EKO is committed to promoting sustainable work environments and business practices based on sound economics, environmental protection, social responsibility and incorporating the BIFMA Sustainability Guidelines into our practices.

We will routinely update our practices, and we intend to make consistent, measurable progress toward these goals and will pursue them in all facets of our operations.

We will strive to ensure that our key stakeholders are aware of our commitment as we pursue the goal of becoming an increasingly sustainable company. We also commit to reporting our progress in the area of Environmental Aspects; Legal and Other Requirements; Objectives and Targets; and Management Review as defined in the BIFMA Sustainability Guidelines.

EKO furnishings are better for you and our planet.
EKO strives to be at the forefront of sustainable design. Our primary goal is the elimination of toxic chemicals, carcinogens and the leading components of poor indoor air quality. The EKO team has thoroughly researched a wide selection of potential materials and is confident that we have selected the purest currently available. We will continue to seek out and test new materials as they enter the market.

First, it might be helpful to describe how we define sustainability. We approach it as ‘acting today in a manner to protect and preserve our planet for tomorrow’.

EKO associates the following benefits with our
sustainable products:
- Reduction of Climate Change and Acid Rain
- Improvement of Indoor and Outdoor Air Quality
- Conservation of Water and Improvement of Water Quality
- Waste reduction, Reuse and Recycling
- Reduction or Elimination of Pollution
- Conservation of Energy
- Improvement of Human Health and the Environment
- Preservation and Restoration of Habitat
- Reduction of Environmental and Product Liability
- Increased Social Equity

The points mentioned above are our long-term goals. We understand that our first generation products must focus on the areas of highest concern. Our research indicates that health impacts (mainly related to indoor air quality) and general environmental damage are the best places to start.

Health Related Concerns

Furniture construction typically uses several known or suspected carcinogenic materials including formaldehyde and polyurethane. Most recently, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared formaldehyde as “known to cause cancer to humans”.

EKO has eliminated polyurethane and formaldehyde from our furniture. The following is a description of materials commonly found in furniture that EKO has eliminated:

• Formaldehyde
- Used as an adhesive in most contract wood furniture
- Known indoor air pollutant
- Health effects include eye, nose, and throat irritation; wheezing and coughing; fatigue; skin rash and severe allergic reactions. High concentrations may trigger asthma attacks. It has also been shown to cause cancer in animals and, according to World Health Organization, causes cancer in humans.

• Polyurethane
- Used as a sealant on most all contract wood furniture
- Polyurethane contains toluene di-isocyanate, which is toxic and known to cause cancer in humans. Long-term exposure may cause chronic lung problems, although evidence is not conclusive. Animal studies have reported depressed weight gain, effects on the lungs and organ weight abnormalities.

• Brominated Flame Retardants (PBDE’s)
- Banned in Europe but currently used extensively in contract furniture
- Linked to brain disorders and birth defects.

• Toxic Chemicals
- These are chemicals such as dioxin, PCB’s, PBB’s, etc. that are known to affect the human immune system.
- Dioxin, in addition to being a by-product of furniture production, is also a routine contaminant in products such as fabrics that have been “whitened” by chlorine treatment.
- Health effects resulting from a weakened immune system have now been found to include increased frequency and duration of colds and flu, allergies, asthma, autoimmune disorders such as diabetes, arthritis, lupus and others. Research is also beginning to show how children with low function in parts of their immune system are contracting cancer at much higher rates than children with higher functioning immune systems.

• Organic Pollutants
- Used in furniture related products
- paint, paint stripper and wood preservatives.
- Eye, nose and throat irritation; headaches, loss of coordination, nausea; damage to liver, kidneys and central nervous system. Some organics can cause cancer in animals and are suspected to cause cancer in humans.


Environmental Impacts

Eliminating or dramatically reducing the environmental footprint of our products is also a primary goal.

• Wood:
We use only “certified,” sustainability-harvested wood. Certification ensures that our wood is grown from tree farms that employ superior forestry management practices. The source of most of the wood on the market today is unknown and, unfortunately, can originate from some of the world’s most threatened ecosystems such as old-growth forests in the Pacific Northwest or Amazon rain forests. The United States is by far the largest importer of virgin timber from the Amazon River region. We are certain, however, that our wood does not come from any of these threatened ecosystems.

• Cotton:
Cotton is the world’s most polluting crop. We use organic cotton whenever available. Our batting is organic cotton and for our muslin layer, we use organic cotton flannel.

