Organic sofa
by on 12.29.04
Plonk your posterior (and two others) down on one of these. Handmade, one at a time, to order. Organic hemp upholstered over organic cotton cushioning batts, which are wrapped in a barrier of organic cotton sheeting. Frames of American hardwood timber, from “well managed” forests, with maple feet. Individual craftsmanship is not cheap alas. $5,200 USD. ::Bean Products [by WM]
i love these things as much as the next tree-hugger, but it behooves me to say that I can't wait until some of these products are MASS PRODUCED! we all know that there are now a myriad of ways to mass produce things efficiently and virtuallt waste-free, so whats the deal? There was a beautiful shop here in my town featuring furniture from ecological designers in Italy.. people loved the joint, but the prices.... eventually the proprietors gave up on eco, and are now selling "more affordable" furniture. it saddens me to see that we are not aiming to middle-americans with proces that are great for julia louise dreyfus and liv tyler but not really for the people who are shopping at Best Buy, Lowes and the like.... if its economies of scale, when will we see someone bumping up to mass production?? when the prices drop (lets say to 135% the price of the people-killing polluting versions, instead of 500%) we will finally see just how green people are... at this point (for lack of a better word) it just doesn't seem sustainable
Lee, you're right, it is disappointing that such products are beyond the reach of the average joe and jo. But the problem is not always as simple as supply-and-demand. Other influences are at play. In many cases designers and suppliers would love to sell their wares to a broader audience. But cost contraints dictate pricing. Hemp, for example, must be imported to the States, being illegal to grow in the US. Some government departments will subsidise rape-and-pillage clearfelling forestry on one hand and fail to support sustainably certified forests on the other. Similarly organic farmers bravely go it alone, in the face of massively subsidised chemical and GMO based 'traditional' agriculture. When the eco-material suppliers are Davids staring down a Goliath, their costs are higher, simply due to smaller economies of scale. We can assist by purchasing green goods, when our wallet or purse allows, while lobbying industry and governments to support world's best practice, not just the lowest common denominator.
again as the person before me, i am searching for affordable furniture for my home that is environmentally safe. it is impossible. sad to think we have to be rich to live in a safe from toxins environment. we have made the transition from conventional food to organic, but can't afford to go any further.
lovely sofa though...