Responsible Wood Harvesting

Comb made from Wenge

Today I had a potential customer e-mail me about this comb.

"Can you tell me a little more about the wood used to make this comb? I'd like to know where in the world it comes from, and whether it was harvested sustainably."

No one has ever asked me that question but I'm glad she did because it's a subject I care a lot about! This is an indicator that I haven't been clear enough either on the website or Etsy about my stance and more importantly my policies with Ferrochie.

The comb in question is made from Wenge which is Native to the forests of Zaire, Cameroon, Gabon, southern Tanzania, Mozambique and the Congo. My supplier for this wood is West Penn Hardwoods which works only with vendors who have a FSC certification for responsible harvesting. What's FSC you ask? We will come back to West Penn in a minute . . .

FSC Mark

FSC stands for Forest Stewardship Council. FSC is an independent, non-governmental, not-for-profit organization established to promote the responsible management of the world’s forests. FSC certification provides a credible link between responsible production and consumption of forest products, enabling consumers and businesses to make purchasing decisions that benefit people and the environment as well as providing ongoing business value. To learn more about them visit:

http://www.fsc.org/

All of my wood whether exotics like this one, white pine, douglas fir, poplar, or oak bear the FSC certification stamp. It's the only way that a small guy like me can have the piece of mind that what I'm buying hasn't been stripped. One exception is my purchases of antique or reclaimed lumber where the original origins cannot be determined. So for West Penn and other suppliers who have committed themselves to being part of a responsible supply chain, I thank you! We need more companies to commit to better practices.

http://www.westpennhardwoods.com/sustainable-production.php

Irresponsible practices leave area's blighted!

Images like this one to the left are heartbreaking. I just can't be a part of it and I'm glad to know that my customers won't stand for it either.

Don't despair though! The movement for better forestry practices is growing year after year. You can see the FSC logo starting to pop up all over. Paper products from advertisements to magazines now bear this certification. I recently took my son to build-a-bear workshop and the Birth Certificate displays the FCS logo indicating paper from responsible sources. You as a consumer can start to look for the logo on the products you buy. Most lumber inside The Home Depot for instance bears the mark. Once you are familiar with the logo it will become an easy thing to do.

One of West Penn's suppliers in Central America. Note the FSC logo.

That's just a snapshot but I hope that clears up where I am with the wood I use. I'll get to work on fixing that online. :)

In the meantime, please email me individually if you have any other questions.

Thanks!