Image source:
The Citizenry
Image source:
Arhaus

The Citizenry vs Arhaus

What's the difference between The Citizenry and Arhaus

The Citizenry distinguishes itself by emphasizing its global partnerships with local artisans and its commitment to fair trade standards. They travel the world, collaborating with artisans in different countries to create a blend of modern style and traditional techniques. The brand offers limited quantities of handcrafted items, ensuring each piece is unique and extraordinary. The Citizenry also prioritizes sustainability, using local materials and establishing sustainable relationships with artisans through direct online sales. On the other hand, Arhaus focuses on sustainability through its Green Initiative, which involves using sustainably sourced, reclaimed, and recycled materials whenever possible. They partner with artisans worldwide to create heirloom-quality pieces that are built to last for generations. Arhaus also highlights their commitment to inclusivity and giving back to communities. In terms of product certifications, The Citizenry offers several certifications such as GOTS Certified and FSC Certified for certain products within their collection. Arhaus has the Sustainable Forestry Initiative certification for select items made from responsibly managed forests. Overall, while both retailers prioritize sustainability and artisan craftsmanship in their products, The Citizenry places a stronger emphasis on fair trade partnerships with global artisans and offers various product certifications. Arhaus focuses on using sustainable materials but does not make specific claims regarding certifications or verifiable sustainable benefits.

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

- The Citizenry focuses on partnering with master artisans from different countries and blending their techniques with modern style, while the other retailer focuses on partnering with artisans around the world who use time-honored techniques. - The Citizenry sells directly to customers online, eliminating middlemen and allowing them to offer handmade goods at more reasonable prices. The other retailer has physical stores. - The Citizenry emphasizes sustainability by using local materials and establishing sustainable relationships with artisans. The other retailer uses sustainably sourced, reclaimed, and recycled materials as much as possible. - The Citizenry offers a limited quantity of handcrafted items that are numbered and inspired by different cultures. The other retailer creates heirloom-quality pieces that can be used for generations. - The Citizenry supports fair wages, happy working environments, and sustaining grants for their artisan partners. The other retailer is committed to fair labor practices and supports various organizations for environmental care and improving lives.

Company Description

The Citizenry
The Citizenry is a Dallas-based retailer founded in 2014 that specializes in ethically crafted and sustainably sourced home goods. With a focus on celebrating the people behind their products, they travel the world to partner with master artisans, blending modern style with time-tested techniques. By eliminating middlemen and selling directly to customers online, The Citizenry offers handmade goods at more reasonable prices than traditional luxury boutiques. They prioritize fair trade standards, paying artisans fairly for their skills, and are committed to sustainability with organic materials, non-toxic certifications, responsible forestry methods, and ethical sourcing of wool and leather.
Arhaus
Arhaus is a furniture and décor retailer that has been in business since 1986. They partner with artisans around the world to create unique, handcrafted pieces made from sustainably sourced, reclaimed, and recycled materials. Arhaus has a strong commitment to the environment and encourages diversity in their workforce. They also give back to their communities by supporting organizations like Habitat for Humanity, American Forests, Global Dental Relief, and the Small World. They have also pledged to plant one million trees with American Forests and are committed to verifying fair labor practices in their supply chain.

Differences at a Glance

The Citizenry

Arhaus

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

Dallas, Texas

2014

Online, Showroom

Furniture, Furnishings

Global Modern

None

None

$$$$

Mid-High

Yes

No

White Glove Delivery

Not Specified

No

Yes

Available for a Fee

Not Available

Yes

10%

Boston Heights, Ohio

1986

Online, Showroom

Furniture, Furnishings

Traditional, Transitional

None

None

$$$$

High

No

No

White Glove Delivery

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

No

Free

Yes

Earn 7% commission from $1.00–$49,999 Earn 10% commission from $50,000+

Sustainability Mission Comparison

The Citizenry participates in the World Fair Trade Organization Guarantee, while Arhaus is involved in the California Transparency in Supply Chain Act.
Image source:
The Citizenry
Image source:
Arhaus

Sustainable Product Certifications and Programs

The Citizenry

Arhaus

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

No

No

No

Yes

White Glove Delivery

Not Specified

No

Yes

No

No

No

No

No

No

No

No

No

No

No

White Glove Delivery

Yes

No

Yes

Sustainable and Equitable Labor Programs

Sustainability Mission

The Citizenry
The Citizenry is a retailer that prioritizes people and the planet, offering home goods with soul and a story. They celebrate the individuals behind their products, fostering connections across cultures and continents. Their designs combine ethical craftsmanship with elevated design, guaranteeing fair trade processes and paying double the wage requirement. Partnering with master artisans, they create exclusive collections using all-natural materials and age-old craft techniques that have low carbon emissions and zero waste. The Citizenry is committed to sustainability, sourcing organic cotton, ensuring nontoxic bedding, responsibly sourcing wood products, and ethically sourcing wool and leather materials.
Arhaus
Arhaus is committed to sustainability and protecting the Earth, which is why they have a strict policy against using wood harvested from rainforests and are part of the Sustainable Forestry Initiative. They also use recycled and repurposed materials, ethically salvaged woods, and are partnering with American Forests to plant one million trees. Their upholstery collections feature frames made in the USA, while their artisans give new life to materials that would otherwise be discarded. They also source vintage treasures from around the world and have a code of conduct ensuring human rights and international labor standards are met.

Sustainable Product Certifications

The Citizenry offers several product certifications, including GOTS Certified, OEKO-TEX® Standard 100, FSC Certified, and SVLK Timber Legality Verification. These certifications ensure that some of their products meet specific standards for organic materials, safe and sustainable production processes, responsible forestry practices, and legal timber sourcing. On the other hand, Arhaus has the Sustainable Forestry Initiative certification for some of its products. This certification indicates that these specific items are made from wood sourced from responsibly managed forests. It is important to note that neither retailer is certified as a whole; rather, only certain products within their collections have obtained these certifications. In summary, The Citizenry offers a range of product certifications such as GOTS Certified and FSC Certified among others. Arhaus has the Sustainable Forestry Initiative certification for select items. However, it should be noted that both retailers do not have overall certifications themselves.

The Citizenry

Arhaus

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

No

No

No

No

No

No

No

No

No

No

No

No

No

No

No

Sustainable and Equitable Labor Programs

The Citizenry participates in the World Fair Trade Organization Guarantee, while Arhaus is involved in the California Transparency in Supply Chain Act.

The Citizenry

Arhaus

Goodweave

Fair Trade USA

Better Cotton Initiative

Craftmark

HERproject

Nest Ethical Handcraft Program

Fifteen Percent Pledge

No

No

No

No

No

No

No

No

No

No

No

No

No

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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