DESIGN FOR THE ENVIRONMENT

HBF and HBF Textiles are committed to protecting the environment for future generations. We understand the potential impact our products and have integrated life cycle principals into our design and manufacturing systems driving continuous improvement in products, work pace environments and our community as a whole.

We strive to meet the most stringent environmental standards, including GREENGUARD® Indoor Air Quality Standard, Cradle to Cradle Certification®, and the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)®.  We provide the ecoScorecard® tool to help our clients calculate the environmental benefits of using HBF products in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)® projects.

GREENGUARD®

All HBF seating products are GREENGUARD® Indoor Air Quality Certified. HBF casegood products, conference tables and occasional tables are GREENGUARD Indoor Air Quality Certified® when utilizing approved core and finish materials. 

GREENGUARD® certification is a valuable tool for architects, designers, product specifiers, and purchasing organizations that choose to locate, specify, and purchase low-emitting products for indoor environments.  GREENGUARD® establishes certification procedures including test methods, allowable emissions levels, product sample collection and handling, testing type and frequency, and program application processes and acceptance.

For more information regarding HBF’s GREENGUARD® certificates, please visit: HBF low emitting products.

For more information regarding the GREENGUARD® Environmental Institute, please visit: www.greenguard.org.

CRADLE TO CRADLE®

Several HBF Textiles patterns and designs are Cradle to Cradle® certified as technical nutrient or biological nutrient by McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry (MBDC).

Cradle to Cradle® Certification is a multi-attribute eco-label that assesses a product’s safety to humans and the environment and design for future life cycles. The Cradle to Cradle® framework focuses on using safe materials that can be disassembled and recycled as technical nutrients or composted as biological nutrients.

For more information regarding Cradle to Cradle®, please visit: www.mbdc.com.

FOREST STEWARDSHIP COUNCIL (FSC)®

HBF holds Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC) Chain-of-Custody Certification® (SW-COC-003305). This certification agreement allows HBF to offer FSC® certified wood veneer or core on a project specific basis.

FSC® Chain-of-Custody certification tracks certified wood from the forest to final production to ensure that responsible forestry practices were maintained at every level and to preserve this natural resource for generations to come.

For more information regarding FSC®, please visit: www.fsc.org.

LEADERSHIP IN ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN (LEED)®

A number of HBF products contribute toward the attainment of LEED® credits.

LEED® Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council, the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Green Building Rating System™ encourages and accelerates global adoption of sustainable green building and development practices through the creation and implementation of universally understood and accepted tools and performance criteria.

For more information regarding HBF’s contribution toward the attainment of LEED® credits, please visit: www.hbf.ecoscorecard.com.

For more information regarding the LEED® Green Building Rating System, please visit: www.usgbc.org.

ECOSCORECARD®

The HBF ecoScorecard® is an online tool available for consumers to identify environmentally sensitive products and a vehicle to calculate the contribution of HBF products towards the attainment of LEED® credits. The HBF ecoScorecard® offers the following benefits:

• Automated assistance with LEED® documentation.
• Customized review and comparison of multiple products.
• Ability to print, download and/or email LEED Specification Sheets and analysis information for all products that contribute to the rating system.
• Reduced time and cost associated with LEED® research and documentation.
• Accurate and straightforward information of product attributes and LEED® contribution.
• Assists specifiers in demonstrating how HBF products apply to real-world, high performance green building needs.

For more information regarding HBF’s ecoScorecard®, please visit: www.hbf.ecoscorecard.com.

For more information regarding ecoScorecard®, please visit: www.ecoscorecard.com.

DESIGN FOR DURABILITY

HBF products are designed and rigorously tested to ensure they meet industry durability standards. We build products that have a long useful life and can withstand repeated service, repair and handling; and have standardized product parts and components available to facilitate maintenance, servicing and reassembly.

In commercial office environments, the demands of the furniture include heavy use, limited maintenance and maximum flexibility. Each design is carefully considered for structure, strength, and durability to exceed client expectations. Several HBF products are designed to be remanufactured in order to facilitate the replacement of components. These elements are critical to a long product lifecycle and reduced landfill waste.

DESIGN FOR RECYCLING

HBF’s response to the environment does not end after producing our product.  We understand that the day may come when you want to replace your furniture. 

