The Sustainable Furnishings Council—the collective of manufacturers, retailers and designers who count among their goals “raising awareness and expanding the adoption of environmentally sustainable practices” throughout the home furnishings industry—is returning with its third-annual awards program, #GetYourGreenOn. This year, in recognition of the organization’s recent wood furniture scorecard, which ranks companies’ sourcing practices, the competition’s theme is wood.
The interior design awards celebrate three categories: Shared Spaces, Private Spaces and Outdoor Spaces. “Designers are in an ideal position to move the needle in pollution prevention, supporting healthy environments both inside and outside the home,” says Susan Inglis, SFC executive director. “#GetYourGreenOn gives designers a way to show off their commitment, as well as their design skills.”
What is the organization looking for? With a focus on wood sourcing this year, “[We’re] asking entrants to share their best practices for determining if the wood furniture and furnishings they specified were made from responsibly sourced wood,” as well asking competition entrants to “explain their efforts to reduce the use of hazardous chemicals most commonly found in home furnishings, especially flame-retardant chemicals, fluorinated stain treatments, antimicrobials, vinyl, and VOCs such as formaldehyde, in their projects.” The requirements reflect SFC’s pledge to question “What’s It Made Of?” An initiative of the same name is focused on boosting transparency in supply chains as well as encouraging innovation to remove hazardous substances from clients’ homes.
SFC-member as well as non-member interior designers and design firms are invited to enter. Residential interior design projects completed between April 1, 2017, and March 31, 2018, are eligible, and entries must include at least one product from an SFC-member manufacturer or supplier.
The Shared Spaces category includes great rooms, family rooms, living rooms, dining rooms and media rooms; Private Spaces includes home offices, nurseries, and bedrooms (master, guest and youth); and Outdoor Spaces spans poolside, dining, lounge and garden areas.
