Chemical-free, natural, and organic sofas: where to find one, and why you need one

I started The Natural Sleep Store 12 years ago because I bought a memory foam mattress that smelled so bad I couldn’t bring it into my house.  During this process, I researched the cause of the odor, and learned about all the toxins that are emitted from a non organic mattress.  Unfortunately, these same toxins can be found in most conventional sofas and upholstered furniture.  Although most of us spend more time in bed than on the sofa, it is so important to keep one’s entire home as pure as possible to avoid the toxic chemicals that are known to cause harm to our precious health.  For this reason, it is  important to choose a natural or organic sofa and other natural furniture.

Why an organic sofa?  Conventional sofas are filled with chemicals that could be harmful to one’s health.  In the toxic world we live in, I want to give myself and my family the best chance possible to maintain good health.  Bringing toxins into my home is one thing I try to avoid at all costs.  Conventional sofas are made with fossil fuel based foams that are processed with a variety of solvents.  These solvents get trapped in air bubbles (air bubbles are what makes foam, foam) and then are slowly released and evaporate into the air we breathe, this is what we call outgassing.  The amount of solvents evaporating into the air is reduced over time, but then the polyurethane foam itself begins to degrade which then releases additional particles into the air.  In a conventional sofa, the outgassing from petroleum based foams and solvents is one of the main concerns to our health. The outgassing foam is the KNOWN threat to our health.  Of even more concern to me, is the UNKNOWN threat of flame retardants that are added to conventional sofas.  Flame retardants do not need to be disclosed to the consumer by manufacturing companies, so how do we know what chemicals we are bringing into our house?  Many flame retardants are known to be harmful to health from being known carcinogens to causing other health problems. 

I have wanted a chemical free and natural sofa since I started The Natural Sleep Store 12 years ago, but the options then were extremely limited.  Today there are a variety of options from “low outgassing and chemical-free”, to natural materials, to all organic.  Beware, some larger furniture companies offer organic fabric, but make no claims about being free of flame retardants or having a healthy foam option, so be sure to do all your research on all the materials used in the sofa.

We are now offering organic sofas by TFS Honest Sleep!  At great prices, you can choose how many cushions you want, what you want your seat cushions made out of (which determines how firm or soft they are) and you can choose from a variety of organic fabrics.  If you are just looking to avoid outgassing and chemicals (there are none in these sofas), the natural option is the most economical.  Made from organic cotton, coconut coir, natural wool, and natural latex, these sofas will keep your home free from toxins!  Or if you are hard core about organics, you can choose an all organic upgrade for a little extra.  Available both as a sofa and as a sectional with a chaise.  We are thrilled with these organic sofas by TFS Honest Sleep.

We love Savvy Rest.  We’ve been selling Savvy Rest mattresses since we opened our doors, and now Savvy Rest has an organic sofa (as well as an organic loveseat and an organic armchair)!  Here are the positives:  Aside from having no chemical flame retardants, Savvy Rest sofas also have NO formaldehyde glue, cardboard, metal coils, particle board, plywood, veneer, polyester, polypropylene, polyurethane, toxic stains, dacron batting, feathers or down. Savvy Rest uses certified natural talalay latex and organic wool for their sofa cushions.  You can choose from a variety of organic cotton and natural hemp fabric options (with 25 different fabric options).  The frames are made from sustainable maple with natural jute webbing.  The legs are finished with a Zero-VOC finish (with three different options).  Every detail has been considered in this organic sofa line! If you are a hard core organic enthusiast, this is the sofa for you!  Another positive is that you can choose if you want firm or soft seat cushions.  The drawback is that Savvy Rest only offers one style, so if this is not the style you like, you might not find what you want. 

In my own ongoing search to find natural furniture, I recently stumbled on an amazing option (at very reasonable prices). Medley! You can find many different styles of natural sofas, loveseats, armchairs, sectionals, and ottomans at Medley!

In our blog, we typically just highlight our own products and not send people off site, however, I like Medley so much I would like to share it with all the people out there who have been searching for natural furniture like myself.  If you just want to avoid chemicals, you can choose lower priced options, like CertiPUR-US certified foam.  This foam is a traditional fossil fuel based foam, however it has been tested to have VOCs lower than 3 parts per million.  Want to avoid fossil fuels? You can choose natural latex foam made from the sap of rubber trees.  All Medley furniture is made from fabrics not treated with chemical flame retardants or other finishes like Teflon, so you will automatically avoid that too.  All Medley frames are made with solid wood (and carry a lifetime warranty). You can choose synthetic fabrics for a more durable option, or you can choose from a selection of organic fabrics.  Depending on if you are just trying to avoid chemicals, if you want an all natural sofa, or if you want organic fabric, you can customize the piece that you want.  There is also a great selection of styles, so you can likely find a style that fits your decor.  I like a mid-century style, so I choose the Zavis sofa and Pel arm chairs.

Keep yourself and your family healthy, find an organic or natural sofa that is free from harmful toxins.  View our organic sofas by TFS Honest Sleep or check out our highly recommended manufacturers  Savvy Rest or Medley and to choose a chemical-free, all natural, or organic option.