For information and instructions regarding disassembly of HBF products for recycling, please visit: HBF disassembly drawings.

For information on recycling office furniture components and other assembled products, please contact the USEPA office of Waste and Recycling in your region at www.epa.gov/waste/wyl/regional.htm. 

MATERIALS FOR THE ENVIRONMENT

HBF is committed to using renewable materials and textiles whenever possible. By integrating recycled, rapidly renewable and natural materials, into our processes when possible; HBF supports our mission to serve our clients’ needs while improving the environment.

RECYCLED MATERIALS

HBF uses Green-Blend® panel materials wherever possible. Green-Blend® panel material cores are produced with no added urea formaldehyde and contribute towards LEED® Rapidly Renewable Materials and Recycled Content credits.

Green-Blend is SCS® certified 100% pre-consumer recycled wood fiber panel material that has no urea-formaldehyde added during the manufacturing process. It combines low emission standards, certified recycled content and sustainable raw materials with the reliability of a proven industry track record of wood based panel material.

HBF LUMBER

HBF uses lumber sourced from woodlands in the Northern Appalachian and Alleghany Mountains. All lumber is harvested under strict government supervision, adhering to sound forestry practices. HBF consciously partners with vendors that adhere to environmentally responsible, socially beneficial and economically viable standards. Some HBF products are available with FSC® certified materials.

TEXTILES

HBF Textiles continually seeks new products and processes in the creation of our award winning designs. Many HBF Textiles are part of our Environmental Initiatives Program and utilize Zeftron®, Eco-Spun®, Terratex® recycled yarns, Crypton® Green, bamboo yarns, recycled post-consumer polyester, lambswool, etc.

Several HBF Textiles patterns and designs are Cradle to Cradle® certified as technical nutrient or biological nutrient by McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry (MBDC).

HBF offers many of our textiles in "loom-state" with no finishes. This allows us apply a specific finish at the customer's request.  When a stain repellent finish is requested, we promote products which use fewer chemicals, such as, GreenShield® and Nano-TexR®.

Wool is a superior natural, renewable and biodegradable fiber creating only biodegradable by-products during processing, including various cosmetic and pharmaceutical agents such as lanolin. Wool is inherently flame retardant, eliminating the need for further flame retardant chemical treatments.

UPHOLSTERY POLY FOAM

All HBF Textiles upholstery products utilize poly foam that is chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) free.

Preserve® HR foam products are also incorporated into many HBF products. Preserve HR is a soy bio-based high-resilience foam with bio-base content and recycled polyester.

METAL RESOURCES AND FINISHING

HBF utilizes a powder coat finish or brushed/polished aluminum parts for the majority of our exposed metal components.

Decorative metals used in manufacturing are GREENGUARD® Indoor Air Quality Certified to ensure minimal impact on the indoor environment.

Brushed aluminum and die cast aluminum components are 100% recyclable and contain recycled content.

TEXTILE FINISHING PROCESS

Wherever possible, finishing processes such as those employed in creating the luxurious hand of wool fabrics are achieved with natural agents such as water, steam and non-toxic soap. As a result, no measurable pollutants are released into the air or water.

HBF offers many of textiles in "loom-state" with no finishes. This allows us apply a specific finish at the customer's request.  When a stain repellent finish is requested, we promote products which use fewer chemicals, such as, GreenShield® and Nano-TexR®.

WOOD FINISHING EMISSIONS

HBF monitors and maintains low emissions of hazardous air pollutants.

HBF has achieved “small source” status for air emissions as well as GREENGUARD® Indoor Air Quality Certification for the majority of its products.

DISPOSAL OF WOOD FINISHING WASTE AND WOOD WASTE

Liquid waste from our wood finishing process is sent offsite to be fuel blended and used by cement kilns. Solid waste is also sent offsite to generate electricity. Most sawdust and some wood waste are used as industrial boiler fuel by third parties.

RECYCLING OF SCRAP MATERIAL

HBF and HBF Textiles embrace recycling in our daily procedures. Fabric and leather short ends are not discarded but are incorporated into our sampling process. Packaging components, cardboard, Dacron, scrap steel and wood, florescent lights, office paper, aluminum and plastic containers are all recycled internally or by an outside source.