Carolina Rustica: Dedicated to Reducing Impact on the Environment

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Carolina Rustica is absolutely committed to doing its part in being a good steward of the earth. We have several initiatives in place to make sure we reduce waste, re-use wherever possible, and recycle our disposables. These initiatives are in place as a matter of daily practice. We do not believe in touting our Green credentials as marketing objective, but we do want you to know that our company is striving to do its part in reducing overall consumption.

Reduce: We have reduced our consumption of petroleum-based packaging by recently switching to a recycled paper filler. This is also more efficient, allowing us to use smaller amounts of filler for packaging since it absorbs shock better. We also reduce our consumption of oil resources by using a smaller delivery truck (one that does not have our name on it) for local deliveries whenever possible. Lastly, we have reduced our energy use by installing low-wattage bulbs (25 watts) for the lighting in our showroom. These low-wattage incandescent bulbs do not consume as much energy as many of the compact flourescent lights (CFL's) used right now. For brighter applications, however, we use CFL's if possible.

Re-Use: If you have ordered from us lately, you may have received your order in a box that does not have our logo on it. Perhaps it is a box that looks like its been shipped before? In fact, it has! We are re-using our suppliers' boxes and packaging when possible to reduce our total consumption of packaging materials. Products shipped in re-used boxes will have a sticker on the outside with our logo on it stating that the box is being re-used. Even the labels for these statements are re-used from old UPS labels! You may also notice the shipping material inside is a mixture of packing materials. Again, we have re-used these from suppliers' shipments to us. In no case, however, will we ship anything to you in a box that has lost its integrity and is not suitable for the rigors of shipping.

Recycle: We have 2 recycling programs in place with the City of Concord and Cabarrus County. We recycle office paper (never customer information!) such as old catalogs through the city recycling program. We recycle all of our non-reusable cardboard through a county program. Cans and bottles are recycled through employees' individual efforts.

Here is a summary of Carolina Rustica's Company-wide Green Practices:

• We recycle all white paper. Any customer information is put through a cross-directional shredder
• We recylce all corrugated cardboard. We lobbied the city to move our green container to our new location, which they were hesitant to do
• We ship many products to our customers using recycled boxes from our suppliers, many of which are recycled themselves
• We recycle packaging material
• We use Compact Fluorescent Bulbs (CFB's) whenever possible, and use timers in our showroom to automatically turn off lights after hours
• We never use our 16-foot truck when our smaller F150 will suffice for customer deliveries
• We donate slightly-used lighting fixtures and furniture to Habitat for Humanity
• We give preference to those suppliers who are members of the Sustainable Furniture Council, the Forest Stewardship Council, Fair Trade, and U.S. organizations such as the Appalachian Hardwoods Manufacturers Inc., National Hardwood Lumber Asoociation, and Greenguard. These are organization that assure that the environmental and economic impact of our industry is minimized and that resources used by our industry are replaced
• We encourage the purchase of Energy-Star lighting, with an entire section of our website devoted to Energy-Star and Dark Sky Compliant lighting
• We endeavor to "Buy North Carolina First, Buy US second, Import last", which encourages green domestic industry, reduces international shipping, and helps keep American workers employed.
  
  

The second component of our Green endeavors involves our own suppliers. We are quick to recognize those suppliers that make a concerted effort to manage environmental manners as an integral part of their business. These companies have policies in place to ensure the environmental integrity of their manufacturing processes. Many of these manufacturers hold professional memberships, designations, and accreditations to recognize their commitment to sustainability on a local and national level. These include, but are not limited to: Fair Trade, Sustainable By Design, Green Seal, National Hardwood Lumber Association, Appalachian Hardwood Manufacturers, Inc., Forest Stewardship Council, American Home Furnishings Alliance, Sustainable Furnishings Council, They share our business culture of a deep respect for the fragility of our environment and the limited nature of the resources that we all consume. Some of these outstanding partners are:

The following manufacturers are designated with our very own "Green Leaf" seal to indicate their complete dedication to preserving precious natural resources through everyday practice. Carolina Rustica is 100% committed to partnering with companies that put environmental protection and employee safety first above all else. For us, it is not a marketing ploy, it is an everyday concern. We like to see that same dedication in our own suppliers.

