Decoding the Nomenclature of Natural Furnishings
Once you start to shop around for natural and eco-friendly furnishings, you may encounter a whole new set of terminology that does not come into play when buying conventional products. Here is a short glossary to help decipher and decode some of the more common and more important terms.
FSC:
This abbreviation will be found on the tags of wooden furniture if the wood in question has been certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). Certification to FSC standards involves third-party evaluation and monitoring of sustainable forestry practices, so the FSC designation indicates that the product is more eco- friendly.
VOC:
VOC stands for Volatile Organic Compounds. These are nasty-smelling chemical compounds often used in the recipe for paints, stains, and glues. They are a source of harmful greenhouse gases and there is even evidence that some of them can also continue to compromise air quality inside the home. Choose low or no-VOC as a healthier and greener alternative.
Organic Cotton:
Conventional cotton production relies heavily upon toxic pesticides to keep insects like the boll weevil from destroying the cotton crop. But in order to be certified as organic, cotton must be grown without the use of those non-organic fertilizers and pesticides and then colored with natural dyes.
Kapok:
Kapok is a fiber contained within the seed pods of the Cieba tree. To harvest kapok the fibers are removed from the seed pods and then cleaned and dried, in a process not unlike that used to harvest cotton (although cotton does not derive from seeds but from the bud of the plant). Kapok fiber is often used to stuff pillows because it is soft but highly resilient. Because the tree is not harmed when the seed pods are harvested, kapok is deemed an eco-friendly alternative to synthetic or non-organic fibers.
You may also encounter other eco-friendly products or furnishings made from everything from milk-based paints to sustainably harvested cork flooring or recycled glass. If you don't understand what you're buying, don't be afraid to ask. If the retailer doesn't know the answer you may want to shop elsewhere - but if they do they will be proud to share their eco-info.
