Sustainable furniture with PEFC

Every piece of furniture tells a story: not just of design or craftsmanship, but of the forests it came from. When forest owners manage resources sustainably, manufacturers choose certified wood, retailers offer certified products, and customers make informed choices, we create a chain of actions that helps to safeguard forests, protects ecosystems, and supports local communities worldwide.

With PEFC certification, every link in this chain is strengthened. From forest to showroom floor, you can be confident that your furniture contributes to the future of sustainable forests. Explore PEFC certification’s role in the furniture value chain and see how you can play a part in shaping a forest-positive future.

The Impact of PEFC: furniture that supports forests and people

Every PEFC-certified piece of furniture carries a positive impact on forests, people, and the planet. From protecting ecosystems to empowering communities, PEFC ensures that sustainability is built into every step of the journey. Together, we can:

• Protect forests from deforestation: Sustainably managed forests safeguard these critical ecosystems, ensuring they thrive for future generations.
• Mitigate climate change: Forests act as powerful natural carbon sinks, locking away carbon even when transformed into wood-based products.
• Empower communities: Support the livelihoods and fair labour practices of forest-dependent communities around the world.
• Preserve biodiversity: Protect vital habitats that shelter countless plant and animal species.
• Foster circular economies: Drive the use of renewable and recycled wood materials across products and packaging.
• Ensure transparency: PEFC-certified supply chains support traceability from the forest to the final product, verifying that controversial sources do not enter your product value chain

 Sustainability Is driving consumer choices

Sustainability is no longer optional: it is becoming a key driver of purchasing decisions. Consumers are increasingly looking for products that reflect their values, from responsible sourcing to eco-friendly materials. According to PwC’s 2024 Voice of the Consumer Survey, a vast majority, 85% of consumers, are already feeling the disruptive effects of climate change, and this is shaping how they purchase.

Many are actively choosing products with a lower environmental impact, and 46% say they are buying more sustainable goods to reduce their footprint. Importantly, 80% are willing to pay more for sustainably produced or sourced items, with some prepared to spend around 10% more for products that meet environmental criteria such as recycled materials, low-carbon supply chains, and eco-friendly packaging.

This shift in consumer expectations and decision making when shopping is also driving businesses to act, with 36% of B2B customers ready to switch suppliers if sustainability expectations are not met (source).

The business advantage of PEFC-certified furniture

Meet customer expectations: Certification labels are the most trusted way for consumers to identify environmentally and socially responsible products. According to our survey, 81% prefer companies to use certification labels on products, and 70% are more likely to buy a product with such a label.

Position your brand and deliver on SDGs: Demonstrating your commitment to sustainability is both a competitive advantage and a business necessity. PEFC certification aligns to SDG goals and contributes to environmental, social, and economic value through responsible sourcing and local engagement.

Meet Demand, Secure Your Future: PEFC Chain of Custody certification connects your products to the world’s largest supply of certified forest-based materials. Position your business as a sustainability leader and meet growing demand for certified furniture.

Demonstrate Regulatory Compliance: PEFC certification aligns with key global regulations, including the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), supporting uninterrupted market access and a compliant, responsible supply chain.

Proof of Traceability: Chain of Custody certification tracks material from forest to final product. Independent third-party audits ensure transparency, credibility, and the exclusion of unsustainable sources.

Leverage a Recognised Label: Use the PEFC label to showcase your commitment to responsible sourcing and build trust with buyers seeking verified sustainability.

We work with...

Supply chain companies

As importers, exporters, traders, manufacturers of wood and wooden furniture, you deal directly with the materials. It is therefore very important that the materials you source come from sustainably managed forests. And it is everyone's responsibility to request certified materials as a buyer or propose as a supplier. 

You can use PEFC certification to demonstrate legal and sustainable sourcing of wood and wooden furniture in three steps: 

1. Get certified.
2. Make sure that your suppliers are certified. Find thousands of PEFC certified suppliers in more than 80 countries. 
3. Use the PEFC label to demonstrate your responsible sourcing and promote your certification to your customers.

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Retailers

Retailers promote sustainability through responsible sourcing, which creates demand for certified products and provides a financial incentive to keep forests as forests. Four steps you could do to help: 

1. Take a holistic and inclusive view of all forest certification options when developing your responsible procurement policy. 
2. Know your suppliers, listen to their challenges and implement with them your certified wood policy.
3. Use the PEFC label to demonstrate your responsible sourcing and promote your certified products to your customers.
4. Help get more forest area certified and support local forest owners and communities by collaborating with PEFC.

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Associations

Furniture trade associations are made up of businesses that operate all along the furniture value chain. They seek to encourage the long-term well-being of those businesses. 

This includes advocating for best practices, fostering productive collaboration and partnerships along the value chain, educating association members and the general public, and spread positive industry awareness through public relations and advertising campaigns. 

This is why PEFC engage with various associations at national, regional and international levels to promote responsible sourcing of wooden furniture.

Interior Architects and Designers

As Interior architects and designers, you decide which materials and products will be used and how people will interact with their surrounding spaces. This means you have a tremendous impact on the environment. Building sustainability into your blueprints can ensure sustainable outcomes. 

PEFC seeks to engage with architects and interior designers to help raise awareness for responsible sourcing of wooden furniture. 

Consumers

Everyone is a consumer of wooden furniture.

We all have a role to play in making responsible choices about what we buy and making sure it is PEFC certified. Here is how you can help: 

• Look for the PEFC labels: the PEFC label on a product means that it comes from a PEFC-certified forest. A forest that is managed in line with the strictest environmental, social, and economic requirements. A forest that will be around for generations to come. 
• Ask your furniture shop for certified products if you do not see any labels on a product.