Image source:
Pottery Barn
Image source:
West Elm

Pottery Barn vs West Elm

What's the difference between Pottery Barn and West Elm

Pottery Barn and West Elm are two furniture retailers with different approaches to sustainability and ethical production. Pottery Barn emphasizes quality, sustainability, inspiration, and service. They offer GOTS Certified, FSC Certified, OEKO-TEX® Standard 100, and Greenguard Gold Certified products. They participate in the Better Cotton Initiative, Renewal Workshop, HERproject, Nest's Ethical Handcraft Program, and Fair Trade USA Certified programs. Pottery Barn claims to use organic cotton, reclaimed and recycled materials while offering contract grade furniture. West Elm focuses on design for the earth and communities while supporting ethical production. They offer a wider range of self-claimed benefits including GOTS Certified, FSC Certified, OCS Certified, OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 Global Recycled Standard Recycled Claims Standard Greenguard Gold Certified and REACH certified products. West Elm participates in the Better Cotton Initiative Craftmark HERproject Nest's Ethical Handcraft Program as well as Fair Trade USA Certified programs. They also claim to use reclaimed recycled upcycled materials while using water-based finishes being water-efficient offering assembled in the USA products low-VOC nontoxic finishes handcrafted pieces local production contract grade furniture. While both retailers offer certified sustainable products and participate in equitable labor programs such as Fair Trade USA certification or Nest's Ethical Handcraft Program; West Elm has a more extensive list of certifications that include OCS certified products or Global Recycled Standard certification. Additionally; West Elm champions the maker movement by investing $13.2M in small American-made businesses while collaborating with artisan collectives worldwide investing $200M in artisan communities. In conclusion; Pottery Barn is committed to quality sustainable practices while emphasizing inspiration and service whereas West Elm uses design for social impact by supporting ethical production championing local economies boosting artists' careers worldwide empowering women workers through HERproject program among others using reclaimed recycled upcycled materials offering a wider range of certified products and investing in artisan communities worldwide.

CB2 has this but West Elm does not have it

CB2 has this but West Elm does not have it

CB2 has this but West Elm does not have it

CB2 has this but West Elm does not have it

- Pottery Barn emphasizes good products, people, and values while West Elm focuses on sustainability and ethical production. - West Elm has a higher percentage of products that support sustainability initiatives and invests more in artisan communities and local craftspeople. - West Elm offers a wider range of certified products, including OCS Certified, Global Recycled Standard, Recycled Claims Standard, and REACH certified products. - Both retailers participate in equitable labor programs such as the Better Cotton Initiative, HERproject, Nest's Ethical Handcraft Program, and Fair Trade USA Certified to ensure fair wages and safe working conditions for workers worldwide. - Pottery Barn claims to use organic cotton, reclaimed materials and recycled materials while West Elm claims to use water-based finishes and be water-efficient.

Company Description

Pottery Barn
Pottery Barn is an iconic home furnishings retailer that has provided quality, value and beautiful design for over 70 years. It has stores and catalogs around the world, as well as a website. Its sustainability mission includes planting 6 million trees by 2023, reaching 100% responsibly sourced cotton, investing in Fairtrade Community Development Funds, and reducing its carbon footprint. Its headquarters are based in San Francisco, California where it was founded in 1949.
West Elm
West Elm is a home furnishings retailer that uses design to help the environment, communities, and customers. The company's products are 95% designed in-house, and 60% of sales support sustainability initiatives. West Elm is a leader in sustainability, supporting small American-made businesses and collaborating with artisan collectives around the world. Certified organic cotton bedding and bath towels are sustainably sourced, and wood furniture is sustainably sourced. Certified nontoxic furniture has been screened for over 100,000 chemicals and VOCs. Founded in 2002, West Elm is headquartered in Brooklyn, NY.

Differences at a Glance

Pottery Barn

West Elm

Headquarters

Year Founded

Store Type

Product Type

Aesthetic

Parent Company

Welcome Discount

Price

Quality Level

Reviews on Website

Free Returns

White Glove Delivery

Product Warranty

Registry Available

Made-to-Order Items

Free Swatches

Designer Collaborations

In-House Design Services

Trade Program

Trade Discount

San Francisco, California

1949

Online, Showroom

Furniture, Furnishings

Traditional, Transitional

Williams-Sonoma, Inc.

None

$$$

Mid-High

No

No

White Glove Delivery

Not Specified

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Free

Yes

20%

Brooklyn, New York

2002

Online, Showroom

Furniture, Furnishings

Mid-Century Modern

Williams-Sonoma, Inc.