Hubbardton Forge blends the time honored traditions of forging and the best applications of modern technology. They are multiple winners of the Vermont Governor's Award for Enivonmental Excellence, and they continue to deploy technologies that make their manufacturing process as waste-reduced as possible. For example, they have a holding tank that uses liquid-borne microbes to break down waste chemicals used in the finishing process, a system that is absolutely unique to Hubbardton Forge. The award winning, environmentally sound finishing systems provide the quality and efficiencies that allow Hubbardton Forge to spend time doing what they do best - designing and hand forging their products. Shop all Hubbardton Forge

Wesley Allen makes every effort to be an environmentally conscious" company. Wesley Allen believes their efforts to make the world's finest iron beds, it's equally important to respect and preserve natural resources. In addition to using only environmentally friendly finishes and processes, their manufacturing facility in Los Angeles utilizes one of the largest solar energy systems in Southern California. Wesley Allen is proud of the efforts they have made and the resources they have saved. Click here to shop all Wesley Allen

For four generations, Kincaid Furniture has been built on a philosophy to make wood furniture in its most natural form; using Solid Wood construction. Kincaid Furniture is committed to the responsible stewardship of the environment by integrating environmentally sound business practices into our daily business decisions within our upholstery, case goods, retail and import furniture operations. They consistently seek out opportunities for recycling, pollution prevention, energy conservation, and efficient use of natural resources, as well as striving to work to reduce the environmental burden of waste generation and emissions to the air, water and land. Kincaid strives to ensure that any waste generated is properly disposed of in a safe and environmentally sound manner. Kincaid Furniture is piloting the American Home Furnishings Alliance's new furniture labeling program designed to help manufacturers communicate a product's safety, health and environmental features to shoppers. Called Eco3Home, the program will be backed by a consumer website, www.eco3home.com , where shoppers can research the attributes of a particular piece of furniture in detail, review the environmental record of the manufacturer, and learn what the industry is doing to safeguard consumer health and safety and improve environmental stewardship. Click here to shop all Kincaid Furniture

Palecek has been concerned with issues of conservation throughout its 30 years in business. Organic sustainable natural materials are very strong style elements right now, but we have always recongnized the importance of conservation" says Allan Palecek. Our designs have always relied on quickly renewable resources like rattan and plantation-grown woods that do not deplete forests. And, while conservation is vital, giving back is just as important." That's why Palecek is a major contributor to the reforestation project in the Philippines, which is in the process of planting more than a million trees. Click here to shop all Palecek

• Recycle water in their manufacturing processes.
• Reduce their carbon footprint by switching to alternative energy and water-based finishes.
• Reuse wood scraps and sawdust to generate steam for lumber and finish drying needs.

Century Furniture's environmental policy is a key element of their corporate philosophy. Since their beginnings in 1947, it has been their culture to be socially responsible with the safety and health of associates, business partners, customers and the natural environment. They are committed to reducing our environmental impact through intelligent design, conservation, and recycling.

They believe the best way to conserve environmental resources is to design and manufacture furniture of such impeccable quality that it will last for generations. Nothing is more wasteful than disposable furniture. The vast majority of their furniture is manufactured in Hickory, NC from predominantly domestic materials. Very high energy costs are involved in the transportation of furniture and raw materials. When items are produced locally, the environmental footprint is much smaller.

They are also a company that believes in renewable energy, and they continue with efforts to reduce energy use by combusting scrap wood and sawdust to generate power for our manufacturing facilities. They believe that recycling is critical to pollution prevention: Computers, ink cartridges, batteries, paper, cotton, fabric & leather scraps, cardboard, pallets, fluorescent bulbs, cans, glass and bottles, etc. Because each employee owns a stake in the company, he or she is empowered and motivated to recycle whenever possible and systems are in place to maximize their recycling efforts. Click Here for information on Century Furniture

Bernhardt Design is a family-owned business operating in the foothills of the scenic Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, a location endowed with earthly riches – clean air, pure water, and an abundance of natural resources. In order to protect and preserve these natural treasures, Bernhardt Design is committed to environmental excellence in all business activities – from the design of products to the manufacturing facilities and processes – and is dedicated to instilling high environmental values in its employees. In addition to complying with all state, federal, and local regulations, Bernhardt Design has long-standing corporate policies to provide a safe and healthful workplace while conserving energy and natural resources. These policies cover the reduction of emissions, water, energy, waste and packaging materials, use of renewable and sustainable materials, employee training and involvement, supply chain management and the pursuit of environmental certifications.

• Bernhardt has recently taken significant measures to decrease their carbon footprint by eliminating coal as a fuel source by substituting wood waste from the manufacturing process.
• Protecting the forests, which capture carbon dioxide and protect against global warming, is also company goal. Raw materials are chosen to preserve natural resources. Lumber and veneers are sourced only from sustainably harvested woodlands.
• Recycling of materials and reduction of waste are monitored. In order to reduce landfill use, employees recycle cardboard, plastic, leather scraps, paper and styrofoam.
• Wood dust is collected and used to fuel heat for the manufacturing process.
• Suppliers are encouraged to reduce packaging.
• Reusable blankets are used whenever possible to wrap product shipments to minimize cardboard and packing materials.
• Clean burning, ultra-low sulfur fuel is purchased for company trucks.

Click here to shop Bernhardt furniture.