Green furniture by Ecobalanza

Katrin

Interview with Aimee Robinson, owner and found of Ecobalanza. Aimee Robinson has been on a mission to create the ultimate organic sofa, one that is beautiful and comfortable yet embodies healthful living, environmental preservation, and social responsibility.  That’s how EcoBalanza was born.

Hi Aimee, so happy to have you here. I am very grateful to interview you for our interior design magazine Being. Can you please introduce yourself and share how the idea of creating EcoBalanza came to you? What was your inspiration?

Aimee

Hi, I am Aimee Robinson, owner and found of Ecobalanza.

In 2007 I was operating one of Seattle’s first ‘green’ home décor stores and struggling to find a green sofa that met my standards. I wanted to see if I could create a beautiful green sofa that is as clean as possible, made with the best materials, and uses traditional techniques. At the time, all upholstered furniture was made with highly toxic chemical flame retardants. I realized that the environmental impact throughout the supply chain of all the materials used to create a sofa was very harsh. I knew we could not afford to dump any more chemicals into the environment.

Katrin

Share a few interesting, curious facts about your brand.

Aimee

We look like a big company but we are in fact, really small and have been together for over 15 years.

We actually personally oversee EVERY project. Literally, every detail is discussed, touched, edited, and discussed again.

Katrin

What is your company’s vision? Which place does sustainability play in it? What makes your company different?

We personally oversee EVERY project. Every detail is discussed, touched, edited, and discussed again.

Aimee

It’s simple. We make green sofas with meaning. There is a story to every component of every organic sofa we build. Our pieces are not commercially manufactured. Unlike others, we control everything from concept and design to final product and we don’t use contract manufacturers.

Once we identified the materials we wanted to use for our green sofas, we set out to find partners who could meet our exacting standards. Today, we only work with ethical suppliers who are as committed to preserving the environment while operating in a socially conscious way as we are. We also care about creating green furniture for people with multiple chemical sensitivities (MCS) who cannot tolerate the materials used in commercially-made furniture.

One of the things that make us different is we get to know our suppliers before we start working with them. We know that they treat and pay their workers fairly which is very important to us. And when you want a green sofa for your home, you also need to consider the people who make it.

EcoBalanza is a member of the PNW Resilience Challenge’s multi-year initiative aimed at enhancing small business sustainability and resilience. The goal is to ensure resource productivity and minimize the environmental impact of operations. We are proud to have been nominated for two Sustainable Seattle awards.

We are different because we’re passionate about what we do. We’re perpetually covered in kapok fluff, we know the names of the sheep that give us our wool and we spend a lot of time dreaming about handmade Romanian rope. But most importantly, we’re uncompromising in our quest to deliver the world’s most comfortable, environmentally responsible, and ethical upholstered green furniture. 

Katrin

Which materials do you use for your green furniture? What is inside your sofas?

We deliver the world’s most comfortable, environmentally responsible, and ethical upholstered green furniture. 

Aimee

We only use natural and non-toxic materials that are locally sourced as much as possible. All our partners have 3rd party certifications like the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), the Global Organic Textile Standard, Global Organic Latex Standard, and Greenguard. By vertically controlling our supply chain, we ensure that our raw materials have had minimal impact on the environment throughout the production process. One of the reasons we choose organic cotton, for example, is that factory-farmed cotton is extremely water-intensive which means that pesticides are washed into the groundwater which impacts local communities.

Katrin

You are using non-toxic materials for your green furniture creation. Can you explain how toxic materials can affect our lives and health?

Aimee

Many manufacturers use fake or imitation wood like plywood or particle board to construct their frames. These are often made with formaldehyde-based glues, a carcinogen that can off-gas and also cause allergic reactions.

The Jute we use (a natural bast fiber, harder than other textile fibers) is environment-friendly and grown without pesticides. It produces no skin irritation, it is 100% biodegradable, and it is highly breathable.

We use GOLS-certified organic Dunlop latex, with no fillers or fire retardant treatments. Unlike other foams, organic latex breathes, are mold, mildew, and mite resistant.

Katrin

I am curious to know more about the manufacturing process. Can you describe your full production circle?

Aimee

Generational durability is at the core of a sustainable approach and the promise we make to every client. Your EcoBalanza pieces are individually handcrafted by skilled artisans who apply careful and laborious but time-honored techniques that machines simply cannot replicate. The result is a sofa or chair you can expect to pass on to your grandchildren. And a sofa that stays in the family stays out of a landfill. The visible parts of a sofa the covering fabrics and the trimmings—reflect only a small and literally superficial aspect of the upholsterer’s work. The major elements are unseen and, though they govern form and comfort, often escape consideration altogether. We honor and use a variety of techniques that have been developed over the centuries and have been passed down from masters to apprentices to create beautiful pieces and provide comfort. Mastery of techniques allows us to respond to each person’s individual needs for comfort and specific material preferences. It also allows us to substitute unconventional materials when latex, metal coils, or wool aren’t an option for you.

