Furniture and Interior Products
Furniture and Interior Design Certification
About the certification
Friend of the Earth Furniture Certification assesses the furniture products or defined product range included in an agreed audit scope. The assessment reviews documented evidence relating to processing, raw materials, finishes, product performance, packaging, distribution and social-accountability controls.
This is a product certification. An organisation may apply for selected products or for its complete product range, provided that the applicable production is segregated where necessary and there is evidence that the products meet the relevant requirements. Certification does not automatically cover every product sold by the organisation, every supplier or material, or an interior-design service that is outside the approved scope.
What can be certified
Individual furniture and furnishing products, or a clearly defined product range, can be assessed. Applicants may include retailers, traders, business-to-business or business-to-consumer producers and processors, and raw-material suppliers. Products may incorporate glass, metals, paper, plastics, textiles, leather, wood and other materials. Each material included in the proposed scope must follow the applicable route in the standard. Materials not already addressed by the standard must be declared to World Sustainability Organization for an ad hoc assessment.
What the standard covers
Maintain ISO 14001, EMAS or an equivalent certification, or provide evidence of an implemented environmental-management system that is verified each year. The system must include measures addressing the use of raw materials, energy, waste, water and emissions. The standard also requires renewable energy to be used for operations.
Maintain SA8000, Sedex or an equivalent certification, or provide evidence of a social-accountability management system that is assessed each year. Raw-material suppliers must also provide evidence of social-accountability certification or an equivalent arrangement.
Demonstrate that at least 95% of the product by weight meets the applicable raw-material requirements. The available routes depend on the material. They include specified recycled or reused content; FSC, PEFC or equivalent certification for wood and paper; Friend of the Earth forestry requirements; relevant recognised certification for textiles or finished textile products; and the supplier and upstream sourcing evidence specified for glass, metals and other mined materials. Plastic must follow the recycled or reused route with the applicable biodiversity-offset provision, or the bioplastic or PLA route stated in the standard.
Use natural, no-VOC or low-VOC paints and do not use toxic materials or substances. The finished product must have no or low levels of volatile organic compounds and be compatible with mild cleaning products. Where electronic apparatus is incorporated, the standard requires evidence of the best applicable energy-performance rating.
Reduce the volume of packaging and ensure that packaging is recyclable. The standard also includes requirements relating to consolidated orders and distribution from the closest available distribution centre. The use of electric or biofuel vehicles for distribution is identified as a recommendation rather than a mandatory requirement.
Provide evidence that the product is designed to last at least as long as the average for comparable furniture on the market. Key parts must be replaceable and serviceable.
Provide evidence that the product is 100% recyclable, including its packaging, as required by the standard. Customers must be able and encouraged to return the product at the end of its useful life for recycling at no additional cost, unless the municipality already provides the applicable service.
Assessment and certification
A qualified third-party auditor from an accredited certification body reviews the documented evidence for the products and activities included in the agreed scope. The certification body issues the certificate when no non-conformities remain, or after it has accepted the corrective actions raised during the assessment.
How certification works
Step 1 — Submit the application: Identify the organisation, the products or product range, production sites, principal materials and role in the supply chain.
Step 2 — Confirm scope and costs: Agree which products and activities will be assessed, the evidence required, the quotation and the audit arrangements.
Step 3 — Complete the assessment: Submit the required records and supporting evidence for the processing, materials, suppliers, products, packaging and distribution included in scope.
Step 4 — Address findings: Respond to any non-conformities and provide the corrective actions and evidence requested by the certification body.
Step 5 — Receive the decision: The certification body reviews the assessment evidence and determines whether the agreed product scope can be approved.
Step 6 — Maintain certification: Keep records current and report changes to products, materials, suppliers, processes or sites that could affect the approved scope.
Certification costs
Audit costs and the applicable annual fee or royalty for use of the Friend of the Earth logo are separate. Request a quotation for the proposed products, product range, production sites and supply-chain scope, and confirm the applicable fees before proceeding.
Verify certification
Check the organisation and product listed in the certification directory together with the approved scope and current status. Contact Friend of the Earth if the certification status or the product scope is unclear.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Selected products or a complete product range may be assessed. The approved scope must identify what is covered, and applicable production must be segregated where necessary.
At least 95% of the product by weight must meet the applicable raw-material requirements in the standard.
No. Supplier or material certification is supporting evidence only. The finished product and the relevant processing, materials and controls must be included in the approved Friend of the Earth scope before the product can be presented as certified.
Potentially. Materials not covered by the listed categories must be declared to World Sustainability Organization so that an ad hoc assessment can be defined.
No. Their use for distribution is identified as a recommendation in the current standard. The other applicable distribution requirements remain subject to assessment.
The current standard is defined as product certification. Any service-based claim would require confirmation of a separate applicable scope before it is used.
No. Certification approval and the applicable agreement for logo use must be in force before the logo is used. Any claim must accurately identify the products included in the approved scope.
Use the application link below and describe the proposed products, materials, production sites and your role in the supply chain. The team will confirm the evidence required, the assessment route and the quotation.
Apply for furniture certification
Send the organisation name, the products or product range, production locations, principal materials, suppliers and your role in the supply chain. Include available evidence relating to management systems, material sourcing, product composition, finishes, packaging, durability, replacement of key parts and end-of-life arrangements.
