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4 Eco-Friendly Bathroom Vanities For A More Sustainable Remodel

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If you’re planning a bathroom renovation and are trying to make more eco-minded decisions, there are several considerations to make. This guide aims to help you save time on researching one of those elements: sourcing a sustainable bathroom vanity.

The furniture companies featured here offer single sink and double sink vanities, and several also let you customize the size of your vanity too.

What is an Eco-Friendly Bathroom Vanity?

Repurposed

Many of the same concepts from sustainable fashion apply to sustainable furniture! The most sustainable furniture is the one already in your home and what’s already been produced. So, can you repurpose something you already have or found at an estate sale with some non-toxic paint?

You could repurpose a sideboard / credenza or lower height dresser into a bathroom vanity, for example, by cutting a sink hole and piping holes and finishing the top with a counter or waterproof finish. There are also contractors who can do that customization for you if you find that perfect dresser you want to transform into a vanity.

Another option is to search for demolition sales near you. Search “demolition sales near me” or check out EstateSales.net and check “demolition sales” in the filters. You can find everything from appliances and cabinets to bathtubs and vanities at these demolition sales. They’re not always the most modern vanities, but if you love a DIY project, and access to a vehicle that can transport these kinds of heavy duty furniture pieces, this could have some potential.

By the way, if you are doing a renovation that requires demolition, see if you can partner with a demolition sales company to help you sell those hard-to-sell items like cabinets before you start your renovation to reduce waste.

Eco-Conscious Materials

If you’re buying a new bathroom vanity, one of the key considerations is the materials that vanity is made from. Look for sustainably-sourced (and ideally locally sourced!) hardwood that is finished with zero or low VOC finishes.

The shelves are typically going to be engineered wood, even if the outside is hardwood, otherwise the vanity would be extremely heavy.

Even better if you can find a bathroom vanity made from reclaimed wood, since that means no trees had to be cut down for producing the furniture!

There are also several eco countertop materials out there, including Richlite, made from post-consumer recycled paper, Grenite has recycled quartz, glass, and acrylic countertops. Most of the brands featured below focus their sustainability sourcing on the main vanity, but you could purchase one of those vanities without a countertop and get a separate eco countertop potentially.

You can also find countertops at demolition sales! (See above for more on those.)

Responsible Production

Given the weight and size of furniture, it’s especially great to see local production for furniture. The carbon footprint of shipping such heavy and large pieces around the world is nothing to overlook!

Another great practice is made-to-order, which reduces waste — and also often enables you to customize your vanity to your specifications.

Finally, transparency, fair wages, and safe working conditions are key to responsible production. This is another reason to choose non-toxic materials. You’re not only protecting yourself, but also supporting companies that protect their workers and the environment, too.

Certifications

You’ll see a few certifications and standards referenced throughout this guide. Here’s what each one actually covers:

  • FSC Certified = the wood sourcing was responsibly managed; not a finish, countertop, or hardware guarantee.
  • GREENGUARD Certified = the finished product was tested for low chemical emissions, including VOCs; product-level certifications mean that just because one product from a brand is certified, it doesn’t mean the others are!
  • Fair Trade Certified = verifies that a factory meets standards for fair wages, safe working conditions, and ethical labor practices; not a company-wide certification
  • B Corporation = a company-level certification (not product-specific) verifying that a business meets standards for social and environmental performance, transparency, and legal accountability, assessed by the nonprofit B Lab

Where to Find Sustainable Bathroom Vanities

Check out the curation of brands below that carry eco-friendly bathroom vanities. Details on each brand are included, as well as key points like price and shipping details. Each brand has different sustainability highlights.

Note that this guide includes affiliate links, which means we earn a commission if you buy through these links at no additional cost to you. This helps us continue to create more free guides for you!

1. What WE Make

Best for: made-to-order reclaimed wood vanities with character

Eco-friendly walnut reclaimed wood bathroom vanity

Based near Chicago, What WE Make handcrafts reclaimed wood furniture — including bathroom vanities — made from salvaged wood sourced from torn down midwestern barns. That means the wood is century- or centuries-old wood, with incredible durability and character. Just don’t expect every piece from the brand to look the same! Slight variations are part of the nature of using repurposed materials.

Their recycled bathroom vanities are available in a range of styles from mid-century modern to rustic farmhouse, with legs or as floating vanities, and are available in several low VOC finishes. Each vanity is made-to-order so you can also request custom sizes.

Materials: Reclaimed Wood, Concrete

Price: $1,995 – $5,485

Shipping: Ships free within U.S.

