Furniture as a Way to Connect With Nature

In 1970, Milton Friedman famously stated that “the social responsibility of business is to increase its profits.”

Fundamentally, which business owner would disagree with that statement? A business does require resources, money being one of them, to keep running. However, profit is not the true purpose. Just like a car, money is the fuel that helps it move forward, but it is not the final destination.

Pollution Everywhere and Increasingly Hard to Control

Large industries that produce goods on a massive scale often overlook the long-term environmental consequences. According to the Community Emission Data System (CEDS) 2024 (Figure 1), year after year the world continues to generate increasing levels of air pollution, threatening human life and respiratory health. One of the causes is the growing aggressiveness of industries producing products without regard for environmental impact.

Figure 1. Global Air Pollution Trends
Source: Community Emission Data System (CEDS), 2024.

It is not only air pollution industrial waste has also grown tremendously, especially plastic waste, as plastic is cheap and easy to use. According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) 2022 data on global plastic pollution, the annual growth is highly significant (Figure 2). The OECD emphasizes that reducing this pollution requires coordinated global action to curb plastic production and strengthen recycling initiatives.

Figure 2. Global Plastic Pollution Trends
Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

Innovation Cannot Be Avoided, But It Can Be Improved

In a rapidly moving world, innovation cannot be prevented, but it can be steered toward becoming better and more environmentally friendly. Many efforts supporting the green economy are being mobilized to reduce continuous carbon emissions.

The world needs smart, collective action starting from our homes and workplaces. There are simple steps we can take to help make the world greener from where we stand:

1. Nurturing plants, and

2. Filling our spaces with products that come from nature, one of which is furniture.

Furniture and Its Essence

Consciously or not, every activity we do is connected to furniture. Whether we are sleeping, reading, or working, we rely on furniture to support us. When a piece of furniture enters a space, it becomes the very element that gives that place its “soul.” A room that may not be spacious can still feel alive when filled with well-crafted furniture, far more than a space left empty.

Expensive Furniture vs. Cheap Furniture

Buying furniture is never a simple decision. With so many low-cost options on the market, it can be tempting to purchase something cheap and simply replace it once it breaks.

Furniture can be compared from many angles: quality, durability, design, and comfort, topics widely discussed by Expand Furniture. Affordable furniture suits those who move frequently, love experimenting, or simply enjoy trying new styles. It is also suitable for young families just getting started or college students with a limited budget.

On the other hand, higher-priced furniture typically excels in durability and comfort. The better the materials used, the longer the piece will last. Premium furniture also wins in terms of design and style, offering a sense of exclusivity and luxury. Such pieces are ideal for families who want a home with stronger character, or business owners: hotels, restaurants, bars, cafés, villas, or resorts, who aim to deliver a professional ambience. Because they are comfortable to use, premium pieces enhance the experience of every customer who interacts with them.

Choosing the Right and Eco-Friendly Furniture Material

Budget-friendly furniture is often made from plastic, which, as discussed earlier, is not environmentally friendly. Cheap furniture tends to wear out quickly, generating more waste and increasing the volume of trash circulating in the environment. To understand which materials fall into the “cheap and low-durability” category, you can explore these 10 common cheap furniture materials.

Nature has always been the best source of high-quality furniture materials, many of which come from various tree species around the world. One of the finest species is teak wood. Teak is widely used in premium furniture due to its exceptional durability, with a hardness rating of 1,155 lbf, commonly sourced from tropical forests such as those found in Indonesia.

The abundance of teak in Indonesia has long been utilized by Indonesian furniture makers, especially in Jepara. Seeing this tremendous potential, Michel Schoppe Liokouras founded Muebles Asia, aiming to become a leading furniture producer and supplier in Indonesia.

High Quality Furniture as a Reflection of Nature

Born into a family with a tradition of crafting beautiful, high-quality furniture, Michel recognized how natural wood can elevate the character of any space, especially in the tourism and hospitality industry. Through Muebles Asia, he is deeply committed to ensuring that every material used is tested, durable, and aligned with what nature intended. For Muebles, furniture is not merely a product, it is a natural lifestyle that flows through everyday living, just as nature sustains humanity.

But if you think the essence of Muebles Asia lies only in its natural materials, you would be mistaken. What truly sets Muebles Asia apart is how it treats not only its creations but also its people. The artisans, designers, carvers, and craftsmen, are carefully selected, properly compensated, and given a wide space to grow, evolve, and remain fulfilled, just as nature encourages life to flourish.

And rest assured, Muebles Asia does not simply take from nature. They continue to restore it. For every tree used in the creation of furniture, new trees are planted to regenerate the forest.

It Starts From Where We Are

Every generation carries a dream to pass on a better world to the next. The steps we take begin with ourselves, from our homes, our workplaces, and the objects we choose to surround us, including the furniture that brings a “soul” into our space.

Muebles Asia is committed to preserving life through eco-friendly, nature-aligned furniture. If you share the same vision and wish to take part in caring for this planet, feel free to reach out to us.

See you soon!