Being a college student with not a lot of money can seem like a real set back when you want to buy furniture for your home, but buying furniture especially sustainable eco friendly furniture doesn’t have to hurt your wallet. The idea of buying sustainable furniture seems like something only people with a lot of money can do but the reality is there are many affordable options when it comes to sustainable furniture even college students can afford. If you search hard enough and look for the right things you will find what you are looking for.

Here are some recommendations we have for when you’re on the hunt for sustainable furniture. 

Use furniture you already have and reclaim it or buy used furniture

Probably the cheapest way to buy furniture is to use furniture you already own and reclaim it. Maybe your friends and family are getting rid of furniture they don’t want anymore and they might give you free furniture or sell it to you for a cheap price. Once you have the furniture piece you want you can pull it apart and make something new from it and it will be completely unique to you and your home. Another way to get furniture for an affordable price is to go to thrift stores like Goodwill or you can go to resellers online and off preferably off so that nothing has to be shipped and cause a big carbon footprint. People are always selling great quality furniture pieces for a fraction of the cost and all you have to do is go pick it up. 

Make a list of Affordable Sustainable Furniture companies you like  

There are many small and big sustainable furniture companies that sell eco-friendly furniture all around the world and it can seem a little overwhelming to know where to start. After searching for a while everything can seem to blend into one but when searching for sustainable furniture companies make sure they have everything you are specifically looking for in their products. Usually it is better to find local sustainable furniture companies so you don’t have to wait for shipping and you’re also supporting small businesses. The furniture sold in small businesses can also end up being way more affordable than buying from a big sustainable furniture company which will end up saving you a lot more money. 

Make sure where you’re buying from is legit

Now once you have found what companies you are interested in buying from do a little more research and make sure they are credible. Any company can go out and say their furniture is made from sustainable materials but you have to ask yourself does this seem legit? A good way to tell if a furniture company is actually sustainable is to check if they have credibility from Global Organic Textiles Standards (GOTS),The Greenguard Certification program, or the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) all these institutions legitimize companies eco-efforts and claims so if you are buying from a company that is certified by these institutions there is no need to question whether or not it is actually sustainable. 

These simple tips for shopping for sustainable furniture will hopefully make it easier to see how and where to shop for furniture pieces that are not only going to make your home look great but will also make you feel great knowing you are one step closer to helping out the planet one sustainable furniture piece at a time.