THE HIDDEN FACTS OF “GREEN” MOULDINGS
Know the difference between a true green moulding versus green-washing
There has been a consistent growing demand for eco-friendly products. Concerns
regarding harvested woods, over harvested forests and rainforests have become
more and more of a concern for the consumer. Recently, there has been an influx
of moulding manufacturers that are marketing eco-friendly or green mouldings and
branding them as such. While many wood moulding collections feature specific
aspects that could be deemed as “eco-friendly”, they would not withstand close
scrutiny as a completely eco-friendly product. To be considered a truly green
product, the consumer needs to be assured that every aspect of the moulding fit
the criterion of industry defined environmentally friendly products and
materials.
There are three distinct categories that encompass an eco-friendly moulding:
Substrate
Finishing Materials
Packing Materials
SUBSTRATE:
The
reality is that the majority of wood mouldings on the market are from managed
forests…they really have to be in today’s marketplace. Forest Stewardship
Council, or FSC, is a Not For Profit organization that monitors the harvesting
and chain of custody of timber. To be FSC certified and labeled as such, each
aspect of the harvesting process is monitored and tracked – logging, milling
and transportation. Each contractor within the process must be a member of the
organization and abide by their environmental regulations.
Some species of wood are not covered by the FSC because of the limited volume of
timber harvested. However, many forests are certified as “sustainable” or
“managed”, meaning the timber harvested is closely monitored and re-planted
ensuring the viability of the forest.
FINISHING MATERIALS:
A
lot of finishes on mouldings today contain oils and solvents that cannot be
classified as eco-friendly. In order for the finishing material to be
considered eco-friendly, it should be comprised of natural organic materials and
be water based. Gesso should include water based adhesives; stains and sealants
should also be water based and 100% organic.
PACKING MATERIALS:
Though packaging materials are not a requirement for a moulding to be considered
eco-friendly, those that are from recycled paper can extend the message of an
eco-friendly product. Mouldings can be wrapped in recycled paper or fiber,
rather than foam or plastic, and shipping containers can also be from recycled
paper enhance the eco-friendliness of a product. In addition, publicity
materials can be printed on recycled papers and printed using vegetable based
inks.
IMPORTANT FACT: IN ORDER FOR A MOULDING TO BE CLASSIFIED AS TRULY “GREEN”, IT
MUST BE AN FSC CERTIFIABLE WOOD PRODUCT OR FROM A MANAGED/SUSTAINABLE FOREST AND
HAVE A WATER-BASED 100% NATURAL ORGANIC FINISH WITH NO OILS OR SOLVENTS. If it
only has one of these components, it is considered “green washing” and not a
100% eco-friendly product.
We
believe that every aspect of the production process needs to be monitored to
ensure the integrity of a completely eco-friendly product. Only those
collections that can sustain this scrutiny will be branded as “EcoCare”.
Companies have initiated an effort to develop a category of wood mouldings
that will fulfill the demand for eco-friendly mouldings for the average consumer
as well as the OEM market. Our initial introduction is comprised of two
collections, Sherwoods, a line of color stained woods; and, Blackwood, a line of
simple eco-friendly black caps.
Some basic components of EcoCare:
Timber is harvested from managed forests. Harvesting and re-planting are
certified processes, easily monitored and tracked.
Gesso is comprised of natural organic materials including water based adhesives.
Stains and sealants are water based and 100% organic.
Packaging materials are 100% recycled.
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