How Commercial Venues are Using Recycled Materials in Restaurant Furniture

Reducing, reusing and recycling lower costs. Restaurant furniture manufacturers are taking careful note and are using recycled materials to craft furniture that is fit for commercial use passing rigorous testing standards. For instance, many furniture manufactures are using reclaimed wood for restaurant tables.

There are salvage distributors around the globe that sell wood that has been reclaimed from demolished. Purchasing reclaimed wood from these providers to be used on floors, restaurant table tops, restaurant wood chairs, and walls emit a unique visual flair and personality to your design. The natural beauty of aged wood offers an abundance of charm bringing any piece of furniture to life. Reclaimed wood is a great option for adding character to your restaurant without compromising on your budget.

The benefits of using restaurant furniture made of reclaimed wood are not only in enhancing your décor but also in promoting recycling. Reclaimed wood restaurant furniture is ideal and recommended for small businesses that don't normally have high foot traffic as the material is not as resistant to daily rigors as newly sourced wood is.

Metal is where it’s at for restaurant seating solutions, especially restaurant chairs, bar stools and table bases. Reused structural (stainless) steel sandblasted in black or dark grey provides a picture perfect contrast to softer wood materials used on table tops and seats. It creates an industrial effect which makes a bold statement about the all-encompassing concept for the dining space. However, the main motivation for furniture manufacturers and their customers who consider reusable structural steel is the environmental benefits it offers – energy, carbon, and other ecological impacts that are salvaged.

American steel making furnaces annually consume approximately 70 million domestic steel scrap. Recycling is a central issue of the steel industry’s dedication to sustainability. By using recycled steel to design table bases, table legs and frames for restaurant chairs, , bar stools, you are conserving energy, raw materials, emissions and natural resources. The need for a continuous feedstock of steel scrap is the driving force of recycling many steel products such as car appliances, cans and construction materials. Additionally, the physical composition of steel enables it to be recycled continuously without compromising on quality and strength. Hence, this commitment to recycling drives down costs while producing quality restaurant furniture built from advanced reused steel that meets commercial standards as well as customers’ seating needs.

High-tech is not an association people typically make with fabric, especially for booth seating. But that is what is has become in the most recent years. Innovation championed with sustainability has brought about a revolution of new materials and processes that is changing the furniture industry at a rapid pace. Due to an increase of supply and demand, eco-friendly upholstery textiles are available to both the commercial and residential furnishing market. Several criteria go into producing environmentally-friendly upholstery but there are some basic fundamental questions you should ask:

• Is it recyclable?
• Is the textile made of recyclable materials?
• Is the fabric/vinyl easily biodegradable?
• Is the material produced through a green manufacturing processes without chemically based harmful byproducts?
• Does it meet MBDC guidelines?
• Does the supplier have a company-wide sustainability policy?

Using recycled material does not require you to give up luxurious and comfortable restaurant patio furniture. In fact, patio furniture made from reused sources is beautifully crafted, durable and comfortable. Selecting the best material to make patio furniture does entail some research and education. You need to make comparisons in terms of price, strength, and aesthetics as you would with any piece of restaurant furniture. Restaurant patio furniture is made from a variety of materials. When purchasing patio furniture, you should consider functionality, weather-resistance, durability, aesthetics and sustainability.

Most of the sustainable patio furniture is made from recycled plastic - primarily high density polyethylene from milk cartons and other containers. Such items can be recycled again at the end of their life. Patio furniture made from a large percentage of high density polyethylene will not chip, corrode or discolor and is impervious to insects, mold and moisture. Corrosion resistant and recyclable, aluminum is another great option for making patio furniture. Due to its high percentage of recycled content, stainless steel is also commonly used.