Our editors have built their family homes around sustainable furniture. After researching and testing brands for over a decade, these are our favorite nursery chairs and gliders that are safe, natural, and built to last.
What should you expect when you’re expecting? Even the most rigorous of planners might miss a thing or two — but luckily, several folks on The Good Trade’s team are parents themselves, and can help you out with many of the little details. Today’s order of business? Nursery chairs.
Nursery chairs come in all shapes and sizes, but one thing is for sure: According to many of the glowing reviews online for some of our favorite gliders, they can be absolute lifesavers. Many have ergonomically designed arms, lumbar supports, and headrests to maximize nursing comfort, while others have power recline options and some even have built-in USB chargers. Some glide back and forth (like a rocking chair without the wooden rockers), and still others swivel. At the very least, they all provide a haven for nursing and maybe getting a few hours of ZZZs by your baby, too.
Why choose nontoxic furniture for your nursery?
When shopping for home furniture, we’re always looking for third-party certifications that vouch for a product’s safety — especially when that furniture is going in the nursery. We look for low-VOC or VOC-free products whenever possible, backed up by certs like GREENGUARD, Oeko Tex Standard 100, TSCA Title VI compliance, Prop 65 compliance, and products that meet or exceed ASTM Safety Standards. While VOCs can be found everywhere, we try to reduce their presence whenever possible.
We also look for natural materials like solid wood, organic cotton, linen, wool, and latex, too, so our purchases are gentler on the planet. Synthetic materials are far more polluting and environmentally unfriendly to produce, and the furniture industry already has a deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions problem.
Our criteria:
Our team has researched and tested sustainable furniture for over a decade. For this guide, we’ve chosen our favorite nursery chairs and gliders that are nontoxic, natural, and durable. Plus, the moms on our team have vetted these brands to ensure you’re getting the best options out there. We regularly update this guide with new options that meet the criteria below:
- NONTOXIC | We’ve selected brands that use transparent production practices and hold third-party certifications like FSC, GREENGUARD, and Fair Trade so you can be sure your family is safe with high-quality materials that are never finished with harmful chemicals.
- NATURAL MATERIALS | We’ve prioritized brands that use real, natural wood and other safe and sustainable materials for a durable product that can become an heirloom.
- AFFORDABLE | We know that furniture — and babies! — are an investment, so we’ve included options for different budgets.
If you’re looking to build out your baby’s bedroom, here are our favorite sources for sustainable nursery furniture.
1. Babyletto
Best For | Chic designs
Safe Materials | FSC wood, recycled upholstery
Price Range | $399 – $1,399
Babyletto makes not only furniture that centers babies, like cribs and Montessori bookshelves, but also furniture that centers parents, like dressers, changing tables, and nursery chairs. Their nursery chair lineup is huge, most of which are gliders, and some of which recline, too. Some of our favorites include the Cali chair with a pillow back, a trendy boucle upholstery, and a smooth gliding, 360-degree swivel base, and the Poe swivel glider, which embodies mid-century modern sophistication and has a chic velvet upholstery. But their bestseller is the Kiwi Plus power recliner, which features a power adjustable headrest and a charging port, too. Babyletto uses exclusively wood from FSC-certified forests in their seating, and most of their upholstery is made with at least 30% recycled material.
2. Saatva
Best For | Gliders made in the US
Safe Materials | Sustainably sourced hardwood, linen
Price | $795
Saatva’s known for their high-quality, handcrafted mattresses — but they make some other bedroom-centric furniture, too, including a lineup of “bedroom chairs.” Their Luna and Como chairs both have swivel bottoms and extra wide, deep, plush seats. They’re both made of kiln-dried hardwood for extra durability and come in four fabric options: two options are made of a cotton/poly blend velvet, while two are made of linen, one of the most sustainable fabrics out there. And if you don’t want a swivel chair, check out the brand’s Logan armchair. And all of Saatva’s chairs have modern designs and clean lines, and are made with the same ethos as their mattresses — that is, everything is made sustainably in the US. They’re also a member of the Sustainable Furnishings Council, and they partner with Evertreen to plant trees.
Customer Review | “I purchased the comp swivel chair in taupe and it is a fantastic addition to my bedroom. I initially felt the chair was a bit expensive, but I was able to grab it during the promo. The chair is incredibly solid. It is comfortable and feels as if it was built with high quality materials. Great for reading, playing video games, etc. I would recommend it if you are looking for a modern accent chair for your bedroom.” – Marc C. (Read more reviews.)
