AdenWorks.com

We have been in the midst of a discussion as to the status of the teak forest of Thailand that once covered much of northern and eastern Thailand. One day the recycled teak that we use to construct our rustic furniture will be gone leaving us no source unless the teak forests of Thailand can rebound. So what are the prospects of these forests rebounding? In one word: poor. Let’s continue our investigation of what is currently going on in the great country of Thailand.An ever present danger in countries fighting to protect their forests from deforestation from Brazil to Indonesia to Thailand is illegal logging. The problem in Thailand is acute. Let’s discuss the problems in more detail based on a called “Achieving the ITO objective 2000 and sustainable forest management in Thailand”.

As we have mentioned in prior blogs, logging was banned in Thailand in 1989. A ban such as this does not work alone but needs supporting and complementary measures which frankly did not exist. Part of the problem manifested itself in illegal logging in neighboring countries. Although not perfectly executed however, the band has helped conservation efforts somewhat. The social impacts have also been mixed: improved environmental quality has brought about social benefits while employment and income in rural areas has declined.

The ban initially provoked a surge in illegal logging which has since been contained by tightening controls. The volume of confiscated timber is marginal but it is questionable whether the control is truly effective. Rather than large illegal logging operations’ going on the mode of illegal logging is small-scale activities often linked to timber buyers. Needless to say, these are much harder to find and stop. Wood traders have become sophisticated as the controls have improved. Under pricing, downgrading the product on official documents, and incorrect volume measurement are still going on and are extremely difficult to identify and control. Wood is extracted from the forest legally for household consumption only to end up in the market has also become a growing problem.

Authorities agree that corruption is a problem but its impact is so difficult to quantify. The central and local governments are involved in controlling illegal logging which is thought to have curved much of the illegal logging however it is very difficult to quantify.

Other effective controls have been media coverage, international concerns and export market requirements. However, more resources are still needed to strengthen mobile communication units for communicating illegal logging and for remote sensing monitors over the forest cover to monitor encroachment.

Tomorrow we will begin to summarize the conclusions of this study as it relates to the teak forests of Thailand.

We are discussing the status of teak forests in Thailand since our furniture is made from recycled teak. Thankfully our wood is recycled and yet one day this too will run out. With the way things are going in Thailand it is absolutely critical that we remain fully focused on creating eco-friendly furniture. AdenWorks is committed to this and we want to protect our environment.So is Thailand really able to do something about its current teak forests since the logging ban 0f 1989? Overall the answer is really no. During one of my trips to Thailand I discussed this matter with a well respected businessman and he appeared less than enthused about the progress of protecting the formerly great teak forests of northern Thailand.

For Thailand’s great teak forests, the numbers tell the story. Natural teak forests in 1954 represented 2.3 million ha verses in 2000 where only 150,000 ha remain. This is a whopping decrease of 93%. Frankly nothing else has to be said about what has happened. During this time the private and public sectors have established only 836,000 ha of teak plantations. They are already using small logs from teak plantations for furniture, carving, building construction, household utensils, toys, poles and posts to name a few. Apart from genetic improvement, practically no research has been done regarding teak even though the species was the mainstay of the forestry sector for over hundred years. What they should have is registered sources of teak seeds and planting material for large-scale plantations and for smaller landowners. They also need adequate systematic research being conducted on quality planting material, increased productivity, and economic feasibility of teak plantations to support their expansion.

Currently there are no survey and no management plans that exist on teak plantations in the country. A database regarding these plantations is needed before harvesting could ever resume. The information would also assist in policy design, planning, marketing and expansion of plantation teak.

Sadly deforestation in Thailand is not declining and continues at unacceptable levels. Deforestation is occurring in the forest margin or agricultural frontier and also inside the larger forest areas. Extension of the rural road network, expansion of cash crops, population pressure in the areas affected by immigration and land allocation programs are the underlying reasons for the policy failure of forest conservation. Public policy has focused on rehabilitation of degraded areas and reintroducing trees to deforested marginal lands which is costly rather than preventing deforestation. Policies have not addressed the reality of rural poverty as a root cause of deforestation. Policies related to agriculture and other related sectors have not been honestly evaluated resulting in inconsistencies and policy conflicts which make Government’s efforts to curb deforestation ineffective.

Tomorrow we will discuss illegal logging and its devastating affects on the remaining teak forests.

We are in the midst of a discussion regarding the status of the teak forest of Thailand. As you know AdenWorks furniture is handmade in Thailand. However, the primary wood source for the construction of our furniture comes from recycled wood obtained from old farm houses, farm implements, carts and so forth. One day this source, like so many of the teak forests of Thailand, will be no more.