2. Native Trails @ Wayfair

Best for: solid wood vanities with lower impact countertops

Native Trails is a woman-owned Certified B Corporation that prioritizes social and environmental responsibility. The company’s eco-friendly bathroom vanities are made with FSC-certified solid European hardwood or reclaimed wood from oak barrels of California vineyards. But my favorite part of Native Trails is that their vanities use more eco-friendly countertops made from their own material called NativeStone® — it’s a blend of cement and jute fiber handcrafted by artisans in Vietnam.

The sustainable furniture company also sells recycled copper sinks, NativeStone® basins, concrete vanity tops, mirrors, and even drains to complete your bathroom vanity. While Native Trails does not sell direct on their site, you can find their bathroom vanities at several in-person and online retailers, including Bed Bath & Beyond and Wayfair.

Materials: Reclaimed Wood, FSC-Certified Walnut, Solid Oak, Concrete & Jute (NativeStone®)

Price Range: $1,413 – $4,428

Shipping: Free shipping through Bed Bath & Beyond and Wayfair

3. West Elm Sustainably Sourced Collection

Best for: wide variety of aesthetic choices for more sustainable vanities

West Elm has been making strides in their sustainability efforts and has several sustainable bathroom vanities available. You can sort through their options with filters like Greenguard Certified (tested for toxic chemicals), Sustainably-Sourced (typically FSC-certified wood), and Fair Trade. They also have a Contract Grade tag signifying products that are durable and built to last. You can find eco-friendly mid-century modern, contemporary, and japandi style bathroom vanities on their site.

While West Elm doesn’t have the level of sustainability credentials of some of the other options on this list, I appreciate that the retailer is large enough to have stores where you can see the vanities in-person before making your decision.

Materials: Hardwood & Engineered Wood (check for GREENGUARD certified products on engineered wood)

Price: $1,055 – $3,399

Shipping: Within U.S.; White Glove Delivery available in select locations

4. Limitless Woodworking

Best for: solid wood vanities with a farmhouse feel

Specializing in custom wood furniture, you can find a USA-made bathroom vanity that you can design to your specifications, from size to stain color to hardware at Limitless Woodworking. The Indiana-based furniture company’s natural bathroom vanities are made-to-order just for you, and many reviewers compliment the products’ craftsmanship and quality.

The wood is new — not reclaimed like What WE Make or Native Trails — but I appreciate the transparency around the production of these vanities along with the commitment to using solid wood and building with quality craftsmanship.

Materials: Northeastern White Pine

Price: $1,433 – $8,189

Shipping: Ships free within U.S.

How about more affordable sustainable bathroom vanities?

You may have noticed that the price of a more sustainable bathroom vanity is on the higher end from your typical vanity — that’s to be expected when the sourcing is done responsibly, a company uses hardwood instead of composite wood, or when furniture is handcrafted domestically.

But if these vanities are outside of your budget, I’d suggest furniture outlets as a secondhand option (since it can be pretty tough to find vanities secondhand from someone’s home). I’m not talking about the kind of outlets where they just make cheaper products, but genuine outlets where they sell returned products they can’t resell as new. Such as:

West Elm Open Box Outlet Deals: this is where you can find deals on vanities and other bathroom furniture and accessories that have been opened and returned. A true outlet like this is a form of secondhand furniture, as these pieces usually cannot be sold as new. Some retailers toss out returned products, so it’s nice to see companies resell these types of items.

Wayfair Open Box: similarly, Wayfair offers open box deals up to 40% off on all kinds of furniture, including bathroom vanities. As an outlet, just keep in mind that you can’t return the items, so make sure to double check the measurements! If you’re thinking: but what if there’s an undisclosed issue or significant damage from shipping? Thankfully, those usually those have exceptions. I received a broken chandelier in the mail from Wayfair’s Open Box Outlet, and they did refund me after I sent photos. So while the product might have some wear on it from back and forth shipping, you shouldn’t have to deal with a dysfunctional product.

Ikea As Is: I’ve used the As Is program from Ikea several times. You simply browse your nearest store’s selection online, reserve the piece(s) you want then pick up and pay within 48 hours. It’s not as convenient as West Elm or Wayfair since you have to drive and pick up — versus just wait for the delivery — but the benefit is you can actually see the furniture before you purchase.

I hope one of these options will meet your needs for an eco-friendly bathroom vanity! Feel free to reach out if you have any further recommendations. And good luck on your bathroom remodel!

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The post 4 Eco-Friendly Bathroom Vanities For A More Sustainable Remodel appeared first on Conscious Life & Style.

4 Eco-Friendly Bathroom Vanities For A More Sustainable Remodel

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