If you need new kitchen or bathroom cabinets, and want eco-friendly, and aren’t sure where to start, here are some options.
Cabinets by AlterECO above
What to avoid: Pressed fiberboard (MDF) and particleboard. Both contain around 80% virgin tree content, not to mention these boards are held together with formaldehyde which can release toxins into your home. Likewise avoid any cabinets that aren’t noted as being formaldehyde free. Some cabinets do have trace amounts of formaldehyde which is better than stocked full, but it’s still not great.
Look for safe wood: Strawboard and wheatboard sound like particleboard products, and they are kind of, but they’re safer and more eco-friendly because they’re made with compressed wheat or rice straw and made without formaldehyde. Choose a company who sells cabinets made with wood that’s sustainably sourced or choose bamboo wood. You can also go with cabinet companies who use wood that’s reclaimed although then you may be dealing with formaldehyde, so ask.
Look for alternatives: There are some recycled alternatives out there like the super cool vintage washboard cabinets from antiQues 2 uniQues. You can even build pie safe like cabinets with reclaimed tin.
Places to find sustainable cabinets:
Tags: bamboo cabinets, eco cabinets, green cabinets, particleboard, reclaimed wood, Strawboard, sustainable wood, wheatboard
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I am not sure where you get your information but mdf and particleboard do not “contain 80% virgin tree content and held together with formaldehyde. When looking for wood and wood products, you should first look for the fsc certification and look for NAF (no added formaldehyde). there are numerous products available like Uniboard Nu Green and Arreis MDF from Sierra Pine that are a better choice than “strawboard” which I would not considered a safe wood as it is not wood at all. In addition, most bamboo is not formaldehyde free, and those that are are like Plyboo are ridiculously overpriced. You best choice is to find a cabinet shop that is fsc certified and specify formaldehyde free and low voc waterborne finishes for your projects and use fsc certified domestic wood as much as possible
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Great ideas Jennifer! Along similar lines, if you’re looking for green alternatives to outdoor wood structures (i.e. decks and landscaping), composites are an option. Here’s article on the pros and cons of this wood alternative: http://www.greenhomeimprovement.com/materials/composite-decking
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