Nothing is as personal as your own home. That’s why it will be furnished to your own taste, beauty and affordability with furnishings that will be long lasting and representing a socially responsible choice. Our world is changing. Almost half of the Earth’s forests have vanished and more are disappearing every year. Wood is growing scarce, and therefore we must be economical in our use of it. Because of the reduced availability of solid wood, most furniture is now made of wood panels. The wood used in these panels comes from tree plantations that are constantly being replanted for wood production purposes. Literally every fiber of a tree is used in the manufacture of wood panels, and reused in the form of wood waste, sawdust, and recycled panels, at times blended with a small percentage of agricultural fibers like bagasse or bamboo. There are many different types of panels and these are used in a variety of applications. Adding a lovely decorative surface to them creates an endless range of possibilities. One of the most satisfying aspects of using wood panels is the attractive decorative surface that covers what is basically waste wood, making the panel both tasteful and sustainable, ensuring that there is sufficient wood for all. THE ECOLOGICAL SIDE The European wood panel industry repeatedly uses recycled materials to delay the final stage, incineration, until as late as possible. Why is that? A tree absorbs and stores carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, which is good for the ecology. If you make tables from wood, the carbon dioxide remains in the table but when the table is incinerated, the stored carbon dioxide is released back into the atmosphere. Almost all wood panels sold at hardware stores have either FSC or PEFC certification. That means the panels are made of wood from sustainably managed forests. Wood panels produced in Europe and/or destined for the European market bear the CE marking. melamine 13
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