7 Best Non-Toxic Couch Brands for Eco-Friendly Homes

There’s nothing like relaxing on a comfortable, homey sofa, but they aren’t all void of potential hazards. Many chemicals and materials used to create your couch have harmful environmental effects.

Flame retardants companies use to fireproof your couch may harm you by dusting your surroundings. Metals and filling foam ingredients can also pose a hazard.

Are there non-toxic sofa brands for the environmentally conscious? Thankfully, yes! There are a handful of well-known sofa makers that create living space lounges without toxic flame retardants.

Let’s take a look at them before going into more detail and wrapping up with frequently asked questions.

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List of Non-Toxic Sofa Brands

The following is my list of the best non-toxic couch makers on the market.

• Medley Home
• Sabai Design
• Cisco Home
• Savvy Rest
• Pottery Barn
• Burrow
• EcoBalanza
• Pure Upholstery
• MGBW Home

Each of the above couch and furniture makers devote themselves to clean, ethical creation processes without long-term impacts.

Let’s discuss each one more closely, including brief histories, their unique touches, and their firm commitment to non-toxic furniture.

Medley Home

Brother Travis and Ryan started Medley in 2005 hoping to bring sustainable and long-lasting furniture to the US.

Based in California, the brothers’ company wants to decrease the number of living fixtures in landfills and furnish homes with eco-friendly materials void of harmful chemicals and processes.

Medley Home sofas, like its other products, are made with CertiPUR-US foam that contains neither toxic flame retardants nor formaldehyde.

With Dunlop antimicrobial latex, the inside of Medley’s couches is completely clean. Finally, plant-based furniture polishes allow you to lounge peacefully without worries of toxic residues.

Medley does not make furniture out of metal, using only pure alder, walnut, maple wood, and bamboo.

Sabai Design

College colleagues Phantila Phataprasit and Caitlin Ellen founded Sabai Design as recently as 2018. The young women aspired to bring a sustainable touch to furniture making beyond just a marketable buzzword.

Sabai Design uses eco-friendly materials and passionately adopts a “repair don’t replace” policy that lets customers trade in their used Sabai products.

FSC-certified wood, CertiPUR-US foam, and upcycled fabrics are the trademarks of Sabai design. When you no longer want your toxin-free sofa, the company will rebuy it from you, and interested customers can purchase each Sabai Revive recycled furniture piece.

Not only does it help the environment, but it also gives buyers a noticeable discount on prices.

Cisco Home

Beginning in 1975, Cisco founder Cisco Pinedo strives to circulate authentic, environmentally-friendly furniture like sofas.

Without compromising comfort or craftsmanship, the company services all of the US. Like others, Cisco Home accepts used and discarded furniture pieces for retouching to minimize landfill impacts.

Starting with its 2005 Inside Green movement, Cisco Home is transparent about its materials. Approved foam and latex eliminate toxic risks.

Jute, hemp, organic cotton, and wool naturally resist flames without harming anyone. Cisco Home strikes the perfect balance between legacy, sustainability, and authenticity.

Savvy Rest

Savvy Rest is an organic furniture company primarily focusing on mattresses, beds, and couches. Founded by CEO John Howard-Smith, customers can order custom-made Verona sofas.

Each consists of pure hardwood without flame retardants, inorganic upholstery, formaldehyde glue, or metal coils.

Each Verona sofa is handmade by Virginian craftspeople and tailored to your unique softness, color, and design needs.

Savvy Rest lets its customers have more than just one eco-friendly option, with several choices of organic latex, fabric, and other materials.

The company proves how being environmentally conscious doesn’t have to be limiting.

Pottery Barn

Pottery Barn is the most well-known and long-lasting non-toxic couch supplier on this list. For over 70 years, the company has retained genuine craftsmanship, modest pricing, high availability, and eco-friendly practices.

Pottery Barn’s extensive online catalog contains hundreds of organic couches, mattresses, linens, pillows, and other lounging furniture.

Not only are Pottery Barn couches certified non-toxic, but they also lack chemicals, beginning with a pesticide-free growing process.

