What Does "FSC-Certified" Mean?

Products like decking or outdoor patio furniture are sometimes labeled FSC-certified, which means the Forest Stewardship Council guarantees the item meets its gold standard for ethical production. For example, the wood is harvested from responsibly managed, socially beneficial, environmentally conscious, and economically viable forests.

The FSC is an international non-profit organization that sets specific high standards to ensure that forestry is practiced in an environmentally responsible and socially beneficial manner.

Why You Should Consider FSC-Certified Furniture

Forests cover 30 percent of the global land area, according to the FSC. Consumers who want to go green at home and in their landscaping should consider buying sustainable garden furniture and products. 

The United States is the world’s largest importer of tropical wooden furniture from timber-producing countries. Of those imports, garden furniture represents approximately one-fifth of the wooden furniture market. U.S. imports of all tropical wood products have increased over the past couple of decades. Formerly rich forests in countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brazil are being depleted at an unprecedented rate.

A major cause of deforestation is the legal and illegal logging of remaining primary forests to meet the growing need for tropical wood products. At current rates of deforestation, the remaining biodiversity-rich natural forests in South American, Asian, and African countries could disappear within a decade.

Experts recommend that consumers look for and request products with a Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) logo, which means the wood is traceable to a sustainably managed forest.

"You can find the FSC tree-and-checkmark logo on certain wood and paper products at major home improvement and office supply retailers," says Jack Hurd, director of The Nature Conservancy's forest trade program. In addition, he suggests contacting your favorite stores to ask about stocking FSC-certified products and telling your friends and family to ask for FSC.

How an FSC Certification Helps Preserve Rainforests

Something as seemingly benign as hardwood garden furniture might contribute to the destruction of the world's most valuable rainforests, according to The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).

Prized for their beauty and durability, some rainforest species may be illegally harvested for outdoor furnishings. Buying FSC-certified outdoor furniture helps support sustainable forest management, which reduces the emission of greenhouse gases and protects wildlife habitat,” the WWF maintains. 

Understanding FSC Labels

Look for products that carry the FSC certification and, ideally, are made from FSC woods—like eucalyptus—harvested in the local economy where the furniture was made.

While the FSC makes a somewhat complicated process and the chains of supply easier to understand for consumers, it helps to know what the three labels on most products mean:

• FSC 100 percent: Products come from FSC-certified forests. 
• FSC recycled: The wood or paper in a product comes from reclaimed material.
• FSC mixed: A mix means at least 70 percent of the wood in a product comes from FSC-certified or recycled material, while 30 percent is made of controlled wood.

Searching for Products in the FSC Database

To easily track down the right sustainable products, the Global FSC Certificate Database provides a Product Classification tool to research and identify import and export companies of certified materials and products.

The tool helps you find certified companies or select a product type, like "outdoor furniture and gardening" or "veneer," along with certificate status, the name of an organization, country, etc. It outputs a list of companies, descriptions of products, country of origin, and other details to help you find a FSC-certified product or check if the certification has lapsed.

Second- and third-level searches will help you refine a search for a FSC-certified product. A Product Data tab provides more details about the types of materials included in the certificate or certified products.