15%

$$

Mid

No

Yes

White Glove Delivery

Not Specified

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Free

Yes

20%

Sustainability Mission Comparison

Pottery Barn and West Elm both participate in a variety of equitable labor programs. Pottery Barn is involved in the Better Cotton Initiative, Renewal Workshop, HERproject, Nest's Ethical Handcraft Program, and Fair Trade USA Certified. West Elm is also involved in the Better Cotton Initiative, Craftmark, HERproject, and Nest's Ethical Handcraft Program as well as Fair Trade USA Certified. Both retailers are committed to providing fair wages and safe working conditions for their employees. The Better Cotton Initiative works to improve cotton farming globally by promoting more sustainable practices while the Renewal Workshop focuses on reducing textile waste by upcycling materials into new products. HERproject works to empower women workers in global supply chains while Nest's Ethical Handcraft Program supports artisan communities around the world. Finally, Fair Trade USA Certified ensures that workers receive fair wages and safe working conditions. Both Pottery Barn and West Elm are dedicated to providing equitable labor programs for their employees worldwide.
Image source:
Pottery Barn
Image source:
West Elm

Sustainable Product Certifications and Programs

Pottery Barn

West Elm

Sustainable Forestry Initiative

Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification Warranty

Appalachian Hardwood Manufacturers Inc.

National Hardwood Lumber Association

Yes

Yes

No

No

No

No

No

Yes

No

No

Yes

White Glove Delivery

Not Specified

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

White Glove Delivery

Not Specified

Yes

Yes

Sustainable and Equitable Labor Programs

Sustainability Mission

Pottery Barn
Pottery Barn is committed to sustainability by planting 6 million trees in partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation, sourcing 100% responsibly sourced cotton, keeping products and materials out of landfills, investing $7.2M in Fairtrade community development funds and reducing their carbon footprint. All products are organic cotton, reclaimed, recycled, handcrafted, or contract grade. This helps reduce collective carbon footprint and restore vulnerable forests. Pottery Barn is dedicated to making a positive impact on the environment.
West Elm
West Elm is committed to sustainability and reducing its environmental impact. The company sources organic and sustainably sourced materials, such as FSC-certified wood, recycled polyester, and organic cotton. Its products are certified nontoxic and free from harmful chemicals. West Elm also uses handcrafted and local materials, as well as contract grade, low-VOC, reclaimed, recycled, upcycled, water-based finishes, and water efficient materials. By doing so, the company has saved 2.3 billion liters of water in 2019 and kept 66 million plastic bottles out of landfills in 2020.

Sustainable Product Certifications

Pottery Barn and West Elm offer some certified products. Pottery Barn has GOTS Certified, FSC Certified, OEKO-TEX® Standard 100, and Greenguard Gold Certified products. Meanwhile, West Elm offers GOTS Certified, FSC Certified, OCS Certified, OEKO-TEX® Standard 100, Global Recycled Standard, Recycled Claims Standard, Greenguard Gold Certified and REACH certified products. However, it is important to note that not all of their products have certifications. Neither retailer is certified themselves.

Pottery Barn

West Elm

FSC Certified

GOTS Certified

OCS Certified

OEKO-TEX® Standard 100

EcoTex

Global Recycled Standard

Recycled Claims Standard

Greenguard Gold Certified

SCS Indoor Advantage Gold

REACH

Ecolable

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

No

No

No

Yes

No

No

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

No

Sustainable and Equitable Labor Programs

Pottery Barn and West Elm both participate in a variety of equitable labor programs. Pottery Barn is involved in the Better Cotton Initiative, Renewal Workshop, HERproject, Nest's Ethical Handcraft Program, and Fair Trade USA Certified. West Elm is also involved in the Better Cotton Initiative, Craftmark, HERproject, and Nest's Ethical Handcraft Program as well as Fair Trade USA Certified. Both retailers are committed to providing fair wages and safe working conditions for their employees. The Better Cotton Initiative works to improve cotton farming globally by promoting more sustainable practices while the Renewal Workshop focuses on reducing textile waste by upcycling materials into new products. HERproject works to empower women workers in global supply chains while Nest's Ethical Handcraft Program supports artisan communities around the world. Finally, Fair Trade USA Certified ensures that workers receive fair wages and safe working conditions. Both Pottery Barn and West Elm are dedicated to providing equitable labor programs for their employees worldwide.

Pottery Barn

West Elm

Goodweave

Fair Trade USA

Better Cotton Initiative

Craftmark

HERproject

Nest Ethical Handcraft Program

Fifteen Percent Pledge

No

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

No

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Contributor

Christi Farrell

Christi is a licensed architect and interior designer specializing in sustainability. She enjoys teaching design and bringing transparency to the impact that furniture has on our planet.

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