Market Watch

Green Products

Just a short decade ago, design professionals were hard-pressed to find green or sustainable products for commercial or residential projects (unless they were installing solar panels). They had to search far and wide for such things as environmentally friendly flooring, furniture, paints or surfacing materials. Times have changed. The marketplace is now filled with green products. Here are just some of the eco-friendly choices out there now.

Permeable pavers for landscape use allow water to pass through them and be absorbed into the soil, which replenishes groundwater. Belgard's Subterra stone has small stones in the joints between the pavers that allow water to percolate into the soil. With the look of chiseled stone, the product is appropriate for walkways, patios and driveways. Belgard Hardscapes, 5555 E. Van Buren, Suite 235, Phoenix, AZ 85008; (800) 899-8455 or www.belgard.biz.

Edward Ferrell + Lewis Mittman's new Pure collection features 37 stylish pieces of upholstered furniture and casegoods made from sustainable materials. Shown here is the Sylvan slipper chair, a vintage-influenced style made with wood from sustainable forests, recycled-content metal, eco-friendly leather and water-based, low-VOC paint. Available through Alexander Sinclair, 7350 N. Dobson Road, Suite 126, Scottsdale, AZ 85256, (480) 423-8000; or www.ef-lm.com.

The Legend bookcase is part of Roche-Bobois' first environmentally friendly collection. It's made with wood from sustainable forests, cut within the grain; assembled without the use of hardware, glue or stain; and finished with a water-based varnish. Designed by Christophe Delcourt, the 82-inch-tall bookcase is made with a solid Bourgogne oak frame. Roche-Bobois, 8330 S. Colorado Blvd., Littleton, CO 80126, (303) 721-1616; 15530 N. Greenway Hayden Loop, Scottsdale, AZ 85260, (480) 443-0430; www.roche-bobois.com.

Bazzeo kitchen cabinetry features edgy, contemporary design and numerous sustainable elements, including recycled and regenerated wood from certified resources, low-VOC finishes, non-toxic materials and ABS edge banding in lieu of PVC banding. Additionally, the cabinetry is manufactured in a "zero waste" facility, which emphasizes reuse or recycling. Available through NYLoft, 4041 N. Central Ave., Suite 105, Phoenix, AZ 85012, (602) 745-2600 and 7635 Dean Martin Drive, Suite 201, Las Vegas, NV 89139, (702) 818-8140, www.nyloft.net; or www.bazzeo.com.

Los Angeles designer Thomas Schoos has created a line of eco-friendly hospitality fabric designs for Valley Forge Fabrics. Called FRESH, it's an acronym for Fabrics Redefining Environmental Standards (for) Hospitality. The collection, made of 100 percent recycled polyester, includes 20 hand-drawn patterns in 20 colors, with complementary textures. www.valleyforge.com.

Solida Cork features flooring made from the renewable thick bark of Spanish and Portuguese cork oak trees, which can be harvested every nine to 12 years. The comfortable flooring is flame resistant, moisture and termite proof, sound insulating and deadening, and resilient. Available through Floor Styles, Inc., 2732 N. 68th St., Suite 4, Scottsdale, AZ 85257, (480) 421-0221, www.floorstyles.com; or www.solidacork.com.

San Francisco designer Ted Boerner has created an eight-piece outdoor collection of lounge and dining furniture for Henry Hall Designs. The Mariposa collection is crafted in Costa Rica of Forest Stewardship Council–certified teak. Teak's high oil content resists cracking or splintering, making it an ideal, durable wood for outdoor use, even in hot climates. Available through Inside/Out, 7350 N. Dobson Road, Suite 134, Scottsdale, AZ 85256, (480) 994-1060; Janus et Cie, 8687 Melrose Ave., West Hollywood, CA 90069, (310) 652-7090; Egg & Dart, 595 S. Broadway, Denver, CO 80209, (303) 744-1676; the Gerrity Group, 5193 W. Oquendo Road, Las Vegas, NV 89118, (702) 255-8267, www.thegerritygroup.com; or www.henryhalldesigns.com.

The Q Collection is a line of environmentally friendly fabrics and furnishings developed by an interior designer and environmental manager. Items include biodegradable fabrics, furniture made with Forest Stewardship Council–certified hardwood and upholstery made with formaldehyde-free natural latex, such as the Abigail settee, shown here in Luna satin wool. www.qcollection.com.

Reclaimed wood is a good way to recycle old buildings. Using wood from an old Pennsylvania farmhouse, Enmar Hardwood Flooring, Inc. has created this red and white oak flooring. With six-inch boards and natural color, the flooring includes original nail holes, worm holes and saw marks, giving it a medium-distressed surface. 3050 S. Country Club Drive, Suite 10, Mesa, AZ 85210; (480) 497-1633 or www.enmarflooring.com.

The Portuguese console by South Cone is made with Forest Stewardship Council woods from Peru and features extensive traditional carving details on the legs, bottom runners and around the drawers. The piece is crafted with tongue-and-groove joinery in the top, while the base is done with mortise-and-tenon techniques to ensure longevity. Available through Passport Accents: Fine Furnishings to the Trade, 9035 E. Pima Center Parkway, Suite 4, Scottsdale, AZ 85258, (480) 502-0208, www.passportaccents.com; or www.southcone.com.

Water conservation, both indoors and out, is a hot topic in the arid West. Inside, toilets have been notorious water-wasters. Older models typically used 5.5 gallons per flush (GPF). Now, new construction is required to install toilets that use 1.6 GPF. Mansfield Plumbing's new Prestigio 4 dual-flush pressure-assisted toilet uses a scant 1.1 GPF. www.mansfieldplumbing.com.

EarthCrete is a family of concrete mixes that incorporate recycled materials such as paper fibers, glass, ceramics and industrial byproducts, including fly ash, and are used for everything from fireplace surrounds to countertops, shown here. One of their newer products is SonomaLite, which uses the recycled materials, cures without the use of cement kilns and utilizes only a minimal amount of Portland cement. Available through Decorative Materials, 595 S. Broadway, Suite 121, Denver, CO 80209, (303) 916-6999, www.decorativematerials.com; or www.sonomastone.com.

Maria Yee's Metro lounge chair is made with Bamboo Timbre utilizing a proprietary process in which the bamboo stalks are flattened, layered and bonded together to make solid boards up to eight inches thick. The process is virtually free of formaldehyde. The seat is upholstered in vegetable-tanned leathers, a process that eliminates the use of heavy metals. Additionally, the handsome chair is crafted without the use of screws or nails. www.mariayee.com.

Izzydesign's modular Audrey furniture collection is a cabinet, console and customizable shelving, display and storage, all rolled into one. Appropriate for both home and office use, Audrey is made with a 100 percent post-industrial recycled content wood fiber core and veneer, VOC-free paints and adhesives, and PVC-free edge banding, which reduces emissions. The line is also Greenguard certified. Available through Source Four, 753 Kalamath St., Denver, CO 80204, (303) 893-1515, www.sourcefour.com; or www.izzydesign.com.