Choosing wood at Table du Sud: a sustainable decision?
Nowadays, we’re increasingly concerned with sustainability, and many people are making an effort to keep their ecological footprint as small as possible. But what about wood? Is opting for wood the right decision if you want to consider the environment as well?
In this blog, we take a closer look at some myths about wood, as well as highlighting crucial properties of this natural product.
“We are plundering Europe's forests”
This isn’t the case. Forests cover no less than 37% of Europe. In addition, the European forestry sector produces 23% of the timber with only 4% of the available forest. In addition, there is sufficient space and planning for reforestation. Tip: did you know that you actively participate in reforestation if you buy an oak table at Table du Sud? We plant a tree for every 3 tables purchased. Want to know more? Check One, Two, Tree
“Wood doesn’t last”
This is also untrue. Wood is a natural product, which means it is prone to warping. Warping means the wood can ‘move’ in dry or moist air. However, an oak table will last for decades if the conditions are right. Think of appropriate humidity and general use (clean wet stains immediately). Tip: we sell specific maintenance products for all types of materials.
“The tables are made abroad and sold here”
This is also not true. We’re proud to say that our oak tables are fully manufactured by us. We not only make the tabletops ourselves, but also the steel and oak frames. We do this in our brand-new workshop in Heeze, Brabant. Tip: visit furniture store Heeze. The workshop is literally adjacent to this furniture store. During your exploratory tour along the various pieces of furniture, you can see our craftsmen in the background hard at work making furniture. Would you like to know more? Read the frequently asked questions about the workshop.
“You bring the wood in from far away. That isn’t sustainable”
The Netherlands is simply not equipped with large forests from which high-quality oak can be obtained in large numbers. We have opted for a solution that is still relatively close. Our oak comes from France and meets our strict requirements.
“Nice delivery, but it uses an incredible amount of diesel, doesn't it?”
We believe that good delivery is part of our service and that includes our buses. However, we spend a lot of time planning matching delivery locations, leading to the most efficient routes. For instance, it’s possible that our couriers do a tour of Zeeland and West Brabant with 6+ addresses. Our deliverers will never drive, say, to Leeuwarden first, only to then deliver another table in Sittard.
“Your machines are blaring all day long. That takes a lot of energy and a lot of money.”
It is a fact that our machines cost energy. However, we do put a lot of effort into generating energy ourselves. You can't see it from the outside of our furniture store in Heeze, but there are at least 1800 solar panels on the roof. A large part of the workshop is running at full speed with all that generated solar energy.
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