ABOUT OUR TEAK

We’ve all heard how rain forests are being destroyed as loggers search out and cut down old growth teak trees and, sadly, much of what you’ve heard is true. It does happen, and that practice needs to stop. But, there are also plenty of stories you hear about teak that aren’t true….

On a recent visit to our factory in Central Java, I asked the translator to have the driver stop the car if he saw any teak trees. As they spoke to each other in Indonesian they were laughing but I had no idea why. As soon as there was a safe place to pull over, the driver stopped the car. “Look,” the translator said. “You’ve been driving past teak trees for the last 45 minutes!” I walked away from the road and into a copse of beautiful, tall teak trees just growing wild.

As it turned out, teak trees were lining the sides of about every road we’d been on. Not all teak trees are located in rain forests, and harvesting this teak is not always the environmental crime that many would have you believe. Honestly, I think a lot of people have good intentions when they pass on information about logging and deforestation, but I’m not sure that they have visited the locations they’re talking about, nor do they fully understand what’s happening – they’re just relaying what someone else has said without fact checking.

In the area of Central Java, where they work, teak is an everyday wood. Need some posts for a fence – they use teak. Making furniture or artifacts – they use teak. In fact, in this area they make a lot of kiln-fired bricks, so guess what wood they burn to fire the bricks… you guessed it – teak!

FOR THE HOME

Perfect for use in any space in a home, teak is unaffected by moisture in the bathroom, elegant enough to grace the dining table, sturdy enough to hold up in the kitchen and just the right natural accent for a living room or bedroom. Our wonderful floor and table mats, coasters and runners add texture and depth to any indoor or outdoor decorating aesthetic.

WOOD FOR GOOD

Teak is an incredible hard wood which is extremely durable when exposed to the weather. This beautiful hard wood is used for furniture, flooring, and for generations has been used extensively in ship production because of its unprecedented ability to withstand the harsh ocean environment. By nature, it is resistant to moisture, warping, cracking and rot, but its popularity has led to depletion of the natural teak forests in Southeast Asia. We wanted to make sure our sourcing eliminated any further impact on the natural forests, so we reclaim and recycle teak that comes from buildings demolished for modernization or use what would otherwise be waste material from other manufacturing. We do not use “old growth” teak or wood pulled from rain forests. Every item we create has been authorized as “Indonesian Legal Wood”.

ROSEWOOD

ABOUT OUR ROSEWOOD

We also use another wonderful hardwood called Sonokeling or Rosewood, which has an amazing dark grain and similar water-resistant qualities. Our artisans work with local furniture makers to source Sonokeling that is grown responsibly and sustainably in plantations. The harvested logs are cut to deliver maximum yield, with the smaller pieces which are usually destroyed being reserved for our mats. We pride ourselves on the fact that we can utilize this beautiful wood and create hard-wearing floor and table mats for both indoors and outdoors in a manner that maximizes each log’s full potential and eliminates the practice of burning the small leftover pieces.

FOR THE HOME

Perfect for use in any space in a home, rosewood is unaffected by moisture in the bathroom, elegant enough to grace the dining table, sturdy enough to hold up in the kitchen and just the right natural accent for a living or bedroom. Our wonderful floor and table mats, coasters and runners add texture and depth to any indoor or outdoor decorating aesthetic.

BEFORE USE

All teak floor and table mats, runners and coasters: Our fabulous teak items have been made from pieces of repurposed wood. Dust from the sanding process is blown off with compressed air; however, there may still be some dust residue. Therefore before first use, we recommend rinsing in warm water and allowing to air dry.

Floor Mats and Floor Runners: Depending upon the floor surface and the type of foot traffic, you might want to consider using a rug pad to avoid rubbing or slipping.

Please be aware, that just as with any hardwood floor, heels can damage the surface, particularly the edges since these are thinner due to the weaving process.