3. daVinci
Best For | Most affordable
Safe Materials | FSC-certified wood
Price Range | $299 – $599
Furniture brand daVinci offers the widest selection of GREENGUARD Gold certified cribs and mini-cribs on the market — but that’s not what we’re here to talk about. They have a fantastic lineup of nursery chairs, too, all of which are also GREENGUARD Gold certified. Go high-tech with the Suzy electronic recliner and swivel glider, which has plush armrests, a power recliner function, and a built-in USB charging port, along with the ability to glide back and forth and swivel 270 degrees. Or, keep it classic with the Arlo recliner that also swivels and glides and has an elegant wingback design with a trendy boucle upholstery. Having trouble deciding what sort of nursery chair you want? Check out their seating buying guide that gives details on seating styles, support types, and fabrics.
4. West Elm
Best For | Variety
Safe Materials | FSC-certified wood
Price Range | $699 – $1,799
Whatever you’re looking for nursery chair-wise, West Elm will probably have it. Their range of nursery chairs has everything — recliners, swivel chairs, gliders, rockers, and sleeper chairs — and they come in all shapes and sizes. Check out their best-selling Cozy Swivel Glider, which has rounded, cozy design and a low-slung seat perfect for curling up in, or their Harmony Swivel Glider which has both power reclining and manual reclining options along with a high back and a built-in USB charging port. Thinking about a traditional rocking chair? Take a look at their Paxton Convertible Rocker which comes with optional stationary legs.
5. Sabai
Best For | Stationary chairs
Safe Materials | Hemp, recycled polyester, solid wood
Price Range | $745 – $1,695
Sabai combines ethical production practices with accessible price points for furniture that they say is “setting a new standard for earth-friendly, affordable, and beautiful furniture.” While none of them swivel, all their accent chairs have simple, timeless designs. We love the Essential Chair, which is wide, deep, and upholstered in recycled polyester, or the Evergreen Chair with a timeless design and eco-friendly hemp upholstery. The B Corp is transparent about their sustainability initiatives, which include the first U.S. furniture buyback program, and their Repair Don’t Replace initiative via which they sell replacement pieces like cushions, cushion covers, and pillow inserts so you don’t have to sacrifice an entire piece of furniture if one component gets ruined.
Customer Review | “Love the essential chair. The long legs and angled arm rest make it so modern and elegant. The velvet fabric is luxurious. And it’s super comfy!” – Brooke S. (Read more reviews.)
6. Monte
Best For | Ergonomically designed gliders
Safe Materials | Linen, wool, cotton, FSC-certified wood
Price Range | $1,495 – $2,095
Monte specializes in nursery gliders and recliners, all of which are meticulously crafted in Canada. Their Luca Glider, their first model, went through 40 iterations before it was perfected, with an ergonomic arm height for feeding and a high back so you can rest your head. The chair glides and swivels, and you can even snag a matching ottoman that also glides back and forth. They make a few other nursery chair options, too — their Motorized Matera Glider has automatic reclining buttons, while their Nessa Glider has a rounded back and a curved silhouette. Each of their chairs comes in tons of different upholster options, from performance polyester fabrics that are easy to clean to more eco-friendly materials like linen, wool, cotton, and recycled polyester.
Customer Review | “I love my glider so much. The swivel and glide motions are so smooth and the chair and lumbar pillow are really comfortable. This is an amazing addition to the nursery.” – Laura (Read more reviews.)
7. Nurture&
Best For | Award-winning gliders
Safe Materials | FSC-certified wood
Price Range | $599 – $1,499
Another company that does nursery furniture specifically, Nurture&’s very first product was a glider. Now, they make tons of other nursery essentials like cribs, dressers, changing tables, and beds, but still make award-winning gliders, too. The Glider Plus, their most premium option, has a power recline, a built-in USB charger, a swivel base, and automated lumbar support, and it comes in a trendy boucle option. They make a few other models, too, like a glider with a manual recliner, a design-forward rounded swivel chair, and a more traditional rocking chair. When the brand launched, they interviewed hundreds of parents to find out what moms and dads really look for in nursery furniture, and everything they make is rigorously tested to comply with non-toxic guidelines.
Customer Review | “If there’s even a chance you might have a c-section, BUY THIS CHAIR…it was the only way I could sleep comfortably AND get up every 3 hours to pump in the first week following the birth of my son. Having the power recline was a total life saver.” – Vasiliki K. (Read more reviews.)
