But what exactly is PEFC and FSC timber flooring? What does it mean to us at Naturally Wood to be supporting these schemes? And, most importantly, what does it mean to our customers to be able to choose a sustainable flooring option?
What Are FSC and PEFC?
The FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) and PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification) are both schemes designed to promote sustainable forest management.
Both schemes aim to:
- Ensure replanting and careful management to ensure continued supply.
- Protect and enhance the ecological habitat created by the forest, thus protecting many rare or endangered species.
- Restrict the use of chemicals harmful to humans or to the habitat.
- Ensure respect for Indigenous Peoples and other communities present in or around the forest.
- Ensure basic rights and working conditions for forestry workers.
Broadly speaking, most of the world's larger certified forests belong to the FSC scheme which operates worldwide, while a large number (over 8,000) of smaller or privately managed forests belong to the PEFC scheme, which operates mostly in Western Europe.
Because Naturally Wood sources a wide variety of species from all over the world we are certified members of both schemes. In addition, we also actively seek to source timber certified by other schemes, especially for more exotic species. For instance, we have BRIK (Badan Revitalisasi Industri Kayu, or Indonesian Institute for the Revitalisation of the Timber Industry) certification for our Indonesian Merbau timber.
Our Commitment to Sustainability
As a company that can trace its roots back to the 1900's, sustainability is something that means a great deal to us. Timber is the raw material on which our business is based, so it is most definitely in our own interests to promote the use of forestry methods which will ensure a continued supply into the coming centuries and at a price which will ensure it remains affordable to homeowners and businesses.
We also hope that, as an old and well established flooring company, we can lead by example and help to uphold the integrity of the wood flooring industry and encourage other companies to follow suit, as well as encouraging customers to be more aware about where the timber for their floor has come from.
Customer Demand for Sustainable Flooring
We are also extremely mindful of the growth in demand from our own customers for sustainably and ethically sourced wood. For many of our clients, part of the appeal of a solid wood floor is an appreciation of wood as a natural product and a concern for the natural environment typically goes hand in hand with that.
Installing a timber floor has a definite feel good factor which goes far beyond its practicality or even its looks. By choosing sustainable FSC or PEFC timber flooring our customers can enhance this feel-good factor, knowing that instead of depleting the world's resources, they have done something positive to protect the environment that produced their timber.
Personal preferences aside, many companies now have an ethical procurement policy which requires them to take into account sustainability issues when buying products and services for their business. For companies with this kind of policy, it is vital for them to ensure that their timber has been produced in an eco-friendly and ethical way, making PEFC or FSC timber flooring a natural choice. To help companies fulfil such procurement requirements we can supply full Chain of Custody traceability.
Our Range of PEFC and FSC Timber Flooring
Many of our products are available with FSC or PEFC certification, including floors in our Fusion and Palladio Parquet ranges, as well as prefinished floors from our Creations range.
Please speak to our team for further information.
FSC Timber Flooring – contact us now to find out more about our FSC and PEFC certified products.
