This is a guest article by Dan Beckles, Director and Co-Founder at Furniturebox.
Striving For A More Sustainable eCommerce World
We strive to work with sustainable materials and FSC-certified suppliers. We’re also excited to be introducing products with 100% recyclable packing and are working with our suppliers to reduce packaging waste wherever possible. We offer a range of sofas and beds upholstered in 100% recycled polyester, made from recycled plastic bottles and this is just the start as we look to expand into further product ranges with recycled or environmentally friendly materials.
Every year we work with Earthly to invest in ecological projects and offset our carbon footprint, whilst working in the future to be carbon neutral. We’ve helped fund tropical forest protection in Keo Siema Wildlife Sanctuary, Cambodia and Mai Ndombe in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as well as mangrove restoration in Maroalika, Madagascar. We’re in the process of renewing our Climate Positive Business certification and looking at all areas of the business, including our direct emissions, energy consumptions, transportation and waste.
We also donate a lot of returns to a Wiltshire charity called KFR (who support vulnerable families and those on low income), to avoid these items ending in landfill and to give them a second lease of life to those who really need the support. We are invested in trying to promote a circular economy and being able to support a charity in the process is fantastic!
Our new warehouse facility is also run on solar power and has 18 electric car charging spaces. We offer a salary sacrifice-based EV car scheme and cycle to work scheme to staff, too.
Why FSC?
Taking care of the planet is hugely important to us, as it should be to everyone. Becoming FSC certified is a bit of a no-brainer in terms of trying to do our bit to minimise the impacts of working in furniture retail. We wanted to ensure all wood we used is coming from sustainable sources and this certification shows our commitment to upholding this value.
Having recently started our change over to FSC products, we are really pleased that our first FSC certified dining tables and desks are now available – the Sofia round and rectangular tables and Ivan desks.
We are also very excited to have welcomed our first FSC outdoor garden products this summer, which include the Vitur Solid Wood Outdoor Sofa, Nata Solid Wood and Rattan Sun Lounger, the Brisa Solid Wood 6 Seat Sofa Set and the Malva Wood and Metal 6 Seat Extending Dining Set.
Most recently we have received our first FSC wooden chairs into stock The Bonnie Oak and Veneer Wooden Rope Dining Chairs, the Lugar Solid Beech Wooden Rope Dining Chairs, the Masa Solid oak Veneer Wooden Dining Chairs and the Emy Oak Venner Wooden Bar Chairs.
We’re eagerly working our way through a changeover of stock to new FSC certified products made up of dining tables, dining chairs, wooden beds, bedside tables and mirrors which will be available on our website in the near future.
A Commitment To Our Customers
Of course, being FSC certified is an amazing USP, but that wasn’t the primary driver behind seeking it out. Both myself and Monty are very aware of the impacts of global e-commerce on climate change and really just wanted to be part of the change we want to see in the world. By holding this certification ourselves this passes the onus onto us to be accountable for our actions and sourcing, which in turn will demonstrate our sustainability commitment to customers.
Do It For The Right Reasons
Gaining FSC certification is a robust process – as it should be. It’s a commitment to do and be better, and that needs to be a core ethos to your business. My advice to anyone looking to become certified is to understand that the process isn’t a tick-box exercise, and that time, effort and a lot of data will be needed to get where you want to be with it. It’s also an on-going dynamic relationship with FSC, not a once-and-done thing, so this isn’t something you should go into dismissively.
For more information, head to the Furniturebox website