Environmental Peace and Qs

Eco-furniture company Q Collection doesn't see much of a divide between the world inside your home and the world outside of it. They've replaced carcinogenic formaldehyde- and polyurethane-based glues and resins with less-toxic water-based alternatives and replaced polyurethane foams (which can be respiratory irritants) with natural fiber fills, such as organic cotton batting and natural latex.

To lighten their footprint on the earth, the company utilizes wood from well-managed forests, natural-fiber upholstery textiles such as hemp and abaca (a fiber made from banana stalks) and low-impact dyes. "Cotton, I have always been told, is the world's most polluting crop," says Jesse Johnson, co-founder and CEO of Q Collection. "If cotton is involved, it has to be organic or Oeko-tex certified" (a European standard for the screening of harmful substances in textiles).

It hasn't always been easy. "We have run into a few situations where we had to discontinue the use of a certain species of wood due to fluctuating supply," says Johnson, but the hassle is worth the cost. "Our materials are more expensive given that they are the best available in terms of health and environment."

Read our full interview with Jesse Johnson at www.thegreenguide.com.

—E.M. and P.M.