We have chosen to focus on the teak forests because all responsible manufacturers and importers should be concerned about the forests of the world so let’s continue discussing Thailand’s teak forests. In 2001 the government divided the land between farm holding or agricultural land (41%), forest (31%) and unclassified land (28%). The total forest area in Thailand in 1961 was roughly 27 million ha representing 53.3% of the country. As a result of slash-and-burn policies, shifting cultivation, land resettlement, dam and road construction, the current forest area is estimated to be only 16.8 ha, or a 38% drop. Needless to say these are alarming numbers. Even with the band on logging, the deforestation of Thailand is going at a rate of 63,000 ha per year.

When reviewing Thai forestry, four stages can be clearly noted. First, was the early exploitation stage beginning from the mid-1890’s up through the middle 1930’s. The second stage was from the 1930’s up through early 1960’s which was considered the expanding exploitation and management stage. The third stage which covered the period from the 1960’s to the mid 1980’s was the forest exploitation decline stage. The fourth stage began in 1989 when the ban on logging was put into place and the struggle began towards sustainable management of the forests. To help make this happen, there have been three main interventions: (1) expansion of designated protected areas, (2) expansion of the forest resource base by plantations, and (3) development of community forestry. Unfortunately there is no real strategy toward sustainable management of the forests. Rather, there is only emphasis on patrolling, recreation and other services with little to no research being carried out.

More on the status of teak tomorrow.

These days environmental friendliness is on many peoples’ minds. People are devising ways to create environmentally friendly everything including eco-friendly furniture. From the very beginning we here at AdenWorks have been very conscious of our carbon footprint. Although the focus on green has developed more recently, we have been creating eco-friendly rustic furniture since AdenWorks began.
Obviously this is an extremely important aspect of our company. We strive to preserve the earth as best we can by not using new teak tress to build our furniture. Instead we design our furniture to be composed of old wagon wheels, old plow handles, old feeding troughs, parts of barns, and many more antique materials. Its fun to see how create you can be when designing a piece of furniture from a trough.

I wanted to fill you in on why our furniture is eco-friendly by telling you a little bit about the history of Thailand and teak forests. Yesterday’s blog appeared quite encouraging when it came to the lush forests, but by the end of the post we realized something was amiss. Let’s continue the story today:
Sadly, by 1993 the forest area for growing teak had been reduced to only 1,880,700. What happened in such a short few years? The causes include:
       • Hill tribe slash-and-burn activities
       • Illegal land clearing and encroachment for agriculture
       • Mining and construction of hydropower dams and reservoirs

Actually the real timber exploitation began in the mid 19th Century by foreign companies such as Borneo Company, Anglo-Thai Company and Bombay Burma Company. There were no regulations to control timber harvesting and control was left to local jurisdictions. A forest department was established in 1896 yet further exploitation was carried out using selective cutting based on the growth rates of each tree species and its marketable size limits.

In 1988 Thailand experienced a devastating flood whose impact was cataclysmic. The Thai people surmised that the cause was deforestation. As a result the government imposed an immediate band on logging in 1989. Log and lumber exports were banned in 1991. To give you an idea of its impact, wood production has declined from 1,820,000 m³ in 1983 to 65,000 m³ in 1993. In fact, Thailand imported 630,000 m³ in 1983, rising to 3,211,000 m³ in 1993. As you can see, Thailand has gone from being a net exporter to a net importer of wood due in large measure of exploitation practices begun in the mid 19th century up until 1991. This also coincided with a substantial population increase. In 1909 the population was just over 8 million people and as of 2000, the population expanded to just over 60 million people

It is clear to see that the teak forests of Thailand have sadly been reduced to a shadow of what they once were. So where does Thailand go from here. We will explore tomorrow the current status of Thailand’s teak forests. 

 For the next few posts I want to focus on the Eco-Friendly aspect of AdenWorks. The green movement is rapidly spreading which is extremely encouraging. Our company strives to preserve the environment by building furniture from recycled teak wood. Recently, I added an Eco-Friendly logo to our website. You can click on this logo and learn more on our beliefs about keeping our furniture environmentally friendly. So, for the next few blogs, I want to focus on teak woods past and future. 

Teak is considered to be one of the premier species of wood in the world. It has so many unique qualities such as its natural resistance to rotting and bug infestations. What you may not know is that teak is indigenous to only four countries: India, Burma (Myanmar), Lao PDR, and Thailand. Since our rustic, western and lodge furniture is constructed in Thailand, we thought we would take some time to address the condition of the teak forests of Thailand.

