The Biodegradable Montauk Sofa
When we hear biodegradable attached to certain items such as furniture and bed ensembles, the immediate notion is they can waste easily. But depending on how you understand it, there is more towards them that meets the eye. For one, biodegradable does not immediately pertain to the finished product such as sofas or chairs but rather, it may point towards materials used that has a recycled or organic light bulb towards it but not necessarily the entire product concept.
For products like this biodegradable Montauk Sofa, it has that biodegradable tag but as far as raw materials is concerned. But while people are being encouraged to be more environmental friendly, perhaps treating new concepts and designs that have that biodegradable feature should be looked upon a whole lot closely.
“I see a new generation of marketers who are looking at biodegradability as a panacea to solid waste,” said Steve Mojo, executive director of the Biodegradable Products Institute, remembering the “biodegradable” diapers and trash bags of decades past. Mojo continued, “There is no data that I’ve seen to support manufacturers’ claims that any plastics will completely biodegrade under landfill conditions.” Tightly packed, covered and relatively dry, landfills are not exactly designed for biodegradation, he said.
(Source) Projo
Tags: bed ensembles, biodegradable diapers, biodegradable products institute, biodegradation, marketers, montauk sofa, plastics, raw materials, sofas, trash bags
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September 8th, 2008 at 12:02 pm
Inspired by New York Times article “Ready to Rot” this article takes a compelling look at biodegradable products. However, it seems skepticism has taken over due to the oversaturated “green” movement, with many responsible eco-friendly companies under attack. Many of these arguments miss the larger message(s) in favor of a one-sided approach to essentially debunk the biodegradable movement.
To begin, Montauk Sofa pieces are not deemed biodegradable simply so that they are able to market them so, as the article suggests. Rather the sofas are made from all natural materials and are biodegradable because this is a conscious alternative to environmentally harmful materials. Furthermore, Montauk is not suggesting that sofas are objects to be thrown away with new seasons, trends or personal whims simply because they are biodegradable (as implied by the NY Times article.) Montauk’s products are of the highest quality and craftsmanship (hand and custom crafted) that can last through generations in an heirloom quality. In fact, Montauk is even incorporating vintage antiques into their signature designs to further their goals of recycling and using limited raw materials.
If and when a sofa is disposed of, which it inevitably will be, Montauk believes it best to be a product that it not be harmful to the earth and that has the capacity to safely degrade over time.