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What to Look for when Buying New Furniture

Avoid furniture made of laminated wood, pressed wood, plywood, particleboard, and chipboard, all of which may contain formaldehyde, a probable carcinogen, allergen, and irritant. Particleboard looks like wood shavings glued together with no visible grain. Plywood is fairly thin with a grain. Unfinished edges reveal that a number of layers have been stacked and glued together.

  • Ask for independently certified wood furniture, a guarantee that the wood was harvested sustainably. If you are having furniture custom-made, it's also worth asking for "reclaimed" or "recycled" lumber-wood that's been salvaged from old buildings. Reclaimed or recycled wood is often quite charming in its appearance.
  • Buy unfinished wood furniture if possible. You can have it finished with less toxic, low-VOC, and water-based polyurethane stains and sealants, or with tung oil and beeswax that, although aromatic when applied, are quite safe once dry.
  • Since it's not always possible to avoid plywood or particleboard in furniture, apply a finish to the exposed, bare wood to keep fumes from being released into the air.
  • Apply sealants outdoors or in a well-ventilated area by someone who is not pregnant, and keep young children away until the furniture is completely dry.
  • Avoid plastic, especially polyvinyl chloride (PVC) furniture, which is linked with many adverse health effects, including birth defects, immune system disorders, reproductive health disorders, endocrine and nervous system abnormalities, and cancers.
  • Have sofas, loveseats, and chairs custom-made with organic cotton and wool fill. Wool is naturally flame-retardant.
  • Avoid futons with foam cores. Purchase 100 percent cotton futons instead.
  • Allow time and space for offgassing for all newly purchased furniture.
  • Room dividers should let light and air circulate through both sections of the room, be firmly attached so your children cannot pull them over, and made of, and painted or finished with, VOC-free materials. Japanese shoji screens are a good choice because they're traditionally made of non-toxic materials.
  • When cleaning furniture, use environmentally friendly cleaners.

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