The Timber used in our furniture.

This part is not as instantly gratifying as the furniture, but when browsing websites selling furniture as you are doing now it is important to us you to know what timber we use where it comes from as it has a direct impact on the quality of your furniture. We use Mahogany and reclaimed pine but you need more information than this alone, there are different types of Mahogany and different qualities. Think about Oak furniture often people are so proud of having Oak furniture but how many do you think know which type of Oak and where it came from? French Oak for example is a fraction of the quality of English Oak and can be seen in the reflection of the price per cubic foot

So simply stating Mahogany is not enough! Beware of Lauan mahogany Red or Blanc otherwise known as Philippine mahogany. You should be looking for 'genera Swietenia (S American) and Khaya' (African) family of Mahogany. Our Mahogany is grown in plantations in Indonesia which have been established 150 years started by the Dutch and is non indigenous to the area none of our timber comes from natural rainforests.

The Dutch took many saplings from S America and started plantations to support there demand as a large furniture manufacturing nation. This is why our timber is not native to Indonesia, sadly deforestation occurs in many countries from China to Africa and S America and includes Indonesia. The biggest causes include cattle farming, surface mining, arable land creation especially for palm oil which is a low yielding crop needing large areas of land which occurs in certain islands in Indonesia. Indonesia is going through the FSC process but this takes many years as the process requires tagging of newly planted saplings through to felling. Supporting countries going down this route is a positive contribution to reducing deforestation.

For those that want to know even more read on!

Although many tropical hardwoods are described as mahogany, 'true' mahogany is generally considered to be the wood from trees of the botanical genus Swietenia, which is native to Latin America, and to a number of other tree species found in the rainforests of West and Central Africa.

Brazilian Mahogany (Swietenia Macrophylla)

You are likely to be more discerning between different types of Oak for example French and English is chalk and cheese as mentioned above.

This is why we have included information about the Mahogany used in our furniture, we feel you should know that we use the real and best Mahogany and we do not use Mahogany from Brazil or Bolivia irresponsibly harvested.

We also do not use Lauan Mahogany sometimes known as white or blonde mahogany also red mahogany and more generally known as Philippine Mahogany.

Our mahogany is made from Swietenia Macrophylla grown in limited plantations in Java, properly Kiln Dried to 6-8% (often only 10-12%).

"Big Leaf Mahogany" "Genus Swietenia Morphyllus"

These plantations were started by the Dutch using Brazilian saplings, for the use of furniture production due to it's properties for turning, planning, grain and character, colour and strength. Again we do not use mahogany traded with the UK from Brazil, American or African countries.

Below you can see a definition of Mahogany names and identity.

Swietenia macrophylla, usually known as Brazilian mahogany, but is also known as American mahogany or Big Leaf mahogany. Brazilian mahogany occurs naturally in a broad band across the southern flank of the Amazon rainforests, stretching from north-eastern Bolivia and the Brazilian states of Acre and RondÒnia, through Mato Grosso towards the southern half of Pará state

CHAPTER I--FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION
PART 250--GUIDES FOR THE HOUSEHOLD FURNITURE INDUSTRY--Table of Contents Sec. 250.3 Identity of woods.

Industry members should not use any direct or indirect representation concerning the identity of the wood in industry products that is false or likely to mislead purchasers as to the actual wood composition.

Mahogany.
(1) The unqualified term mahogany should not be used to describe wood other than genuine solid mahogany (genus Swietenia of the Meliaceae family). The woods of genus Swietenia may be described by the term 'mahogany' with or without a prefix designating the country or region of its origin, such as 'Honduras mahogany', 'Costa Rican mahogany', 'Brazilian mahogany' or 'Mexican mahogany'.

(2) The term 'mahogany' may be used to describe solid wood of the genus Khaya of the Meliaceae family, but only when prefixed by the word 'African' (e.g., 'African mahogany desk').

(3) In naming or designating the seven non-mahogany Philippine woods Tanguile, Red Lauan, White Lauan, Tiaong, Almon, Mayapis, and Bagtikan, the term 'mahogany' may be used but only when prefixed by the word 'Philippine' (e.g., 'Philippine mahogany table'), due to the long standing usage of that term. Examples of improper use of the term 'mahogany' include reference to Red Lauan as 'Lauan mahogany' or to White Lauan as 'Blond Lauan mahogany'. Such woods, however, may be described as 'Red Lauan' or 'Lauan' or 'White Lauan', respectively. The term 'Philippine mahogany' will be accepted as a name or design ation of the seven woods named above. Such term shall not be applied to any other wood, whether or not grown on the Philippine Islands.

(4) The term 'mahogany', with or without qualifications, should not be used to describe any other wood except as provided above. This applies also to any of the woods belonging to the Meliaceae family, other than genera Swietenia and Khaya.