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Belfort Furniture
Best Practice Achievements
Sustainable Materials
We make a conscious effort to manage our materials selection, seeking materials we are confident are sustainable, such as legally harvested forest products, responsibly produced plantation products, and recycled content:
Recycling and Reclamation
We factor disassembly, recyclability and product reclamation into buying decisions. We offer a product reclamation/product reuse policy:
Return and Reuse
We use recycled or recyclable packing/packaging materials, offer blanket-wrap transportation arrangements for customers and have a carton return/reuse policy:
Chain of Custody
We ask for verifiable chain of custody documents (i.e. legal logging certifications) before buying products containing wood:
Decrease use of Toxic Chemicals
We have decreased our use/acceptance of known toxic chemicals for treatments, binders and finishes, replacing compounds that compromise indoor air quality and are harmful to human health:
Low Environmental Impact Textiles
We are asking our vendors for textiles that have a lower environmental impact, i.e. organic cotton in place of conventionally-grown cotton, as well as seeking other eco-friendly textiles:
Life Cycle Analysis
We are moving forward on doing a Life Cycle Analysis and/or are applying for SMaRT certification:
Local Sourcing
We extract, manufacture and distribute for consumer use within a 500 mile radius for at least a portion of our product line:
Third Party Certifications
We hold third party certifications for some of our products, or as a store, we promote and educate the consumer on the meaning of various third party certifications:
Sharing the Wealth
We take responsibility for sharing our commitment to sustainability up and down our entire supply chain, rewarding our vendors with increased business for partnering with us on sustainability issues:
Social Responsibility Code
We have a written Social Responsibility Code of Contact that is a baseline for employee relations:
Supplier Responsibility
We have written and distributed a Supplier Responsibility Code of Conduct for our vendors and conduct training at our partner facilities on the adoption of same:
Health and Safety Code Compliance
We and our partners meet or exceed all local health and safety codes and can document our health and safety working conditions in all our facilities/stores:
We Pay Living Wages
We pay a living wage rather than minimum wage and extend that around the globe:
We Sponsor Sustainability Events
We have participated in or sponsored in-store, community and/or regional educational events on sustainability and the environment:
We Inspect
We investigate and mitigate any negative environmental impacts from our operations:
Save Paper and Other Office Resources
We save paper and other office resources with a policy expressing an aversion to excess written documentation:
We Use Energy Specialists
We have had an energy specialist or utility company audit to measure our conventional energy usage and are on track to reduce it. We are replacing a portion of the energy we consume with certified renewable energy, either directly, via a program of our local utility, or via Green e-Power:
Updated Inefficient Equipment
We have replaced outdated and inefficient equipment, identified and changed wasteful resource procedures and implemented tighter operational controls:
Energy Efficient Lighting
We have increased the use of day lighting and/or are upgrading to more energy efficient lighting system:
Verified Sustainability Claims
We make only verifiable sustainability claims in adherence with FTC mandates against greenwash and in support of their Environmental Marketing Guides:
Committed to Training
We are committed to conducting training in-house and in the broader community about global climate change and our partnership with the SFC:
In keeping with our commitment to continual improvement, we are planning to take the following actions this year: On reducing energy consumption:
2019: As Belfort completes showroom remodeling throughout our campus, we have been upgrading to more efficient LED lighting, with advanced color technology to accurately represent fabric color and wood finishes. Over $100,000 has been invested in efficient lighting over the past year.
Belfort is adding and upgrading window tinting in select areas to minimize heat gain and reduce the thermal load on HVAC systems. New windows have been specified for enhanced R-Value and Low-E to minimize heat gain and loss. We are also adding canopies over select exposed windows to similarly reduce heat while still allowing daylight.
Transport logistics are a primary user of energy in the furniture industry, due to large cargo sizes. Belfort utilizes advanced routing software for our delivery operations to most efficiently route our home delivery trucks to minimize energy usage. Incoming freight is similarly optimized to reduce miles traveled via truckload consolidation from major manufacturing and distribution hubs.
In keeping with our commitment to continual improvement, we are planning to take the following actions this year: On how we will manage our primary material or service to a more sustainable direction:
2019: Belfort has created a Responsible Wood Sourcing Policy, formalizing our preference for locally sourced and harvested hardwoods. For products sourced from non-regional manufacturers, we request information on the source of the wood, with a preference for third-party certified wood. FSC is considered the gold standard and we are committed to offering select products with FSC certification where available.
Our vendor report card includes as section regarding relative performance of sustainability so that vendor/supplier initiatives can be tracked and rewarded through preferential sourcing through companies with an environmental commitment. Belfort consciously sources from local and regional manufacturers when possible, to decrease the impact of long-distance transit of heavy goods, recognizing that we are still committed to providing a wide assortment of quality products at a range of prices, so local sources are not always availabe at each pricepoint.
Recent product assortment additions include sustainably sourced linen and other natural textile options for upholstery. We are working with select upholstery manufacturers to better identify more eco-friendly textiles in our fabric design center.
In keeping with our commitment to continual improvement, we are planning to take the following actions this year: On education and promotion of the sustainability cause:
2019: Belfort's newest product tags provide more space for product information, allowing for information regarding sustainable features, material sourcing, etc., to be noted on each piece on display. Questions regarding material sourcing and sustainability are asked on our "new-product checklist" so that it can be entered into our product database for reference by sales and design staff as well as consumers.
One section of the store features product from suppliers who use reclaimed and other sustainably sourced wood, to create a destination for this type of furniture.
Belfort's social media includes promotion of sustainable choices in select posts.
Our innovative sample re-use program provides small rug samples (typically 18"x18" squares) to libraries so that kids can use them for seating mats during story time. The children get to choose a rug that goes with their own personal style, while learning about the value of reusing materials. Fabric swatch samples are donated to local schools for art projects, and/or appropriate fabrics are offered to craft-persons and artists whenever possible.
