Dura Supreme has always favored the use of sustainable materials in our cabinetry, along with environmentally sound manufacturing practices. Not because it’s the trendy thing to do, but because it’s the right thing to do. It’s better for our environment, for our customers, for our employees, and for future generations.
With that said, today I’d like to share some interesting “Did you know” facts about sustainability and the hardwood forestry industry that are not common knowledge for the average homeowner. I hope you will find these facts helpful and resourceful when you’re shopping and sourcing hardwood products for your home.
Did you know …
How the American Forestry Industry harvests hardwood?
In American hardwood forestry, the predominant harvesting method is single-tree-selection as opposed to clear-cutting. This method closely resembles natural, healthy forest life cycles when individual trees fall or die from natural causes, allowing sunlight and nutrients to enter the canopy which enables seedlings and smaller trees to grow vigorously.
Did you know …
How sustainable forests are managed?
Sustainable forest management involves harvesting no more than what the forest grows, nor degrading the forest’s capability for growth. Currently, American forests grow twice as much hardwood as is harvested each year.
The majority of hardwood sourced for our Dura Supreme cabinetry comes from domestic forests that are sustainably harvested and replanted for future generations. Wood is a valuable, natural resource that is sustainable and renewable.
Did you know …
How veneer cabinetry is made?
Engineered cabinet veneers are an environmentally-friendly choice because they utilize sustainable wood species that are in abundant supply and readily available. To create engineered veneers, logs are processed as usual for veneers. A rotary lathe peels the log, and then the sheet of veneer is clipped into shorter sections called “leaves’. Depending on the particular color and pattern being produced, the veneers are stacked with alternating colors and then glued together into a large block of wood. They are then re-sliced to create the desired grain pattern, color, and texture.
At Dura Supreme, we offer veneer cabinetry options in Cherry, Maple, and Oak. As well as, exotic veneers in Bamboo, Straight Grain Oak, Walnut, and Shale wood species. Many of our engineered veneers are produced from plantation-grown, European Poplar. With its overall light coloring and subtle grain pattern, it is ideally suited to create distinctive colors and patterns for engineered veneers.
Exotic Bamboo Veneer Cabinets by Dura Supreme Cabinetry.
Did you know …
Wood is a carbon-negative material?
Since carbon is believed to be one of the factors responsible for climate change, carbon-neutral materials are considered favorable for environmentally friendly projects. Wood is considered a carbon-negative material since it sequesters and stores carbon rather than emitting or producing carbon. Add to this that very little fossil fuel is needed to produce wood (in comparison to other building materials like steel, concrete, or glass) and that virtually all of the waste can be utilized or recycled.
Cherry wood cabinets from Dura Supreme Cabinetry. Design by Studio M Kitchen & Bath, MN.
Did you know …
How trees store carbon?
As trees grow, they absorb carbon from the atmosphere and store it, while releasing pure oxygen. A tree that dies naturally releases the stored carbon as it decomposes. However, when a tree is responsibly harvested for use as cabinetry or a building product, the carbon remains stored in the wood for the life of the product.
Did you know …
More American trees die from natural causes than from harvesting?
In United States forests, many more trees are lost to forest fires, insects, blight, and other natural causes than are harvested for paper and timber. Forest owners plant more than 650 million new trees each year, almost twice as much as what is harvested.
Did you know …
How much American sustainable forestry practices have improved our forests over the years?
Thanks to sustainable forestry practices, the volume of hardwood in American forests today is 90% larger than it was 70 years ago. It’s important to support and continue to improve these practices so that American hardwood can continue to be abundant and renewable for generations to come.
Did you know …
What ESP certified means?
Checking that that cabinetry you buy is ESP certified can help you feel confident you’re selecting a product that is committed to sound environmental management and sustainable practices.
You can feel rest assures your beautiful wood cabinets from Dura Supreme Cabinetry is certified under the Environmental Stewardship Program (ESP) administered by the independent KCMA (Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association).
Designed to encourage industry policies and practices that benefit both the environment and the well-being of society, this groundbreaking program provides companies with tangible ways to support sustainability. Companies are reviewed annually by the KCMA to ensure continued compliance. The ESP seal lets homeowners, designers, builders, and architects know they are supporting sustainability when they buy or specify products that are ESP certified.
ESP certification is achieved by demonstrating compliance within the following 5 categories:
- Air Quality (including compliance with approved formaldehyde emission levels for panel materials)
- Product Resource Management
- Process Resource Management
- Environmental Stewardship
- Community Relations
Dura Supreme Cabinetry is proud to have been instrumental at the development of this program and one of the first cabinetry manufacturers to achieve certification from when it was created and still proudly carrying the ESP seal to this day.
Dura Supreme Cabinetry is proud to be ESP certified.
Did you know …
Dura Supreme recycles 99.9% of our wood waste?
At Dura Supreme, we value our natural resources (at work and at play). Protecting our natural resources for future generations is part of our daily routine including recycling 99.9% of our wood waste to be used as livestock bedding. This minimizes our waste output and helps support our local farming community in central Minnesota.
Planet-conscious craftsmanship
At Dura Supreme, we recognize the value of our natural resources and the responsibility we have in ensuring their sustained availability. I hope learned something new about sustainability from my blog today. To learn more about Dura Supreme’s sustainability efforts and planet-conscious manufacturing process CLICK HERE.
