Why We Make Our Furniture in Canada

As part of our commitment to the Circular Economy, Mill + Commons makes all its furniture in Canada. Let’s talk about how that’s possible (and why it matters). 

The local impact

When you purchase a table from Mill + Commons, you have an impact that goes surprisingly far. You are supporting several industries and hundreds of Canadian workers. 

Here’s what they are and where they happen: 

• Design and manufacturing happen in East Vancouver 
• Sustainable, FSC certified wood milling and vegan assembly happen in Ontario  
• Furniture manufacturing happens in North Vancouver 
• Customer support happens in Vancouver 
• Boxes are manufactured in Calgary 

Because so many of our activities happen right here in Canada, we can personally ensure that everything happening along the chain to bring you your furniture is ethical, and everyone working along the chain is paid fairly and treated equally. 

With access to each of these sites, it’s easier for us to troubleshoot issues and work collaboratively with all our partners to produce something we’re truly proud to sell. Not every online design company can say the same. 

The distance impact

Furniture design can have a negative environmental impact — most of which happens before you even place your order. It's a major contributor to climate change, both because of the cheap materials used (and the waste it creates in the process) and the distance the pieces must travel to reach customers. 

Mill + Commons works to combat these issues by milling, designing, and manufacturing locally. 

Our furniture travels on average 12x less distance than other online only retailers.

Beyond the environmental concerns, many online retailers are experiencing stock issues abroad due to COVID-19-related delays. While they may claim to be local, their business is at the mercy of what’s happening halfway across the world.