In the US, the amount of furniture discarded as waste each year increased by nearly 50% between 2000 and 2018. Given this increased consumption, it is ever more important to minimize the carbon footprint of each piece of furniture.
According to the Furniture Industry Research Association, common furnishings such as office chairs, bookshelves, and sofas are responsible for up to 90 kg CO2eq each by the time they leave the factory. Components made of metal and wood are among the chief contributors to furnishings’ carbon footprints.
Replacing these with plastic when possible is one way to lower an item’s carbon footprint—and incorporating UBQ™ can make an even greater difference. UBQ Materials enables furniture manufacturers to create household items such as chairs, tables, closets, sheds and more, all while meeting sustainability objectives to reduce their carbon footprint.