Habbio eco-friendly sofas for non-toxic laid back days!

One of the most pivotal steps to living a sustainable life is to make conscious decisions - starting at home. Selecting safe furniture for the planet and for us is a crucial component on the journey to holistic living. Sustainable sofas and couches are a significant player in your comfort as living rooms are a vital part of the house, where guests and family members spend time together.

One of the few sustainable brands worth looking into for sustainable sofas is Habbio. Habbio claims to add nothing to the world and leave nothing behind - claiming that they offer some of the world’s most sustainable sofas.

Before we get into Habbio and its sustainable sofas, let’s understand what factors we need to consider when buying a sofa.

What makes a sustainable or toxin-free sofa?

Conventional sofas are made from toxic chemicals that are unhealthy and dangerous for us and the environment. Since we spend a lot of time sitting on couches or sofas, ensuring they are safe for us is crucial.

Chemical treatments:

Sustainable and toxin-free sofas don’t have flame-retardant treatments. Flame-retardants are used in household items and building materials, including furniture like sofas. Some of the related toxic chemicals are still used to treat polyurethane foam in the sofas, although companies are now shifting towards healthier options.

Wood:

Another critical component is looking out for sofas made from responsibly sourced and safely treated wood. Despite wood being biodegradable and renewable, it is essential to harvest the wood organically and in a way that does not contribute to rapid deforestation. Despite forest management efforts by companies, this might not be an entirely sustainable option as it leads to deforestation. But the best that you can do is look for the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification, recognized for sustainable forestry management.

Traditional sofas are made from plywood, which typically uses formaldehyde, a chemical that has been linked to life-threatening health complications. In case you are buying a sofa made of plywood, look for formaldehyde-free plywood. Look for options that are low on Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) finishes.

Fabric:

Many fabrics that cover the foam of the sofa are made from unsustainable fabrics like leather and polyester. Even cotton is unsustainable as it is one of the most pesticide-inflicted crops.

Look for organic options like linen, organic cotton, or hemp fabric, all of which are known to be sustainable and eco-friendly. Moreover, fabric quality certifications like GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) certifications are even better!

If you cannot find a sofa with these materials, opt for ones made from recycled materials. You can also buy a sofa from a company that repurposes old materials and makes the best of what is already available.

Non-toxic foam:

The majority of foams are petroleum-based (polyfoam). Wherever feasible, choose natural fibers like organic cotton, sustainably sourced wool, and GOLS-certified organic latex. If that isn't possible, seek the CertiPUR-US® label, also valid in the UK, which guarantees that the foam removes various harmful substances such as formaldehyde, hazardous flame retardants, and contaminants.

Habbio - The world’s most sustainable sofas.

About the company

Habbio was established in 2020 with the sole goal of making the world’s most sustainable sofas. The company looks forward to reinventing how furniture is made in order to be sustainable, affordable, and comfortable. The company already has 70 years of experience in the furniture craft and was revamped by Adam Green alongside Konard and Suzanne.

Making sofas sustainable

The company believes that sustainability starts from the end - furniture is most harmful to the environment when it is at the end of its life. Thanks to fast furniture trends, 90% of furniture ends up in the landfill because it cannot be reused or biodegradable. This is where Habbio strives to solve the problem. Their furniture is 100% recyclable, understanding that it is their responsibility to ensure that the products do not harm the environment.

Using eco-friendly materials

Everything they use to make the furniture needs to either be recycled or sustainably sourced. They utilize 90% fewer pesticides than other companies, and whenever possible, they choose green, non-toxic, and compostable substitutes.

If a recycled option isn't available, everything that goes into their furniture is obtained responsibly. That means luxuriously soft textiles produced from recycled bottles or containers, foam fills manufactured from recycled materials, and timber verified as responsibly sourced.

Employing local craftsmen

Keeping the manufacturing in the UK also ensures they can adequately care for their employees, with occupational safety, pay at an affordable minimum of 20% over the basic income, and no zero-hours arrangements.

Strive to create lasting products

Habbio is one of only a few British furniture producers awarded the Manufacturing Guild Mark for excellence, and a 15-year warranty backs each item.

Their couches can adapt to your lifestyle as well. You can easily take off the removable, recyclable coverings and add more seats if you’d like  to freshen things up.

Why choose Habbio as a sustainable and eco-friendly alternative for sofas?

1. Delivers good flexibility - The sofas are durable and adaptive, so you know that you are getting the best from your investment.
2. Made in the UK - The company focuses on serving the local community and encouraging a circular economy with its customers and employees.
3. Free delivery - The sofa is delivered for free and you can take a risk-free trial for 30 days.
4. Eco-friendly - Along with being socially responsible, the company is also a fully sustainable brand. About 90% of the items are ethically sourced, with a record of less than 5% waste.

The Sofa range

Habbio’s range of sofas is quite versatile, and you get to choose the fabric and leg colors that best go with your decor. This gives customers room for customization and helps them to choose what best suits their tastes.

The range is further categorized into three lines - HB01, HB02, and HB03. In each of these style lines, you will find multiple colors and styles that you can choose from. The styles that are included in the range are:

HB01 - The sofas have classically shaped arms with mid-century lines

HB02 - Elegantly curved arms with a royal vintage twist

HB03 - The sofas have slender arms for space-saving advantage!

