With sustainability becoming more important for home goods shoppers, Wayfair announces it has expanded its Shop Sustainably offering, which is designed to make it easier for customers to find environmentally friendly goods.
The online home goods retailer now offers more than 12,000 products in its Shop Sustainably program, carrying more than 50 third-party sustainability certifications across its assortment. Wayfair customers can now filter for categories such as water-efficient, nontoxic, cruelty-free, fair trade and more, and distinguish sustainable products with the Shop Sustainably label.
“At Wayfair, we are committed to advancing the sustainability of our supply chain, including responsible sourcing of our products,” said Derek Oliver, global head of corporate responsibility and government affairs, Wayfair. “We’re thrilled to partner with our suppliers and trusted certification bodies to enable our customers to easily identify and choose products that consider social, environmental, and health-related impacts in design, sourcing, and manufacturing.”
Wayfair joins a spate of major home goods retailers, including Ikea, Pottery Barn and Macy’s, who have made concerted efforts in the past year to offer more sustainably produced and sourced products to their customers. And those moves have been made in response to growing consumer demand for eco-friendly products.
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According to the Sustainable Furnishings Council’s 2021 Green Home Furnishings Consumer Study, 97 percent of respondents said they were interested in buying sustainable furnishings if the style and cost are about the same. And four in 10 respondents said they would be willing to pay more for environmentally friendly home goods.
Products in the Shop Sustainably program span categories, including furniture, decor and appliances, and offer descriptions about sustainability certifications. Certifications include LEVEL BY BIFMA, FloorScore, Green Squared, MAS Certified Green, and Indoor Advantage. Many of the certifications included in Shop Sustainably also qualify for building rating systems, including LEED v4.1, BREEAM, WELL Building, and Living Building Challenge.
“LEVEL was created exclusively for the furniture industry as a multi-attribute, comprehensive certification program that measures environmental, social, and sustainable practices across sourcing, manufacturing, and operations,” said Deirdre Jimenez, president and CEO of BIFMA. “Helping customers easily identify and shop for sustainable furniture products is a goal we both share.”