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Materials
Last updated on: Wed 24, 2024
Classification Table For Materials Used In Frame Making & Upholstery:
| Types of Fabric | Eco-Friendliness Grade | Extraction Impact | Fabrication Impact | Circularity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kapok | A | Great | Good | Great |
| Organic Linen | A | Good | Good | Great |
| Cork Fabric | A | Great | Good | Great |
| Recycled Wool | A |
Great |
Good | Great |
| Organic Wool | B+ | Good | Moderate | Great |
| Shetland Wool | B | Good | Moderate | Good |
| Organic Cotton | B | Good | Moderate | Good |
| Recycled Polyester | B | Good | Good | Good |
| Natural Latex Foam | B | Moderate | Good | Good |
| Hessian | B | Good | Moderate | Good |
| Conventional Linen | B | Good | Moderate |
Great |
| Recycled Foam | B | Good | Good | Moderate |
| Conventional Wool | C | Moderate | Moderate | Good |
| Foam | D | Poor | Moderate | Moderate |
| Conventional Polyester | D | Poor | Moderate | Poor |
| Conventional Cotton | D | Poor | Moderate | Moderate |
| Nylon | D | Moderate | Poor | Moderate |
| Virgin Polyester | E | Poor | Poor | Moderate |
| Conventional Leather | E | Poor | Poor | Poor |
| Acrylic | E | Poor | Poor | Poor |
| FSC Certified Hardwood | Eco-Friendliness Grade | Extraction Impact | Fabrication Impact | Circularity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ash | A | Great | Great | Good |
| Maple | A | Great | Great | Good |
| Beech | B | Good | Good | Moderate |
| Birch | B | Good | Good | Moderate |
| Oak | B | Good | Good | Moderate |
| Walnut | B | Good | Moderate | Moderate |
| Cherry | B | Good | Moderate | Moderate |
| Hickory | B | Good | Moderate | Moderate |
| Tulipwood | B | Good | Good | Moderate |
| Type of plywood | Eco-Friendliness Grade | Extraction Impact | Fabrication Impact | Circularity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FSC, PEFC certified plywoods | A | Great | Good | Good |
| FSC certified plywood made from fast-growing trees (e.g. bamboo, eucalyptus) | A | Great | Good | Great |
| Plywood made from salvaged or recycled wood | A | Great | Good | Great |
| Formaldehyde-free plywood made from sustainably harvested woodlands | B | Good | Good | Good |
| Plywood made from non-sustainably harvested wood | D | Poor | Moderate | Good |
| Marine-grade plywood made from tropical hardwoods | D | Poor | Poor | Poor |
Grading criteria
Eco-Friendliness Grade:
These grades are based on the overall impact of the material on the environment, including factors such as resource depletion, pollution, energy consumption, and circularity. The grading scale ranges from A to D, with A representing the most eco-friendly and D representing the least eco-friendly.
- A: The material has minimal negative impact on the environment and is highly sustainable.
- B: The material has a low negative impact on the environment and is sustainable.
- C: The material has a moderate negative impact on the environment but can still be considered sustainable if used responsibly.
- D: The material has a significant negative impact on the environment and should be used with caution.
- E: The material has a severe negative impact on the environment and should be avoided if possible.
Extraction Impact:
This grade is based on the impact and energy consumption of extracting the raw material.
- Great: Materials that are extracted with minimal environmental impact, with low energy consumption, low land use, low water use, and low human and animal impact.
- Good: Materials that have a moderate environmental impact during extraction, with moderate energy consumption, moderate land use, moderate water use, and moderate human and animal impact.
- Moderate: Materials that have a significant environmental impact during extraction, with high energy consumption, high land use, high water use, and high human and animal impact.
- Poor: Materials that have a severe environmental impact during extraction, with very high energy consumption, very high land use, very high water use, and very high human and animal impact.
Fabrication Impact:
This grade is based on the energy consumption required to make the material ready for commercial use, as well as the impact that this process has on the environment
- Great: Materials that are fabricated with minimal environmental impact, with low energy consumption, low waste generation, and low human and animal impact.
- Good: Materials that have a moderate environmental impact during fabrication, with moderate energy consumption, moderate waste generation, and moderate human and animal impact.
- Moderate: Materials that have a significant environmental impact during fabrication, with high energy consumption, high waste generation, and high human and animal impact.
- Poor: Materials that have a severe environmental impact during fabrication, with very high energy consumption, very high waste generation, and very high human and animal impact.
