Sofas and couches are long and upholstered pieces of furniture that allow you to sit or relax. Both terms are interchangeable in common usage. Designers, however, prefer to differentiate between the two.
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1. Affordability
Furniture stores usually offer specials and discounts. NerdWallet recommends shopping for a couch at these times to find the lowest prices and avoid spending too much.
A used couch is a good way to save. The type of sofa you choose is cheaper than buying a new one however, you aren't able to modify it. You can find deals at local market and yard sales and also on the marketplaces online for major furniture stores.
Consider the frame when shopping for a couch. Cheaper options use mesh or webbing, while more expensive couches feature a kiln dried frame made of hardwood, like oak or beech. There are various quality springs that can be used for sofas. The cheapest ones do not have springs, whereas the ones that are more expensive have serpentine springs or eight-way hand-tied coils.
A sofa can be equipped with extra features like LED lights, power recliners, and a bed built-in to give you the ultimate comfort. You can also include a coffee table or other tables with a low rise to your living space for extra storage and decoration. Explore all the options available and visit showrooms to try out the furniture.
4. Environmental Sustainability
While fast fashion has long been in the lexicon of sustainability experts as something to avoid, it's important to think about the environmental impact of large furniture items like couches that are eventually tossed to the curb. A couch that's made from sustainable materials and crafted by a local maker will likely leave a much smaller carbon footprint than a couch imported from overseas.
The process of making sofas is another factor to consider when determining its eco-friendliness. Does the company use renewable energy sources in its production? Does it make use of recycled materials to reduce waste? What are the processes that the manufacturing plants it uses run in terms of protecting natural resources and minimizing pollution?
Look for a couch that is made from sustainable materials. You can find them at a vintage or second-hand seller. Many of these sellers provide professional cleaning and repairs to prolong the life of furniture, keeping it from ending up in landfills. Take a look at the options on Kaiyo the marketplace that purchases and sells furniture that is used to keep them from being discarded.If you're looking for a couch that is more sustainable, choose one made of organic materials or wood that's been sustainable sourced. VivaTerra, for example, creates couches in the USA with wood that is ethically sourced and organic hemp or cotton certified by GOTS. Their foam is Cradle To Cradle certified and they use no flame retardants or formaldehyde in their cushions. They also ship their sofas in 100% recycled corrugate boxes and offset all their carbon emissions.
There are also companies like Maiden Home that make their couches to order in North Carolina, reducing waste. They make use of recycled and repurposed materials, including upcycled velvet and polyester, both of which have OEKO-TEX and GRS certifications.
