If you're in the market for dining room furniture, you probably know that a set of furniture can be a significant investment. As an eco-conscious consumer, you're likely interested in using your money to further green living goals. Here are three ways to make sure your dining room furniture will match your eco-friendly lifestyle.

1. Choose Sustainable Materials

When looking at furniture, keep the materials used to build the furniture in mind. For instance, solid wood that's responsibly grown or even reclaimed can be more eco-friendly than a particle board material that includes chemical-based glue. Other potentially eco-friendly materials to look for include:

• Bamboo
• Natural or recycled fibers (for chair cushions)
• Cork

2. Look For Responsible Brands

Another way to help lower the environmental impact of your furniture set is by looking for the furniture brands that cause the least harm to the environment. In addition to making sure any wood used is FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified, you can compare different furniture brands to see which ones give back the most to the environment, have the strictest standards regarding manufacturing pollution, invest in green shipping options, and so on.

For example, furniture companies that offer wood furniture will tend to use a lot of wood in their manufacturing processes. So you can look for a company that's very active in reforestation efforts to help decrease the impact of the wood products they consume.

3. Buy Furniture That’s Long-Lasting

Reducing purchases overall can be an eco-friendly goal, so buying a sturdy and long-lasting set of furniture is ideal. Keeping the same furniture for as long as possible can help reduce the need for more manufacturing and avoid taking up excessive landfill space. A dining room set that's used regularly can see some hard wear over the years. Make sure you choose a set that's well-constructed, so that you won't have to periodically replace chairs that start to wobble when sat upon.

Choosing a set that has a durable material (such as solid wood or granite) for the tabletop can help avoid problems such as delamination or excess wear that could mean the table needs replacing sooner. These tips, along with good maintenance, can help you to keep the set in the family for years to come. 

These three tips can help ensure that you're staying true to your eco-friendly convictions when you shop for your dining room furniture, as well as ensuring that the set you eventually choose will fit well with your lifestyle. Get in touch with a local furniture store today to learn more about the dining room sets available in your area.

For more information about dining room furniture, contact a furniture company in your area.