Circularity:
This grade is based on how easy it is to recycle or repurpose the material, and the extent to which it can be reused or reprocessed without generating more waste.
- Great: Materials that are highly circular, with a high potential for reuse or recycling, and low generation of waste or pollution.
- Good: Materials that have moderate circularity, with a moderate potential for reuse or recycling, and moderate generation of waste or pollution.
- Moderate: Materials that have low circularity, with a low potential for reuse or recycling, and high generation of waste or pollution.
- Poor: Materials that have very low circularity, with little to no potential for reuse or recycling and very high generation of waste or pollution.
Other criteria
As a company committed to sustainability and responsible sourcing, we work exclusively with suppliers who hold recognised certifications for their products, such as those outlined in our tables for sustainable fabrics and plywood. We believe that by partnering with suppliers who prioritise environmental and social responsibility, we can ensure that our products meet the highest standards of sustainability and ethical production. By choosing to work only with certified suppliers, we are also contributing to the larger movement towards more sustainable and responsible supply chains.
Textile Supplier Certifications
| Textile Certifications | Description | Key Features | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) | A certification for textiles made from organic fibers, including social and environmental criteria. It covers the entire textile supply chain, from harvesting of the raw materials to labeling of the final product. | Covers entire textile supply chain | Includes social and environmental criteria | Requires use of organic fibers | https://global-standard.org/ |
| OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 | A certification that tests for harmful substances in all stages of textile production, including raw materials, intermediate products, and finished textiles. | Tests for harmful substances in all stages of production | Covers raw materials, intermediate products, and finished textiles | Focuses on product safety | https://www.oeko-tex.com/en/ |
| Cradle to Cradle Certified™ | A certification that evaluates products and materials for their sustainability across five categories: material health, material reutilization, renewable energy and carbon management, water stewardship, and social fairness. | Evaluates products across five sustainability categories | Focuses on material health and reutilization | Considers social fairness in production | https://www.c2ccertified.org/ |
| bluesign® | A certification that focuses on the environmental impact of the entire textile supply chain, from raw materials to finished product, with a particular emphasis on resource efficiency and minimizing hazardous substances. | Focuses on environmental impact of entire supply chain | Emphasises resource efficiency and hazard reduction | Includes requirements for worker health and safety | https://www.bluesign.com/ |
| Fairtrade | A certification that ensures that the people who produce the textiles receive fair prices and wages, as well as good working conditions and social and environmental benefits. | Ensures fair prices and wages for producers | Includes social and environmental benefits for producers | Requires good working conditions for producers | https://www.fairtrade.net/ |
Wood Supplier Certifications
| Wood Certifications | Description | Key Features | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) ® | A certification that ensures that the plywood comes from responsibly managed forests. The FSC sets standards for forest management, including protecting biodiversity and indigenous peoples' rights, and promotes the use of responsible practices in the production of forest products. | Ensures responsible forest management | Protects biodiversity and indigenous peoples' rights | Promotes use of responsible practices in production. | https://fsc.org/ |
| Programme For The Endorsement Of Forest Certification (PEFC) | A certification that promotes responsible forest management practices. The PEFC works with national forest certification systems to ensure compliance with its standards. | Promotes responsible forest management practices | Recognised in Europe and Asia | Works with national certification systems | https://www.pefc.org/ |
| Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) | A certification that sets standards for responsible forest management, similar to the FSC and PEFC. The SFI also includes requirements for chain-of-custody certification to track the flow of certified wood products from the forest to the final consumer. | Sets standards for responsible forest management | Includes chain-of-custody certification | Similar to FSC and PEFC | https://forests.org/ |
| Grown in Britain | A certification that promotes British wood products from well-managed forests, supporting local industries and reducing transportation emissions. It covers the entire supply chain, from the forest to the end product. |
• Promotes British wood products from well-managed forests • Supports local industries and reduces transportation emissions |
https://www.growninbritain.org/ |
Disclaimer: The above grading criteria are intended as a general guideline and is derived from independent research. It should not be considered as an exhaustive or definitive assessment of each material or fabric. Each material or fabric may vary on a case-by-case basis, depending on multiple external factors such as the specific manufacturing processes used, the region where the material is sourced and the intended use of the final product.
We are constantly updating our guides and resources to ensure that they are as accurate and up-to-date as possible however we cannot guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information provided and users should always conduct their own research and consult with relevant experts or sources before making any decisions based on this information.
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