The benefits of wood for commercial furniture

It is often said that wood is the eco-friendly choice for commercial furniture, and staff who have environmentally responsible decisions as a high priority, know the value of an office-space that comes from a sustainable source. However, recent studies have highlighted many other benefits of choosing highly crafted and naturally-sourced wooden furniture pieces.

The scientific benefits of using wood:

The UK parliament has recently launched an inquiry into the impact of toxic chemicals on our day-to-day lives, and studies from such varied sources as EDF and the Knowledge Transfer Network have found that our health suffers as a result of encountering the toxins present in badly made plastics. Since we spend such a large proportion of our day there, this is nowhere more important than in the workplace. Yet we are quickly finding solutions to this nasty problem. Recent trends suggest that more and more offices are opting for sustainable and safe natural materials. And staff are often most impressed by the choice of wood as a furniture material.

“People working in spaces with high proportions of wooden surfaces have a heightened sense of wellbeing and productivity. They’re also more likely to find their workplaces relaxing, inviting and energising.” This is according to research from Canberra University.

No toxic chemicals:

Wood is a flexible material and can be treated in many ways that involve few or no chemicals. A beeswax finish is the gold standard for those who wish to protect their team’s health. This is an all-natural material that staff love because it smells so sweet. But if you want something a little more hard-wearing, then there are a variety of eco-friendly oils and varnishes that can deliver on strength as well as health benefits. This alone is cited as a top reason modern office staff love to work on wood furniture, so consider carefully how your worktops, breakout areas and features are finished.

As an organisation that stays in touch with trends we know that a key theme for many years now has been how employers consider employee health. We look to ensure the products we provide meet that need, not only in the bespoke joinery we produce, but in our efforts towards a healthier environment and sustainability choices we make.

Paragon’s sustainability credentials:

We know the importance of making environmental choices and as a result offer FSC and PEFC certified material. We also work closely with suppliers that have strong sustainability credentials themselves.

Our own sustainability credentials also extend to what we do with waste created by our joinery process. We have a bio-mass boiler and as a business continually look for ways to reduce waste.