Overview:

Certification is not a simple issue. Several different organizations are involved in Green (or Environmentally Sound Products) Certification. These organizations include the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), the Pan European Forest Certification (PEFC), the Canadian Standards Association (CSA), and the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI). Some people and organizations disagree or even oppose each other on some of the issues and may sometimes hold conflicting ideas about what certification requires or should require. Below is a brief review of the certification issue and links to some of the main organizations involved in this unquestionably very important aspect of the wood flooring industry in particular and the manufacturing and distribution of products in the world in general.

The bottom line:

Certification not withstanding, it’s important to note that contrary to popular belief and certain doomsayers contentions, even uncertified wood flooring products are for the most part 100% sustainable, 100% renewable, and are generally considerably more environmentally responsible than other floor covering products such as carpet, vinyl, laminates, and even stone/marble/granite. Wood renews naturally and with no human intervention (you just need to let nature take its course), whereas other materials such as steel or any other metals, stone products, and plastics, to name the main ones, are 100% not renewable. When you buy a wood product, even if it is not certified, you are basically supporting wood as a commodity and supporting its continued value as a marketable product to be cultivated and harvested in a sustainable fashion.

You will find more information regarding the general issue of wood sustainability in Dr. Patrick Moore’s website: www.greenspirit.com. Dr. Moore, one of the founding members and a former president of Greenpeace, has been in the forefront of the ecological movement since its inception in the early 1970’s.

Certification Organizations

The largest organization devoted to monitoring responsible/sustainable logging practices is the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). Other organizations include SmartWood and Eco Timber. Tulip Floors is an authorized dealer of Eco Timber, which offers a wide array of certified products adhering to strict guidelines set by the FSC, and is a retailer that enjoys the support of most major environmental groups.

Tulip Floors and Certification

Tulip floors wants to do its part to preserve our natural resources and is committed to offering the consumer a viable alternative to flooring material that comes from uncertified sources. Our partnership with Eco Timber ensures that we have direct access to the most ecologically sustainable harvested lumber on the market today. Eco Timber’s products are certified by the FSC, meaning they must conform to its very high standards of certification, dependable enforcement of these standards, and strictly scrutinized chain of custody, which ensures that every stage of the lumber production (harvesting, transporting, milling, manufacturing, etc.), conforms to strict environmental standards.