Daily News
From Home Furnishing Business
SFC Survey: Consumers Consider Environment in Buying
September 4,
2013 by in Business Strategy, Green, Industry 
Consumers are becoming more environmentally conscious in their purchases, and they're willing to pay more in order to own the greener product, according to the Sustainable Furnishings Council's fifth annual consumer research study.
With that, the report indicates that home furnishings retailers and vendors should do more to educate consumers about sustainable products to reap the financial benefit. The report is available for SFC members and non-members.
"The need for greater awareness about the importance of living green is among the top takeaways from this year's study," according to Susan Inglis , SFC executive director. "Our report shows the consumer is more aware about sustainability, especially as it pertains to energy savings and reclaimed materials, but the need for home furnishings retailers and manufacturers to do more is clear-cut."
Forty-nine percent of this year's respondents said they were "Definitely Interested" or "Very Interested" in buying green home furnishings, if the style and cost was about the same as other options. Meanwhile, 46 percent of respondents cited "lack of awareness" as the reason why they have not purchased green home furnishings.
Conducted in the spring, 460 consumers took part in the national survey.
The survey results are paving the way for SFC as it embarks on a national, regional and local marketing campaign aimed at educating consumers about how to be better stewards of the environment and create healthful homes.
To obtain a copy of 2013 Green Home Furnishings Study, underwritten by Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams and conducted by Impact Consulting Group, SFC members obtain login credentials when they contact the SFC offices at (252) 368-1098 or via e-mail mailto:admin@sustainablefurnishings.org. The report is available to non-SFC members for $250 online at FurnitureCore.
To learn more about the report, both SFC members and non-members are invited to attend SFC's next Sustainability Essentials webinar; Bob George , president of Impact Consulting Services, will provide an overview of the consumer research study Sept. 12. Visit the "Courses & Events" page online for more information.