What’s not to love about spending time outdoors? Whether it’s soaking up sunshine of the longer daylight hours in warmer months, or cozying up with a blanket to stargaze under a chilly night’s sky, there’s really no wrong time of year to enjoy your home’s outdoor spaces. In the spirit of making more time to be outside experiencing nature at her finest, we’re highlighting a few trusted workshop partners who not only craft beautiful outdoor furniture, but also do so in some really innovative, and sustainably-minded ways!

Renowned for their expertly crafted indoor furniture, and for only using FSC certified wood sourced from responsibly managed forests, Ethnicraft’s outdoor furniture collection is no less impressive. Inspired by the “open-air moments” that bring people together to indulge in a more luxurious pace of life, each piece is also thoughtfully made to withstand the weather of changing seasons. We love their 100% solid teak Jack Outdoor Collection with the softly curved lines, and natural wood elegance of its adjustable lounger, outdoor coffee table, and three-seat sofa. If you choose to add cushions as well, Ethnicraft’s outdoor collection provides maximum comfort and relaxation with Belgian-woven upholstery in rich earth tones, weather-resistant cushion covers and Oeko-Tex 100 certified, quick dry fillers. Since this year’s top design trends happen to include curved silhouettes, natural wood furniture, and earth toned color palettes, Ethnicraft has your patio, backyard, and pool deck covered for style and sustainability.

A company that makes fun and easy-going, all-weather furniture its entire business, Loll Designs is our go-to pick for unique, colorful, and contemporary outdoor pieces. They craft all of their designs, from outdoor rockers, sofas, and adirondack chairs, to outdoor storage solutions, and even planters, with ultra-durable high density polyethylene (HDPE) that’s been partially upcycled from post-consumer plastics like milk jugs and playground equipment! Their outdoor furniture is the epitome of low maintenance too, since its non-porous material doesn’t collect dirt, and requires no winter covers, or ongoing paint and stain upkeep. As a proud member of 1% For The Planet, Loll repurposes 88% of their own manufacturing waste, and ensures that each piece of Loll furniture is able to be recycled again at the end of its lifespan. Customers are even encouraged to return their items to the company for proper and complete recycling when they no longer want or need them. This circular approach to design is just one of the ways Loll Designs makes modern, all-weather furniture look, and feel, like a cool breeze.

The Ocean Collection from Mater is easily some of the most classically modern outdoor furniture around. Originally designed in 1955 by leading designers Joergen and Nanna Ditzel, the pieces are now beautifully manufactured from upcycled plastic waste that might otherwise collect in our oceans. Mostly using discarded fishing nets, Mater has been able to repurpose 960 grams of ocean plastic waste for each one of their chairs! The lightweight aesthetic of these simple tables, benches, and chairs also incorporates steel frames made from recycled gunmetal, and all of their furniture is specifically made and tested to weather outdoor wear and tear with ease. More recently, the Ocean Collection has also added their OC2 line of green colored furniture made from the plastic of upcycled Carlsberg beer kegs. A pioneer in sustainable furniture manufacturing, Mater created their own patented technology to create circular materials from other kinds of industrial waste too; today, they transform aluminum waste, mango tree wood, used coffee shells, and even spent grain into gorgeous pieces of long lasting furniture, all while reducing carbon emissions in the process.