Rustic - Working with a Renewable Resource

Rustic and Adirondack furniture is typically made in a very responsible way. Obviously I can not speak for all builders or companies, but the industry tends to be environmentally responsible and caring for our natural resources. Like myself, many rustic furniture makers are outdoors people that love and appreciate nature. We are informed and want to see our natural resources protected from abuse. One of the best parts of the job is getting out into the woods and looking for materials for projects. It takes time to find a good piece and then to haul it out of the forest, but isn't the forest a great place to be? In most cases rustic crafts people use wood that is already down, or has been cleared or cut for some other reason than making furniture, thus giving it another "life" in a piece of art. Much of the rustic/Adirondack furniture you will find is made from smaller saplings, so even if it is cut from a live tree these saplings will quickly grow back. In fact they will probably grow back faster and with more shoots than before. I cut and gather my logs and sticks from my own land so I know exactly where it comes from and that it's removal will not have a negative impact on the forest. As I said, most rustic builders will share this caring for the environment and may have even been led to furniture making by first having a love for the outdoors.
Of course there is always room for improvement, whether it be with shipping and packing or the wood finishing materials that are used. It is hard to make a living and have no impact on the environment, but most rustic furniture makers are very conscious and will always strive to have a smaller "footprint".
Rustic style furnishings are not just a beautiful and useful choice but in most cases they are the choice that is also better for the planet. It is a win win, you get to bring in a part of nature to your home and the environment takes less of a hit, so that it can remain a beautiful and inspirational component of our lives.
For more information on the rustic and Adirondack styles of furniture, please visit www.RusticFurnitureGallery.com or call 603-563-7010
As always, feel free to email me at Mark@RusticFurnitureGallery.com


To learn more about eco friendly wood finishes please visit www.EcoWoodFinish.com