Before we get started, we want to remind you that our rustic, lodge, and western teak furniture is made predominately from recycled teakwood that was formerly used to construct everything from farm houses to farm implements. Another great thing about our rustic, western, lodge teak furniture is that it is constructed using teakwood that was harvested many years ago from natural aged teak forests rather than the lesser quality plantation grown teak. This makes our furniture dense and heirloom quality.
Since we are a conscientious eco-friendly manufacturer we thought you, whether a dealer, designer or commercial account, would like to get a brief historical overview of Thailand’s teak forests, their current condition and prospects for their future.

Thailand was once a country with lush teak forests found extensively in the north and stretches along the western border. For those of you who are more scientific, the entire range of forests extend from 14ºN to 20º31”N and west to east longitude 97º30É to 104º30”E at altitudes between 100-900 m above mean sea level. It was estimated that in 1954 teak along with other species in the mixed deciduous forest covered 9,297,300 ha of Thailand. It was estimated that approximately one-fourth of the forest land was teak bearing, representing roughly 2,324,300 ha. What determines the viability of growing teak and the speed of the growth are based on the following factors: rainfall/soil moisture, temperature, light, geographical formation and soil condition.

Environmentally speaking, everything was going quite well with such healthy forests winding through large portions of Thailand. Teak trees were flourishing to say the least. Unfortuantely though, the life of the forest took a turn for the worse. Tomorrow we will talk about what took place 15 years ago that greatly impacted the teak tree forests.

AdenWorks is the first to bring you upholstered teak furniture. We are taking rustic furniture to the next level by softening the rustic rugged look. We have created a new line of furniture that will take rustic to a whole new level.The Winston Chair is quite a unique piece to begin with. The backside of this chair is created by two plow handles which bring height and interest to the piece. The back and seat of the chair are formed by original wagon wheel spokes. This chair is made from eco-friendly recycled teak wood.

This chair has proven to be very popular at shows. It is one of our bestsellers with regards to dining room chairs. Since I have seen how much clients like this piece I decided to give it a bit of variation. This was the third chair I chose to upholster.

The upholstery on this piece takes it to a totally different level. It gives it a softened look yet rugged feel. The seat of this chair is covered by genuine rich brown leather making a comfy seat for an evening meal. The inside back of the chair is upholstered in brindle cowhide creating a stunning view from the front. However, I did not want to loose the beauty of the wagon wheel spokes due to upholstery. I still wanted to spokes on the back side to show through so I opted to upholster underneath the wagon wheel spokes.

Ultimately this chair is a beautiful piece to look at from any angle. It was created much like the Hudson Rocker. Each of these pieces have upholstery between the slats and spokes to heighten the detail and interest.

The Winston chair is a perfect compliment to the Junipine Table. However, this chair can easily stand alone as well. This chair was one of the main focal points of our showroom floor.

Well, this wraps up our discussion about AdenWorks brand new Aynsley Collection. I hope that you all enjoy this collection as much as I do. Please let me know if you have any advice on other upholstered items. I am brainstorming for the summer right now.

It is our goal here at AdenWorks to constantly and consistently be bringing new ideas and visions into the rustic furniture industry. Yesterday we added three brand new custom designs to our line. Our goal is to always be improving our line. We look forward to the future and to meeting your needs.

 Adding upholstery to our rugged chairs, takes our rustic teak furniture to a whole new level. The softness, provided by the hide, adds more comfort and visual appeal. The wagon wheel rocker has been very popular since it was introduced at the last two markets.

Our wagon wheel rocker is made from two genuine quarter wagon wheels. These wheels increase its rustic appeal while adding a bit of history as well. The foot rest rail on the front of the chair make this piece a perfect place to rest after a long day. This piece has been very popular as an all-wooden rocker. Then we had the idea to upholster the piece which transformed it.

The Bronson Rocker is one of our first pieces from the Aynsley Collection. It was created with comfort and striking appeal in mind. The seat is covered in a comfy rich brown leather. The back of the rocker is upholstered in a brindle cowhide. The front of this piece is definitely eye-catching and one of a kind.

However, the front is not the only stunning part of this chair. This piece can be viewed from all sides without disappointing. It is the attention to detail that makes this chair so spectacular. The backside of the chair has been upholstered as well. This allows you to see through each of the slats to the brindle beneath.

With this chair and the other pieces in the Aynsley Collection, you have the option of choosing your own hide or leather for the upholstery. We offer brown and white cowhide, black and white cowhide, and brindle cowhide. However, if you or your client would prefer leather on leather or exotic hides, we can do that as well. Our goal here at AdenWorks is for you to be able to have our furniture fit within your showroom or projects.