Every HB0 has six sofa sizes broken down into two types -

Type 1

1. Armchair
2. Two-seater
3. Three-seater

Type 2

1. Small Corner Sofa
2. Medium Corner Sofa
3. Large Corner Sofa

Features of eco-friendly sofas by Habbio

• The sofas are easy to set up and don’t require any tools.
• It is easy to deliver and to take in through the door because it is flat-packed.
• Free delivery and the sofas are boxed in recyclable material.
• It is durable with interchangeable fabric.

All the products are delivered in recyclable packaging. The armchairs come in two boxes, the two and three-seater sofas come in three boxes, and the parts of the corner sofas are delivered in six boxes.

To ensure a circular business model, Habbio will take their furniture back at the end of its life and recycle or reuse it. They also take furniture of other brands if the customer wants to give it away. The brand promises to provide a 10% voucher when purchasing another Habbio product if you give back your old furniture. They have partnered with Skoup, the UK’s largest waste management company, to recycle the materials effectively.

With nearly 70 years of experience making furniture, the manufacturers are amongst the few who are well-known for their experience, delivery quality, and responsible furniture products.

The Swatch Box

The sofas are made from 100% recycled plastic bottles, organic materials and are sustainable, durable, and soft to the touch. You can check out the quality of the materials with a free pack of swatches. The box contains six different colours on two different types of material

Eco Velvet: 100% recycled polyester, sourced from plastic bottles, with halogen-free fire retardants that have no negative impact on health or the environment. It is soft and easy to clean and wash without any permanent stains!

Bottle Linen: 100% recycled polyester, made from less water than conventional virgin polyester. The linen is made from recycled plastic bottles and is soft yet durable!

Our Review

Summary

We tested out the Habbio sofa ourselves and we were genuinely impressed with its convenience. The sofa is a perfect add-on to any style of home. The company is committed to creating the world's most sustainable sofas, which it stands by.

Creating a sustainable product without compromising quality and durability can be quite a task, and Habbio has paved the way for such change! Here’s how Habbio passed the quality test.

Ease of Assembly

The assembly was unbelievably easy and convenient, with just two people putting it together in just 10 minutes.

Setting up a sofa was never so easy! No tools are required and the pieces fit together perfectly. The last sofa we put together, took six hours and required scattered manual papers, screws, and tools all over the living room. This had none of that. As easy it is to set up, it’s easy to dismantle, and you just need to pull the sections apart if you want to reconfigure the sofa.

Packaging

Habbio does walk the talk - there was no plastic packaging, and all the parts were packed securely in recyclable cardboard. You can easily send it to the recycling centre and get rid of the waste without any carbon footprint! In my case, after Adam and Andrew came by and put the sofa together, they took away all the cardboard boxes to reuse for the next sofa!

Material and Color

You can choose the color that goes well with your room. Every sofa featured on the website has six colors, with four in Eco Velvet and two in Linen, both of which are made from recycled bottles. Even the wooden legs of the sofa are available in two colors.

Sofa

1. Eco Velvet Midnight - Dark rich blue with a matte texture
2. Eco Velvet Pumpkin - Burnt Orange matte shade (Fall vibes!)
3. Eco Velvet Pickle - A fusion of dark and olive green
4. Eco Velvet Mustard - True to its name, matte mustard yellow
5. Bottle Linen Malted Pink - A dusky and neutral-toned pink shade
6. Bottle Linen Tawny - Nude, grey-toned shade (Versatile and classy!)

Sofa legs

1. Honey: Mustard yellow
2. Treacle: Dark brown

We chose the tawny linen color, which went well with our room. It was easier to test and pick the color from the swatch box because you can also test and feel the material. We selected the bottle linen material, which was very soft - no one would ever know it was made from recycled plastic; in fact, when friends have seen the sofa, they’re always surprised to know it’s made of plastic. It is a perfect replica of thick linen, which is soft and very comfortable.

We also tested the eco velvet material from the swatch box, which was very lovely too! It felt like a natural velvet, which blew our minds considering that it is also made from recycled plastic.

Durability and quality

They nailed the quality mark! The couch is quite comfortable, and the material iss soft and light. The padding provides a good amount of support. The sofas are fully sprung for extra comfort and support.

You can also change the covers on the sofa, which means you can change the color and material as and when you like without needing to buy an entirely new sofa. The foam used under the covers is also non-toxic, without compromising on quality or comfort.

If you want to discard the sofa, you can just contact Habbio, and they will recycle the sofa for you, so no carbon footprint at all! For this, you also receive a 10% voucher to use on another Habbio product.

There isn’t anything negative about the sofa because everything about the sofa is so flexible, from setting up to changing covers - without compromising the quality!

Care and Guarantee

All Habbio products come with a 15-year guarantee. Habbio suggests regularly pumping and rotating cushions to ensure a longer life. You can vacuum the surface regularly and mop up liquid spills by blotting with a dry, clean cloth.

Avoid rubbing any spills with a wet cloth and placing the furniture under direct sunlight.

Final Verdict

This well-priced sofa has it all - comfort, style, and ease of assembly! It is easy to put together and dismantle. The sofa is locally made by craftsmen in the UK, which eliminates unnecessary shipping and transportation footprint.

The fabrics are made from recycled plastics, which surprisingly replicate actual linen and velvet. The shipping material is also 100% recyclable without any plastic, which is quite impressive.

The scheme for recycling the sofa after use is what truly makes this a zero-waste sofa. You can also play around with different colors and textures to extend your investment’s life and create better value.

If you are planning to get a new sofa, don’t worry about the old one - Habbio also takes other sofas for recycling. Habbio sofas are definitely worth the investment. Give it a go ​​by ordering a free swatch box here!

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