Eco-Friendly Furniture
New direct-to-consumer outdoor furniture company Yardbird was born out of a desire to create affordable and durable designs without losing out on style—in the process, co-founder Jay Dillon also found a way to manufacture the furniture with recycled materials.
Shown: Yardbird’s Luna Sofa Set in charcoal, $1,480 (includes a sofa, coffee table, and pair of fixed chairs)
Sourcing Materials
Before launching Yardbird with his father, Bob Dillon, Jay traveled to Hong Kong to learn more about factories and suppliers. The business plan rerouted after weekend trips to beaches in the Philippines and Indonesia, where plastic waste pockmarked the sea before rolling in onto the sand. As it turns out, collecting and processing intercepted ocean plastics (recycle lingo for plastic waste that’s collected from the shore and then pelletized) matches the cost of virgin plastic, or creating the plastic new. In 2017, Yardbird used 30,000lbs of intercepted plastics in its furniture and aims to surpass 100,000 lbs in 2018. (One plastic straw weighs 0.42g; 30,000lbs is about 32.4 million drinking straws!)
Halfway There
Each furniture set is made with 50 percent recyclable materials, and, once the time comes, is 100% recyclable itself. Yardbird uses Sunbrella fabrics and turns the plastics into a frame of resin wicker and rust-proof aluminum. The company has also partnered with Carbonfund.org to offset its carbon footprint.
Get This Look
Outdoor Sofa, Coffee Table, Chairs
Yardbird
Sofa Pillows
Pottery Barn
Blanket
Dining Chairs
CB2
Dining Table
Custom. Make your own with a step-by-step guide from ThisOldHouse.com