At the Dallas Market and Las Vegas Market this piece was very popular. It is a perfect chair to come home to at the end of the day. So, relax and unwind on our comfortable rocking chair.

If you have been keeping up with my blogs you know that we have anxiously been awaiting the debut of our new collection, the Aynsley Collection. This collection is a blend of soft and rugged through cowhide and rustic teak. We were so excited about introducing these pieces at the past Dallas and Las Vegas Market. We could not wait for their debut.

Well, now you know what we have been up to lately. I wanted to make our new collection a surprise for buyers. It has been a success! The dining chairs are the Arabella Chair and the Winston Chair. We also have a rocking chair called the Hudson Rocker. Obviously we have other pieces in the works that hopefully will debut at the markets in the summer.

Today I just wanted to spend some time talking about the Arabella Chair. This piece was designed with the feminine spirit in mind. I wanted to take the rustic feel of teak wood a soften it by a dramatically curved, hourglass back. To heighten the feminine factor, I added hide on hair. This was the first chair I designed and from that point on I knew that a collection was in order.

This chair caught the most attention at both of the shows. Its unique modern shape combined with rustic teak creates a chair that appeals to your senses. This chair is quite versatile. It can be placed with a rugged dining room table to dress it up, or it can stand alone in an entryway or living room space. Either way this chair will be a top seller in your store.

AdenWorks is thrilled to introduce our new line. We look forward to what the future holds.
 

As I said yesterday, rustic furniture was definitely a popular choice at the Dallas and Las Vegas Markets. The rustic teak furniture caught buyers eyes throughout both shows. In our line of furniture, we create pieces that fit within different styles. This way you aren’t simply provided just western furniture or just lodge furniture.

Our furniture is a generous blend of rustic, western, transitional, rustic contemporary, and lodge pieces. The rustic look is popular among many different motifs. It simply has to be designed correctly to fit into particular settings. This is why at furniture shows, we attract various types of buyers. Our line is not limited to one style and that has been one of the main reasons people continuously look to us as their provider for all things rustic.

Today I am going to expand upon our latest collection, the Aynsley Collection. You may be able to tell by the name, that I have designed this collection. When I look over our line of rustic furniture I am constantly wondering how I can take it to the next level. I want to give our furniture something that will make it stand out in your store, client’s home, or commercial projects.

Of course the ruggedness of our rustic teak furniture line is one of the most fascinating aspects of our line. The furniture is made from recycled teak wood and includes antique farm implements in its construction. Therefore, the furniture’s construction, uniqueness, and handmade touches easily make it an eye-catcher to clients.

Well, what better way to bring out the ruggedness of our teak wood furniture than to juxtapose it with upholstery. I have stayed within the bounds of rustic by adding brown/white, black/white, and brindle cowhides to the backs of chairs, while the seat is covered in a rich brown leather.

With this in mind, I created some dining chairs and a rocking chair that combine the rustic qualities of the wood with the softness of natural cowhide. However, if you have projects or clients that are desiring a different look other than cowhide, we can do custom orders as well.

This has been a long-anticipated collection and I am glad to say that we are the first to develop this combination in our designs. I look forward to designing more upholstered furniture in the future and I have a few ideas for the upcoming markets this Summer.

Rustic furniture is a popular choice at the furniture markets. During the Dallas and Las Vegas Market, rustic furniture was a top pick among designers, stores and commercial accounts. Our rustic teak furniture for western, ranch, barn, lodge, cabin, and rustic motifs were what shoppers were looking for.

The upholstered hair and leather pieces from the Aynsley Collection caught the eye of many buyers. Some people were drawn to the lodge settings, others went straight for the wagon wheel western look, and then there were those who found the organic root furniture mesmerizing. Overall the Dallas Market and Las Vegas Market were a great way to keep buyers updated on where our line is headed next.

Well, I must say, it feels like forever since I have been able to sit down and write. This is refreshing. I am sure you know how it is. Work can get overwhelming sometimes and in the end you just can’t get everything done. Well, now that the markets have slowed down for a bit, I can get back to sharing tips and thoughts with you about the rustic teak furniture world.

Over the next few blogs I thought it would be helpful to you if I went through some of the top sellers from both of the markets. This way you can be up-to-date on which pieces are a guaranteed sell. I try to study people’s purchasing decisions at the markets in order that I can design furniture that people are searching for. So, over the next few entries I will expand on which pieces and motifs people were focused on.

I hope that this insight helps you with your next purchase. Maybe you will stick with the popular pieces or venture out and see what you can do. Either way, rustic teak furniture will be a great choice.