1. Every EcoBalanza piece starts with a technical sketch of your individual sofa, sectional, chair, ottoman, or bed frame. Then Phytosanitary and FSC-certified solid beechwood planks are measured, cut to order, and joined with non-toxic water-based wood glue and steel screws for a profoundly sturdy frame that will last a lifetime.

2. We use the traditional method of counter-tensioning each of the steel springs under the seat with jute fiber cords in an intricate network of hand-tied knots.
Each spring is braced to draw support and share the load across the entire network. This makes our green furniture durable, sag-resistant, and deeply comfortable.

3. The frame is shaped with GOLS Dunlop latex and organic cotton, then wrapped in organic wool for softness, comfort, and style. Cushions are made from GOLS Dunlop latex wrapped and handstitched in a double layer of GOTS Merino wool. For clients with latex sensitivity, Marshall spring coils individually sewn into GOTS cotton will pocket are clipped into arrays and layered with long staple US-grown organic cotton batting and hand-stitched GOTS Merino wool wrapping.
a. We use USDA-Natural Organic Program (NOP) US-grown certified organic cotton batting to shape each piece and adjust for comfort level.
b. For every batch of cotton batting we buy, we can trace it to the organic US farm that produces it, down to the fields it was grown on, and the other crops produced on those farms. The cotton we select is a premium grade, long-staple cotton; the cleanest and purest of its kind.
c. Once it has been ordered, our cotton is then custom carded by a small woman-owned mill in the Pacific Northwest. We’ve been working with these partners for years in developing the final end-product cotton batting that is “just right”.

4. Back cushions can be made with GOLS latex and GOTS wool for a more structured look or with our locally sourced Cheviot and Dorset wool filled with hand-fluffed kapok and hand-stitched closed. Seat backs can also be made directly onto the frame for tight-cushion looks.
a. We use thick, felted Oeko-Tex-certified pure, virgin wool from France. This thick felt makes it the best natural flame retardant! Along with the extraordinary flame retardant properties, this felted wool softens all final edges of the piece.
b. We have been honored to partner with local family-owned farms for our lofty wool batting. Our local wool batting comes to us as fleeces that are naturally processed by Ed & Sue at their mill. We have selected this specific wool because of the loft for our back cushions, and the natural flame-retardant properties. This wool is NOT processed with lye nor is it treated with harsh chemicals, as many commercial types of wool are.
c. Two different thicknesses of this gorgeous GOTS-certified Merino wool are used to build our pieces in order to attain a perfect balance of comfort, beauty, design, and softness. We use thick wool for cushions and thinner wool to soften and shape the frame and as a natural flame retardant. Merino wool is one of the finest and softest wools, with properties such as breathability, moisture management, and natural heating and cooling.

5. To create a truly lasting piece for your home, we use organic cotton twill as an under-upholstery lining. It helps form the final shape, keep the dust out of stuffing materials and prolong the life of the upholstery top fabric. In addition, all loose seat cushions and back pillow slipcovers are zippered and removable.

6. Finally, we apply the finishing material of your choice, hand stain the legs, photograph your piece, then carefully package it to be shipped to your home with white glove delivery.

Katrin

Is it true that you offer a lifetime guarantee?

Aimee

Yes! While we offer a lifetime guarantee on the structure of everything we build, we do care about the full lifecycle. Because our pieces are made from all-natural materials, they are biodegradable and recyclable.

Katrin

Can people come and see your furniture before buying it?

Aimee

We invite inquiring minds to visit the EcoBalanza Studio in Seattle, where we handcraft every piece per order from scratch. You can see, smell and touch our all-natural materials, look inside pieces at various stages of production, learn about our practices, watch our artisans in action, and sit on freshly finished pieces before they’re shipped out. We adore studio visits as we think it shares our true passion with clients!

Katrin

Do you work only in the United States? Or can you deliver around the world?

Aimee

Our studio is located in the states, but we are worldwide. We have clients all over the world and have shipped to the furthest corners.

Katrin

I want to ask a personal question. Which profession did you dream about when you were a kid?

Aimee

I wanted to work with the UN, specifically in international social relations. Or study math. Hahaha, nothing to do with design.