Recently, the company began retouching old furniture and donating to environmental charities that plant trees, reduce waste, and support fair trade. Pottery Barn is a perfect example of how you can get safe couches from well-known sources.

Burrow

Burrow aspires to bring the functional Scandinavian furniture style to the US while reducing its carbon footprint. Among the company’s extensive catalog are modular sofas, each with a guarantee of sustainable materials and no toxins.

You won’t find ozone depleters, non-certified foams, and heavy metals in Burrow’s creative process.

Customers can enjoy stain-resistant cushioning, quality textiles, and durable, robust furniture frames.

Burrow does not currently have a plan for repurposing old decor; however, the company makes its pieces to last the years, unlike the weak plywood furniture populating the market. The designs are versatile and affordable, and shipping is free.

EcoBalanza

EcoBalanza is an organic sofa company that uses only green, non-toxic materials in its furniture pieces. More specifically, the business aims to make seating spaces safe for customers with environmental concerns and multiple chemical sensitivities.

Materials like Egyptian hemp twine, kapok, and non-toxic fabric comprise the pieces in EcoBalanza’s catalog.

EcoBalanza furniture lasts, is naturally mold resistant, and is durable.  The company’s catalog has a balance of vintage and modern seating spaces in various colors.

There are no toxic flame retardants or uncertified foams in EcoBalanza couches. However, EcoBalanza designs include steel springs that are difficult to recycle, so buy them with caution.

Pure Upholstery

Pure Upholstery is a subsidiary of The Organic Mattress Inc. The business provides non-toxic bedding, lounges, and other furniture, using all-natural means to circumvent the dangerous materials typical couch makers use.

Pure Upholstery products abide by the Global Organic Standards for textiles and latex, which certifies their non-toxicity for home use.

In place of furniture glue, Pure Upholstery uses benign Simalfa water adhesives. Organic cotton and wool are staples in every piece, and the company offers brushed brass parts instead of heavy metals.

Altogether, Pure Upholstery makes functional and environmentally conscious couches that let you rest easy.

MGBW Home

Mitchell Gold and Bob Williams teamed up to form MGBW home, an extensive furnishing business covering niches outdoors, indoors, and everywhere in between.

Sofas, sectionals, and other lounges are a significant portion of MGBW’s living room catalog, and each features sustainable and non-toxic materials.

One of the unique eco-friendly offerings of MGBW is repurposed leather which is retrieved from landfills. The couch fillings are soy-based, and the glue used in the construction process is water-soluble and biodegradable.

While the couches are non-toxic, there are still low VOC emissions due to MGBW’s recycled fabrics. Still, the sofas are safe, comfortable, and luxurious.

Frequently Asked Questions about Sofa Brands

Now that you’re acquainted with my top nine non-toxic sofa brands, I want to clear up the lingering questions customers often have. For that, let’s look at the questions people frequently ask about sofa toxins.

Are Ashley Furniture couches non-toxic?

Awareness about toxic flame retardants grew tremendously in 2015, leading Ashley Furniture to abandon its unsavory sofa chemicals.

Today, the company adopts Greenguard, a program that works with Delta Kids to rid formaldehyde and poisons from the company’s furniture building processes.

Ashley Furniture couches are guaranteed free of lead, heavy metals, phthalates, formaldehyde, and fire retardant chemicals (though we can’t say they are the highest quality).

What is a non-toxic sofa?

When you first hear the term “non-toxic sofa,” it may evoke confusion, considering it doesn’t fit typical ideas of toxins and poisons.

A non-toxic sofa is one that contains materials known to have long-term impacts with repeated exposure. With time, chemical dusting occurs, causing the toxins to be absorbed into peoples’ bodies.

Scientists and researchers established correlations between toxic furniture and long-term health conditions like cancers.

If possible, I urge you to verify that your furniture company’s materials are non-toxic and safe for your current and future house residents.

How can you tell if furniture is non-toxic?

The easiest way to determine if your furniture is non-toxic is to check the manufacturer’s website. If the sofa contains certified materials, the item description or business homepage will likely include that information.

