Wood is an incredible natural resource! We build our houses with it, it provides shade for our children to play underneath, we sculpt beautiful furniture to sit with friends and family. There is no doubt that wood is one of those resources found in so many aspects of our daily lives. This is why it is so important to consider sustainability in this field.
The good thing about wood is that it is a renewable and recyclable natural resource.
But there are definitely some woods that are more sustainable than others and there is a drive towards using more sustainable alternatives, especially in furniture production. Woods like oak, which are very popular in furniture and flooring, grow slowly and are often produced only for your lower back, which means they are not as sustainable as fast-growing alternatives.
There is a movement towards the use of more sustainable woods in the mass production of furniture. With many great alternatives, we are proud to select some beautiful sustainable woods in our collection. See some of the woods our artisans work with and what makes them sustainable:
1. Sheesham wood
Sheesham wood is native to the Indian subcontinent and is also known as Indian rosewood. The Punjab region is the largest producer of sheesham wood in Pakistan and India.
These are some of the characteristics of sheesham wood:
* It has a beautiful irregular grain structure that has a very distinctive look and can be polished to a fine finish.
* Wood is strong and durable, which means it holds its shape well during handling and construction.
* Due to its strength and density, sheesham wood is also an ideal material for decorative carvings.
2. Mango wood
Mango wood has been gaining popularity in recent years, largely due to the fact that it is considered a very sustainable wood. Obviously, there is a great demand for mango and once a tree passes its best years of fruiting, in the past it was simply cut down.
These are some of the characteristics of mango wood:
* Dense-grained hardwood with a strong structure
* The production costs of working with mango wood are comparatively low because it is a * It has an unusual grain with a fine attached texture. This means that the wood is quick and easy to finish, as it does not need extensive sanding or sealing.
* In furniture production, mango wood is often stained in colors similar to teak or oak.
* Almost 75 million tonnes of mangoes are produced in India every year and lots of fast growing trees are cut down to make room for younger and more fruitful trees, so the use of mango wood helps reduce waste, improve sustainability and provide another source of income for farmers. .
3. Neem wood
Neem wood is native to India and the subcontinent and is part of the mahogany family. It is also known as Nimtree or Indian Lilac. The neem tree is evergreen and is a fast growing tree that reaches heights of up to 20 meters and in rare cases it can grow up to 40 meters in height. It is ready to cut wood between 5-7 years.
These are some of the characteristics of neem wood:
* It has thick and rough interlocking veins that make the wood very durable.
* Although it is related to the mahogany family of trees, it is easy to work and carve by hand or machine.
* The neem tree is known for its resistance to drought and is often used for shade.
* It has many other uses, including traditional medicine: Neem products are used by Siddha and Ayurvedic practitioners, especially to treat skin conditions; neem is used as a natural alternative to pesticides; the oil is used in cosmetics such as soap, shampoo, and toothpaste; And neem twigs have been used as toothbrushes for centuries. The bar is first chewed like a toothbrush and then split and used as a tongue cleaner. Great hey!