TRENDS
Eco Friendly Furniture from The Martha’s Vineyard Furniture Company
By Anne McCarthy Strauss
What’s a green house without green furniture? Visit Martha’s Vineyard Furniture Company in Oak Bluffs and you may never have to know.
Combining their interests and expertise, family members Liz Stiving-Nichols, an interior designer, Billy Watterson, an environmental consultant, and John Stiving, a retired business owner, created a furniture company that combines both environmentally friendly materials and production methods.
“Because the Vineyard is such an eclectic place, we offer a wide variety of styles,” Liz said.
“To satisfy all tastes, we created three lines of green furniture – Many Shades of Greenâ„¢, the Agrarian Green Collection, and Olive Street.”
The furniture in their Many Shades of Green line is made to order and constructed of solid Hevea wood. Hevea trees are typically cut down and burned after they stop producing their rubber-like sap. Using these discarded trees for furniture production is a great form of sustainability. The density of Hevea can be compared to white oak or teak. The line is painted in a water-based zero VOC paint.
The Olive Street line is domestically made in family-run and operated workshops using sustainable materials. Its cushions are filled with 100 percent post-consumer regenerated fibers and cased in 100 percent cotton. The upholstery is an assortment of all natural, renewable fibers including linen cotton and recycled fabrics. Even the springs are made from 50 percent recycled metal, and the frames are provided by suppliers who voluntarily adhere to the Sustainable Forestry Initiative.
Finally, the Agrarian Green collection is made of only weathered, reclaimed barn board. No two tables will look exactly the same. Buyers can choose between two earthy-friendly water-based finishes: antique walnut and old growth oak in driftwood, both in a medium texture. Pieces that offer a painted base or interior are finished with environmentally friendly milk paints.
The company’s green efforts don’t stop with furniture production. They choose recycled paper and materials for their office needs and offer a paperless catalog on their website, www.mvfurnitureco.com. All orders are shipped directly to the buyer, conserving fuel and energy and significantly reducing the carbon footprint.
Combining their interests and expertise, family members Liz Stiving-Nichols, an interior designer, Billy Watterson, an environmental consultant, and John Stiving, a retired business owner, created a furniture company that combines both environmentally friendly materials and production methods.
“Because the Vineyard is such an eclectic place, we offer a wide variety of styles,” Liz said.
“To satisfy all tastes, we created three lines of green furniture – Many Shades of Greenâ„¢, the Agrarian Green Collection, and Olive Street.”
The furniture in their Many Shades of Green line is made to order and constructed of solid Hevea wood. Hevea trees are typically cut down and burned after they stop producing their rubber-like sap. Using these discarded trees for furniture production is a great form of sustainability. The density of Hevea can be compared to white oak or teak. The line is painted in a water-based zero VOC paint.
The Olive Street line is domestically made in family-run and operated workshops using sustainable materials. Its cushions are filled with 100 percent post-consumer regenerated fibers and cased in 100 percent cotton. The upholstery is an assortment of all natural, renewable fibers including linen cotton and recycled fabrics. Even the springs are made from 50 percent recycled metal, and the frames are provided by suppliers who voluntarily adhere to the Sustainable Forestry Initiative.
Finally, the Agrarian Green collection is made of only weathered, reclaimed barn board. No two tables will look exactly the same. Buyers can choose between two earthy-friendly water-based finishes: antique walnut and old growth oak in driftwood, both in a medium texture. Pieces that offer a painted base or interior are finished with environmentally friendly milk paints.
The company’s green efforts don’t stop with furniture production. They choose recycled paper and materials for their office needs and offer a paperless catalog on their website, www.mvfurnitureco.com. All orders are shipped directly to the buyer, conserving fuel and energy and significantly reducing the carbon footprint.