The growing world of organic textiles can sometimes feel like the wild west of certification. What do all those logos mean, and how do you know which ones are trustworthy? There are seemingly endless companies offering certification, thousands of retailers selling organic product and a labyrinth of information for consumers to sort through. It can be difficult to know what is greenwashing and what is responsible sustainable production.

Forests cover about 30% of the world. They provide a home to our animal co-habitants, beautiful places to walk, oxygen to breathe, medicine, wood and paper. Some of these things are easy to spot in our day-to-day lives: paper, pencils, furniture, flooring, packaging and more. Others are less obvious, such as rubber bands, diapers, price stickers and skis. Ikea alone represents 1% (13.97 million m3) of the forest products used in the world, which speaks to the volume of home furnishings that use them.

In the past few years, Bea and her family have gradually reduced the amount of waste they produce from two “enormous” carts of trash going out each week to filling one Mason jar a year. The catalyst came when the Johnsons moved from a large suburban home to a smaller rented apartment in the city. The downsize required them to let go of 80% of their belongings in what Bea describes as “voluntary simplicity” — a move that ultimately launched her as a leader in the “Zero Waste” community and a best-selling author on the subject.