While wood can be used for a wide variety of purposes (cutting boards, decorations, kitchen tools, coasters, etc.), one of the most beloved uses for trees is turning them into furniture. According to the 2023 Global Wood Furniture Market Outlook, the worldwide wood furniture market reached 104,060.41 million in 2022. Among the largest manufacturers of wooden furniture in the world are Ashley Furniture, Walmart, Williams-Sonoma, Wayfair, Tesco, Target, Laura Ashley, Costco, and of course, IKEA.
In fact, IKEA uses a whopping 1% of all of the world’s commercial wood every year. The Daily Mail reports that IKEA produces approximately 100 million pieces of furniture annually, and according to the company, nearly all of the wood they use today is Forest Stewardship Council® certified or recycled.
As much as I love a trip to IKEA for some plant-based meatballs and affordable home goods, it’s not necessarily the most sustainable place in the world to buy furniture. What I prefer to do when I’m in need of a new desk or dresser is check out what the local thrift stores have first. And If they can’t help me, getting in touch with a local carpenter can be great too! Hand-made wooden furniture might be more of an investment than something you can pick up from the Swedish retailer, but it will be much better made, will last a lifetime and will be a unique piece that no one else has. Your home and the planet will thank you for getting a piece made by a skilled woodworker!
Are you feeling inspired to up your interior design game after seeing this post, pandas? I personally am feeling like my home could benefit from a new wooden bookshelf or another wooden tower for my cat to climb on! Keep upvoting the pics that you find particularly impressive, and then if you’re interested in viewing even more amazing woodworking pieces that have been featured on Bored Panda, look no further than right here!
