Xdesk are made from bamboo and recycled aluminum.

In our last post we talked materials: how those used in much of today’s office furniture can be harmful to your health with laminates and MDF, and how Xdesk is making a difference by not using those materials.

Today, we’re going to touch on another benefit of Xdesk’s choice of materials: the environmental impact. See, at Xdesk, they not only care about your health, but that of the entire planet’s as well.

As we mentioned before, Xdesk’s height adjustable desks are made from completely natural materials—there are no laminates; no MDF; there aren’t even any solvent-based paints in these adjustable height desks. That means you can literally breathe freely, without worrying about harming your lungs or health.

Not only do these height adjustable desks contribute to a healthier planet with what they don’t include, but also with what they do include: 100 percent natural and eco-friendly materials, like bamboo and recycled aluminum.

Alright, let’s start with bamboo. Each of the height adjustable desks with bamboo desktops (The “Terra” style) were designed specifically to be environmentally friendly and sturdy. Bamboo has an amazing ability to grow and spread quickly—in some cases three to four feet per day—without the need for fertilizers, pesticides, or even much water.

Bamboo groves also help the environment by releasing about 35 percent more oxygen into the air than a similar-sized grove of trees. It matures and can be re-planted within just seven years, compared to a whopping 30-50 years for large trees.

On top of that, bamboo is also one of the hardest woody surfaces, making it perfect to write on.

Aside from bamboo, each of Xdesk’s height adjustable desks uses recycled aluminum, at least for the frame. Of course if you’re into a more modern look, you can choose the Xdesk Air, which not only has a recycled aluminum frame, but also desktop. It’s made from a single thin piece of aluminum and it looks just like what the name suggests: it appears to float on air.

But let’s get back to aluminum. Manufacturing new aluminum from virgin ore is a very energy-intensive process, the details of which I won’t bore you with (also, it would take about a page and a half to explain). However, recycling aluminum saves over 90 percent of the energy needed to create new aluminum. Every year, recycled aluminum saves about 11 billion kilowatt-hours. To put that into perspective for you, this is about the same as 19 million barrels of oil.

Of course this does wonders for the reduction of pollution, by reducing the amount of greenhouse gases emitted. According to Jennifer Carless in Taking out the Trash, just by using recycled aluminum instead of virgin ore, you’re eliminating 95 percent of air pollution and 97 percent of water pollution.

So as you can see, when you choose a height adjustable desk from Xdesk, you’re making a decision not only to improve your own health, but that of the entire planet’s as well.

Questions or comments? Share them below!

Xdesk are nontoxic and made from eco-friendly materials.

In our last posts we talked about the standing desk throughout history, and some of the more famous folks who have used them. Today we thought we’d bring you back to the present and focus on the desk itself, namely what goes into it (and what doesn’t!).

Like many things throughout history, ergonomic desks, like the adjustable height desks or standing desks, started out being made with the finest of quality. They used rich and beautifully carved woods and the finest metal for their hinges and levers. But somewhere along the way, someone decided that quantity was worth more than quality, so office furniture took a radical, and even harmful turn.

Of course these days we know that using rich woods like cherry and oak is harmful to the environment, so many manufacturers began making their ergonomic desks with substitutes. Many ergonomic desks today are made with pressed wood and laminates to cut down their impact on the environment (and the cost it takes to manufacture them!) However, in trying to cut back on spending and harming large trees, these manufacturers are ultimately harming you.

Ergonomic desks, or adjustable height desks, made with laminates, veneer, and MDF often contain small amounts of formaldehyde. Ironically, ergonomic desks are specifically designed to be healthful; however, when formaldehyde is even one of the smallest ingredients, the health benefits go out the window. Formaldehyde can aggravate asthma and other lung diseases, irritate mucous membranes, and cause contact dermatitis. Studies on formaldehyde also suggest that it is a likely carcinogen and should be avoided.

Like I said, the whole point of an ergonomic desk is to make you healthier. But with all of the chemicals, many ergonomic desks are not contributing to your health, and could be harming you.

It’s pretty ridiculous, isn’t it? Well, that’s what the people at Xdesk thought anyway. That’s why they don’t use laminates, veneer, or MDF in any of their ergonomic desks. As a matter of fact, they don’t even use solvent-based paints in their design.

With the Xdesk, what you see is what you get. Each of their adjustable height desks are made 100% from bamboo and recycled aluminum—no harmful fillers, paints, or “faux woods.” This is not only beneficial to your body, but to the environment as well.

Unlike the rich, big-tree woods used in the past, bamboo is the fastest growing and most easily replenished wood on the planet. Recycled aluminum is highly sustainable as well. In short, Xdesk’s ergonomic desk is healthy for your body and the planet, from its design down to the very materials they use (and the ones they don’t!).

Be sure to check out our next post where we’ll talk more about the environmental benefits of choosing a Xdesk.

What are your thoughts on formaldehyde use in office furniture? Share them below!