In summary, EKO is simply the most thoughtful designed line of contract furnishings on the market. We have successfully addressed the most pressing health and environmental issues in contract furnishings and will continue to push further.

Materials List

We believe we have made great strides in addressing the most problematic materials used in the construction of contract furnishings. Suspected carcinogenics such as formaldehyde (wood glues) and polyurethane (wood finishes and stains) have been eliminated. Below is a list of our current materials:


Furniture:

Solid Woods 100% certified
Veneer & Plywood 100% certified, when available
Composite Materials no added formaldehyde, 100% recovered or recycled
Stains & Topcoats, low VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds)
Paints water-based, zero VOC
Adhesives water-based, no formaldehyde
Products qualify for LEED CI Credits, see below
Metals maximum recycled content
Preserve® brand soy based foam
Current member USGBC
Excess materials goal of recapturing all excess runoff


Plant Recycling:

- We currently recycle all paper waste and packaging excess with our own large compactor at the facility, which is picked up monthly and taken to the recycling center.
- All excess textiles are either sent back to the supplier for their inventory or used as sales materials.
- All excess or damaged foam is sent back to the supplier where it is ground and turned into another foam product.

Waste Management:

- Thru the use of newer technologies, we are able to have very little waste in the production of our products. We have invested heavily in CNC (Computer Numerical Control) devices for more accurate parts and to minimize waste.
- We utilize a CNC corrugated folding and cutting machine to maximize our yield on boxes for our products. Each box is custom made to fit our products perfectly with little or no waste.
- CNC router for cutting all our plywood frames. This process allows us to make only what we need and when we need it with very little or no waste.
- CNC router for cutting all of our textiles. This process allows us to order only the exact amount of textiles needed to make our products. This process also has little or no waste.
- Thru the use of these technologies, we are also able to reduce our entire carbon footprint by only occupying 50,000 sq feet to manufacture our products. That is half the national standard for our current sales dollar volume.

Shipping:

We have partnered with EPA’s SmartWay Transportation, which is an innovative program for reducing greenhouse gases (GHG) in freight transport. Items in this program include no idle rules at our docks as well.

Community Involvement:

EKO is located in the Tennessee Valley, where cancer has become an issue as Tennessee is ranked 34th of the 50 states in America. We, as a company have begun a relationship with a local cancer foundation in the Chattanooga area for pediatric cancer, The Austin Hatcher Foundation. Jim and Amy Jo Osborne, whose lives have been affected by this terrible disease that took their son, Hatcher, several years ago, organized the foundation.

Our Mission:

Our mission is to support research towards the diagnoses, treatment and development of a cure for pediatric cancer and to provide support and hope to children and families undergoing treatment as well as to those who have lost children due to cancer. This foundation is our main charity and we have supported them with company employee volunteer time, monetary donations and furniture donations as they grow. We at EKO feel that there is no better way to give back to the community.


EKO leed-ci credit summary

RECYCLED CONTENT (10% post-consumer + 1/2 pre-consumer)
LEED Requirement: Use materials with recycled content such that the sum of post-consumer recycled content plus one-half of the post-industrial content constitutes at least 10% of the total value of the materials in the project.
EKO Benefit: EKO can contribute to this credit as it contains in excess of 80% pre-consumer and 0% post-consumer recycled content (by weight).

RECYCLED CONTENT (20% post-consumer + 1/2 pre-consumer)
LEED Requirement: Use materials with recycled content such that the sum of post-consumer recycled content plus one-half of the post-industrial content constitutes at least 20% of the total value of the materials in the project.
EKO Benefit: EKO can contribute to this credit as it contains in excess of 80% pre-consumer and 0% post-consumer recycled content (by weight).

REGIONAL MATERIALS (20% manufactured regionally)
LEED Requirement: Use a minimum of 20% of building materials and products that are manufactured regionally within a radius of 500 miles.
EKO Benefit: All EKO products can contribute to this credit based on the project location relative to Cleveland, TN.


REGIONAL MATERIALS (10% extracted and manufactured regionally)
LEED Requirement: In addition to the requirements of MR 5.1, use a minimum of 10% of the combined value of construction and Division 12 (Furniture) materials and products extracted, harvested or recovered, as well as manufactured, within 500 miles of the project.
EKO Benefit: All EKO products can contribute to this credit based on the project location relative to Cleveland, TN. All EKO products contain in excess of 80% materials that are harvested within 500 miles of the Factory location in Cleveland, TN.