The FIAA prides itself on the use of Australian Made sustainable resources within the Australian furniture manufacturing industry. There are many benefits to using locally produced materials but in particular it is the quality and environmental benefits of Australian materials that rival overseas product.

The design of a product combined with the selection of materials directly affects the degree of energy efficiency and in an industry that is environmentally considerate, the FIAA promotes maximising comfort of the product while minimising non-renewable energy consumption.

Timber

The aim of environmentally sustainable and responsible manufacturing is to consume less, particularly less energy and minimise adverse environmental impacts. Using timber is a good choice as it is renewable and takes little energy to make. Timber is the perfect, sustainable building material due to its strong, natural and renewable nature.

The association of timber is an established part of Australian building culture and this has lead to a public acceptance of timber as a traditionally accepted and favoured building material.

Environmental sustainability recognises that human activity over time and the health of the environment are interdependent and that environmental health has necessary social, political and economic determinants. Timber compares favourably to other materials for the following reasons:

• The raw material for timber is relatively abundant in many parts of Australia;
• It is renewable, can be grown either in plantations or in conjunction with holistic agricultural practice near where it is to be used;
• Timber can be processed without major capital investment while producing useful by-products and little or no waste or pollutants;
• It can be used without special equipment or skill and has strength and capacity that encourages efficiency of use.

When timber is used as a highly valued resource and with intelligent design applications by the furniture industry and design professionals, the potential for sustainable technologies to develop is likely to be great.

Foam

Buying Australian foam guarantees the product is made in the cleanest way possible and is policed by proactive organisations such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This gives consumers peace of mind that their furniture meets environmental standards yet still fulfils the purpose of the piece. This is compared with imported foams coming in from countries where environmental standards are almost nonexistent or not policed.

Locally produced foams are branded, indicating that the foam producer’s primary concern is about the foam quality. This gives the local producers opportunity to source materials locally and this reflects their own quality positioning. Sourcing foam within Australia indicates a very high level of quality.