Furthermore, toxin-free couches often include labels on the bottom or back of the couch. The lack of one of these labels indicates that your supplier likely used potentially dangerous foams and chemicals in the creation process.

The toxic effects of couch materials may be imperceptible until health complications occur. If you’re uncertain or unable to find information about the safety of your couch, call your manufacturer for help.

What is the least toxic material for sofas?

The least toxic material for sofas is to use natural materials such as cotton, jute, hemp, or linen for the upholstery. It would be even better if you could opt for GOTS certified organic cotton or OEKO Tex Standard. Additionally, it is advisable to choose sofas made of locally available wood for a more sustainable option.

Are microfiber sofas toxic?

Microfiber sofas are not toxic as they are made from ultrafine synthetic yarns, typically polyester and nylon, which are derived from crude oil. Polyester, although a terminal product in a chain of reactive precursors, is not inherently toxic. While some precursors used in its production may be carcinogens, the final polyester material itself is not poisonous.

Is a polyester couch toxic?

A polyester couch is toxic due to the presence of numerous toxic chemicals embedded in the synthetic material. Chemicals like thermoplastic, found in synthetic materials such as acrylic, nylon, and polyester, release plastic molecules when heated, contributing to their toxicity.

Are most couches made with formaldehyde?

Most couches are made with formaldehyde. Newly manufactured wood items, including flooring and furniture, contain higher levels of formaldehyde compared to older ones.

How do you know if furniture is toxic?

Furniture can be determined as toxic by considering certain factors. It is advisable to opt for items labeled as nontoxic, as they are generally a safer choice compared to those without such labeling. However, it is recommended to select furniture and decor that possess reputable third-party certifications like OEKO-TEX, Greenguard, and GOTS for added assurance.

What couch material does not pill?

The couch material that does not pill is cotton, as it offers excellent durability, color retention, and resistance to pilling due to its natural fiber composition.

Do leather couches have flame retardants?

Leather couches do have flame retardants, and it has been observed that these flame retardants tend to wear off easily. The fillings in most leather sofas typically contain flame retardants.

Is there a healthy sofa?

There are healthy sofas available if you look for linen, organic cotton, or hemp fabric where possible. It is even better if the fabric has the GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) certification. If you prefer a leather couch, opt for vegetable-tanned leather instead of chrome-tanned leather, as the latter uses highly toxic chemicals.

What is a good quality couch made of?

A good quality couch is typically made of a solid hardwood frame, preferably kiln-dried oak, beech, or ash. Cheaper sofas may have frames made from particleboard, plastic, or metal, but these materials are not as durable. Pine frames are more economical but tend to warp and wobble within about five years.

What is the most hypoallergenic couch?

The most hypoallergenic couch options for allergy sufferers are likely leather and vinyl upholstery.

Do all sofas have formaldehyde?

All sofas do not necessarily have formaldehyde, but many companies use engineered wood or manufactured wood to make them lighter and more affordable. These materials are often bonded together with toxic chemicals like phenol-formaldehyde or urea-formaldehyde.

Does all furniture expose you to formaldehyde?

All furniture products made with formaldehyde-containing adhesives, paints, lacquers, and other coatings, as well as composite wood products made with formaldehyde-containing adhesives like particleboard, plywood, and fiberboard, can expose you to formaldehyde.

Do all couches have flame retardants?

All couches do not have flame retardants. However, it is worth noting that most new furniture in the US complies with the updated standard TB117-2013, which includes a tag specifying whether or not the furniture contains flame retardants.

Conclusion

Healthy living starts with the right environment furnished with the best non-toxic furniture. Today, plenty of companies are going green to avoid the potentially hazardous foams, flame retardants, and heavy metals in their couches.

In the process, they are lowering their carbon footprints, upcycling, and reducing the amount of furniture in landfills. It’s a win-win for everyone.

Between these nine fantastic options and many more, there’s a new generation of handcrafted furniture producers.

Each is ready to sell you a couch that will last a lifetime, keep you healthy, and allow you to rest easy every day.