Page 111 - Southern Oregon Magazine Winter 2018

Are you ready for some happy news? Let us shift gears, and go back
to what companies can do who care about the world. Many amazing
companies in our country make beautiful, eco-conscious sofas. One of
my favorites is Lee Industries, founded in 1969 with 10 people, and is
an industry standard for ethics and quality.

Here is a quick snapshot of a company who has the kind of ethics we
can appreciate these days:

Lee has donated over 142,515 trees to The American Forests

Cushions are soy-based, recycled fiber cushions which save 64 gallons
of crude oil per day in manufacturing

One sofa cushion uses 116 recycled plastic bottles

95 percent of the company’s manufacturing waste is recycled

There’s an old saying that your sofa is the biggest martyr in your home,
highly abused and vastly underappreciated. We often come home and
plop on the sofa to relax, and for sure don’t think about how or where
it was made.

If you have an heirloom sofa from Grandma that is stylish, it may be
a better option to have it re-upholstered than buy a new sofa of lesser
quality. Vintage sofas tend to be 8-way hand-tied beasts that you cannot
shut down! They just might need a new “do” on the outside. Ask your
upholsterer about natural fill options when having it redone. Private Creekside Cottage

When it comes to fabrics, we have an amazing resource here in the In Jac k son ville
valley. Henry Calvin Fabrics has been procuring the finest natural
fabrics since 1953, and was the first company in the U.S. to import
Belgian linen. For over 60 years Calvin has been a leader in promoting
beautiful, natural, sustainable fabrics. The company has procured deep
relationships with time-honored mills throughout Europe, and it is a
treasure that they have relocated to our valley from San Francisco.

As a designer, I come face-to-face daily with folks who shop online and
are motivated only by price and what “appears” to be hip and afford-
able. I feel compelled to say that in my opinion price is NOT the most
important factor when choosing the furnishings for your home. You
will share your home with family and friends for years and years, you
will sleep on your sofa, you will curl up to watch a movie. If you make
the right choice, your sofa will become a part of the family in a healthy,
appreciated way.

So take time to research and consider your furniture purchases.
You and the earth will be glad you did.

Sources:
*Furniture Today Magazine 9/7/2017
**Forbes 10/24/2017 Book your Wine Country stay now!
+factsanddetails.com/airpollutionchina
205 W. D St. Jacksonville | www.standishcottage.com

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