No matter how minimalist your home may be, we all have stuff to store — so check out these sustainable dressers, media consoles, sideboards, and other storage furniture to help you keep everything stored away in style.
What Makes Storage Furniture Sustainable?
As with anything in sustainability, there are various approaches that can make something “sustainable”.
Secondhand
With over 12 million tons (or 24 billion pounds) of furniture getting wasted each year in the United States alone, it’s definitely a great idea to look used when possible!
Secondhand not only helps divert furniture from the landfill, but reduces the need to extract new materials, whether that’s metal, wood, cotton, or increasingly, petroleum for synthetic fabrics and plastic.
Responsibly Sourced Wood
Most storage furniture is made from wood (or engineered wood). While wood is a natural material, we also know that deforestation is a massive issue.
So, look for domestic or certified sustainably-sourced wood when purchasing wooden furniture. The largest most common certification is FSC-, which stands for Forest Stewardship Council, Certified.
Even better is if you can find furniture made from reclaimed wood! This is basically upcycled wood that is being repurposed. Ttis reclaimed wood can come from old barns, ships, factories, warehouses, or even wine barrels!
Non-Toxic Finishes
Unfortunately, many wood finishes contain harmful petroleum- and chemical-based solvents which can emit VOCs, or volatile organic compounds.
While the toxicity is most severe during application and does reduce with time, the chemicals can build up in your home, so you may feel most comfortable minimizing risk of VOCs.
Why does this matter? Well, the EPA reports that indoor air can be 2-5 times more polluted than outdoor air — largely due to what we bring into our homes, from furniture to household cleaners.
Look for low-VOC finishes, water-based finishes, or plant-based oil finishes. Check out the Environmental Working Group’s guide to wood stains and finishes for more.
Where Can I Find Sustainable Storage Furniture?
Well, we’ve done the hard work for you and curated 10 brands with sustainable dressers, sideboards, TV stands, media consoles, and more.
This guide includes affiliate links. As always, all brands meet strict criteria and are brands we love — and that we think you’ll love too!
1. Medley
Medley’s sustainable storage pieces are handmade just for you in California. All of the company’s wood furniture is made using sustainably-sourced domestic woods and finished with beeswax.
Categories: Dressers, Credenzas, Shelves, Media Centers, Nightstands
Price Range: $995+
2. Avocado Mattress
Elegantly designed and built to last, Avocado Mattress uses either sustainably-harvested hardwood or reclaimed wood for their sustainable dressers and other storage furniture. Everything is made in the company’s own LA workshop!
Categories: Dressers, End Tables, Nightstands
Price Range: $750+
3. Masaya & Co
Originally founded as a reforestation project, Masaya & Co is committed to responsible sourcing for all of their sustainable storage furniture. Each piece — from bookshelves to credenzas — is constructed by skilled artisans in Nicaragua from 100% solid wood. Masaya & Co’s furniture is available in teak, mahogany, or walnut and most items are made to order.
Price Range: $940+
Categories: Dressers, Credenzas, Shelves, TV Stands / Media Cabinets
4. Chairish
Vintage retailer Chairish is truly a treasure trove of unique finds! While a bit on the pricier side, you can find some extra special one-of-a-kind gems here, including vintage dressers, credenzas, cabinets, and other storage items.
Categories: Credenzas & Sideboards, Nightstands, Cabinets, Dressers, Shelving
5. West Elm Sustainably Sourced Collection
West Elm is getting serious about sustainability with eco-friendly storage furniture that’s GREENGUARD Gold Certified, crafted in Fair Trade Certified facilities, made from responsibly-sourced wood, and/or Contract Grade (i.e. high quality + durable).
Categories: Dressers, Nightstands, Media Consoles, Sideboards
Price Range: $599+
6. VivaTerra
Green lifestyle retailer VivaTerra has gorgeous sustainable dressers, cabinets and more in a variety of styles. The retailer sources furniture made from materials like reclaimed wood, seagrass, and solid sustainably sourced wood.
Categories: Dressers, Media Consoles, Cabinets, Cupboards
Price Range: $499+
7. AptDeco
This marketplace is changing the game when it comes to secondhand furniture, making it easier than ever to buy and sell used furnishings. AptDeco handles all of the logistics to get the furniture from seller to buyer. (Currently only available in NY, SF, and Philadelphia.)
Categories: Dressers, Credenzas & Sideboards, Nightstands, Shelves, Media Consoles
8. Myakka
Myakka is a fair trade furniture brand with beautiful, quality pieces made by artisans in India, Vietnam, and Thailand. The storage furniture is crafted from solid wood such as Indian rosewood and mango wood.
Categories: Sideboards, TV Units, Cabinets, Console Tables, Chests
Price Range: £479
9. The Joinery
As a Certified B-Corporation, sustainability is embedded into The Joinery’s business model. The company’s hardwood furniture is handcrafted from sustainably-managed forests and made responsibly in their own Portland workshop.
Categories: Dressers, Nightstands, Sideboards, Media Consoles, Office Storage
Price Range:
10. Etsy
Etsy has just about everything, including sustainable storage furniture! You can find vintage and pre-loved pieces, reclaimed wood options, and locally made sustainable wood storage items as well.
Categories: Dressers, Credenzas & Sideboards, Nightstands, Shelves, Media Consoles
More Guides Like This:
27 Best Places to Find Sustainable Furniture
8 Gorgeous Sustainable Tables to Gather Around
Best Eco-Friendly and Non-Toxic Sofas to Relax In
Pin to reference later:
