as seen on GreenLivingOnline.com
Few words conjure up the future like 'Green.'
The term 'Green' has become synonymous with the Eco movement that focuses on less consumption of goods made from disposable and unsustainable materials and more on the production and integration of products made from re-used or recycled substances.
Within the last ten years, global consciousness regarding consumer products and how they're made has led to dramatic and permanent changes in how businesses create these goods, with many companies recognizing the value in meeting consumer expectations about ecologically sound manufacturing practices that are environmentally viable.
Patio furniture is a market that has embraced Green philosophy enthusiastically, with many manufacturers offering a huge variety of innovative and stylish options at the forefront of eco-friendly technology.
One of the most enduring and beloved of all patio furniture materials is making a resurgence; Wicker furniture has long been a staple of outdoor décor, and is now endowed with space age weather proofing finishes that make them incredibly resistant to rain, snow, heat and sunlight.? The flexibility of this time tested design allows for a huge assortment of styles and colors that give today's modern wicker furniture a decidedly contemporary and lasting appeal.
Reused or recycled materials are also increasingly popular with generally smaller manufacturers, though the strength and sturdiness of these materials, as well as their economically low costs, make them sure to find their way into more and more corporate product lines.
This could include anything from simply slapping a new coat of paint on an old dock chair, to complete outdoor furniture designs made from recycled wood, rubber, plastic or metal.
The volume of companies producing an astonishing array of eclectic and fashionable patio furniture using these materials has literally exploded, with some fabulous designs incorporating form and function in every color of the rainbow.
A quick search online for 'Green Patio Furniture' was eye-opening; there are hundreds of companies offering everything from light, stackable indoor/outdoor designs, to rugged, permanent outdoor sets that can weather Canadian winters and look sharp doing it.
Everything from traditional forms like the cottage favorite Adirondack chair, to futuristic, funky collections that fire the imagination and can transform your backyard into a far out 'happening.'
Chairs, recliners, tables, benches, picnic tables and children's furniture are all available in dozens of styles that completely belies their recycled nature. it's hard not to appreciate the logic of ecologically sound purchasing decisions when the results look this cool.
The best part about Green patio furniture isn't that it's environmentally friendly or its durability or even its relatively low price point; no the best part is that it looks so damn good, only you have to know it might have started out in a landfill.
