Couched in comfort

Natural Health, Sept, 2007 by Amy Braunschweiger

AS THE CENTERPIECE of any living room, a sofa should be both inviting and stylish. Now it can also be eco-friendly. These four coaches are made from natural and recycled materials, so they'll keep chemicals out of your home and the environment.

CRATE & BARREL LOCKPORT II SOFA crateandbarrel.com) This cushy' and casual couch features plenty of eco details. The back pillows are stuffed with fibers made from recycled plastic bottles, and the seat cushions are filled with soy-based foam (instead of polyurethane, which can emit toxins like toluene). Crate & Barrel used responsibly logged wood certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) to build the frame (which is guaranteed for life) and colored the legs with a water-based stain.

FLORENCE KNOLL SOFA ($7,430; knoll.com) With its clean lines, this 1954 couch designed by architect Florence Knoll remains a modern classic. Now the sofa carries a seal from Greenguard Environmental Institute, a nonprofit in Atlanta, because it contains minimal levels of indoor pollutants and carcinogenic chemicals like formaldehyde that are often found in fabrics, coatings, and glues.

METAFORM STUDIO PIPE DREAM SOFA ($1,200-$3,500; metaformstudio.com) These industrial-design specialists have constructed this couch's frame from steel pipes like those found under your sink. The cushions are filled with biodegradable natural latex foam and can be removed for easy cleaning (a bonus if you or anyone in your household tends to spill things).

Q COLLECTION ABIGAIL SETTEE (price available upon request; qcollection.com) This modern incarnation of the English wing chair has passed the eco-friendly test: Q Collection uses only FSC-approved wood, water-based glues, and natural latex foam. The designers create their own sumptuous fabrics--and use vegetable dyes to color them. Even the brass nailheads are 100 percent recycled.