavian pine varieties. For example, the Japanese sliding doors called Shoji made from beech wood are combined with traditional yet delicate rice paper; which can be replaced with raw cotton fabric, more resistant, economical, and easy to replace. Additionally, to prevent the appearance of static electricity and the use of non-ecological materials, the use of metal fittings is avoided (magnetic free).

The textile materials used are 100% natural fibers: pure cotton, natural latex, coconut fiber, and pressed rice straw. The traditional 100% cotton futon is handcrafted with layers of pure cotton superimposed and fixed using a special stitching system that prevents the cotton from shifting or deforming. Being natural, it requires some basic care, such as airing it regularly, turning it over occasionally to prevent the cotton from clumping, and placing it on a firm surface that allows air circulation. This surface can be a traditional Japanese floor made from pressed rice straw, which, in addition to allowing perfect breathability, is an excellent insulator.

The Cocomat represents the new generation of futon, as it combines the properties of three natural fibers: the softness of cotton, the elasticity characteristic of natural latex, and two layers of coconut fiber to provide firmness; all covered by a 100% cotton canvas. It requires no maintenance, does not clump with use, and does not transmit any movement from one side of the mattress to the other.

10. Astigarraga Kit Line

Astigarraga Kit Line is an eco-furniture company from the Basque Country that distributes nationally through conventional stores such as Leroy Merlin, Bauhaus, or online marketplaces such as Mano a mano, and at the European level to the following countries: Germany, France, Portugal, Italy, and Greece. Additionally, they have recently opened an online platform to sell their products directly to consumers. They offer all types of household products: shelving, shoe racks, boxes and drawer units, auxiliary furniture, wine racks, and are a true benchmark in trestles and boards.

Its founder, Juan José Astigarraga, has been a forester since 1950 and has a close personal connection with the forests of the Urola valley in Gipuzkoa, as does his daughter and partner Itziar. Therefore, their goal is to guarantee all phases of production, relying on local nature to integrate the environment into their processes.

Thus, a distinctive feature of this eco-furniture company is that they control all the transformation steps from raw material to marketable product, always in close relationship with local logging and sawmill companies. They have their own production workshop where selected logs arrive at their optimal growth stage, sourced from selective and controlled logging of Insignis pine forests, also known as Radiata pine. When the pines are between 30 and 35 years old, their most mature phase, the wood is extracted, a process complemented by a firm commitment to 100% reforestation.

These are local forests located in the same autonomous community, thus avoiding transportation. Additionally, they are certified with the PEFC seal. They also hold the EU Ecolabel awarded by the European Union for trestles, which, in addition to strict sustainability criteria, values the development of durable products that are easy to repair and recycle, following the principles of the circular economy.

In their workshop, they begin the transformation of this solid wood to obtain uniform boards ready for machining. Based on the absolute reuse of raw materials, the bark is used as biomass to generate energy, and the sawdust and wood chips are sent to paper mills.

The logs converted into boards arrive at the workshop with 90% moisture content, making it impossible to machine them, as they must be dry for use. To achieve this, an almost natural drying process begins, consisting of stacking them outdoors for 4 months, where exposure of the already-cut boards to the elements reduces their moisture content to 20%.

Subsequently, a brief industrial drying process is applied, which consists of circulating hot air around the pieces, all thanks to energy generated through biomass, promoting energy self-sufficiency. In this way, the resulting moisture content of approximately 12% allows the process of shaping the planks into the final product to begin.

Finally, taking into account user health and to avoid the presence of toxins from finishes, the eco-furniture sold features a completely natural finish without any oil or varnish.