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Century Sustainability Facts

Sustainability Points of Product Lines

  • Plywood used in Upholstery frames is
    • CARB compliant and now TSCA VI compliant
    • SFI certified (sustainable)
    • Grown and harvested within 500 miles of Hickory NC (most within 250 miles)
  • Over 50% of woods used are US grown
    • Non_Controversial - Hardwood cover in US has grown over the last 50 years
    • Most come from forests certified as sustainably managed (US Forest Service)
    • Most come from within 500 miles of Hickory NC (most within 250 miles)
    • 80% of the wood used to make Century furniture is coming from certified sources
  • We are conscious of wood and wood products coming from high risk countries
    • We investigate sources and ask for verification of legality
    • We use our “market power” to influence the market towards sustainability
  • Teak used in the manufacture of our Leisure product
    • Comes from plantations in Colombia, Indonesia and Thailand (not forest harvested)
  • We require all sources of wood products to certify as to the legality of their harvest
    • To comply with Lacey Act
    • To protect our customers and our brand
  • Use of water hyacinth in making chairs/sofas
    • A sustainable material harvested from the rivers of Thailand
    • Products made with water hyacinth are finished with water based finishes
  • Use of reclaimed lumber in making specialty products
    • Naturals using reclaimed chestnut
    • Specialty items made from reclaimed teak from torn down buildings
    • Building dining tables from old barn wood
  • Packaging of our furniture is primarily cardboard
    • Over 75% of our products are packaged with US harvested/manufactured board
    • US cardboard sources are SFI certified (sustainable)
    • In the US over 76% of cardboard is recycled (regardless of origin)
    • Over 40% of our board is recycled material
  • Fiber used in pillows and wrapping of cushions is from recycled material
  • Cushions and poly foam contains the highest possible content of soy oil (which is sustainable) to replace petroleum based chemicals (which is not sustainable)
  • Metal components like inner springs, banding, and bed convertible mechanisms contain a significant amount of recycled material
  • Use of low VOC (volatile organic compound) finishes and lacquers have a high solids content
    • We do not use water based finishes (except in very special categories)
    • To-date we have not been able to formulate water based finishes that meet our requirements for clarity and enduring color
    • Water based finishes in fact can take more energy to dry and process them than nitrocellulose based systems (which is what we use)
  • Comply with all US and NC regulations (environment, labor, social…)

Acronyms, Names or Terms Primer

  • AHFA – The American Home Furnishings Alliance is an association that we are members of. Its mission is, “The American Home Furnishings Alliance is the world's largest and most influential trade organization serving the home furnishings industry. AHFA is dedicated to fostering the growth and global well being of its member companies. (we are a member of AHFA)
  • EFEC – Which stands for “Enhancing Furniture’s Environmental Culture”, is a furniture Industry specific environmental management system developed by the furniture industry trade association, AHFA. (all our plants are EFEC certified)
  • SFC – The Sustainable Furnishings Council is a non-profit balanced coalition of industry players founded at High Point, NC in October 2006 to promote sustainable practices among manufacturers, retailers, and consumers alike. (we are a Founding Member of the SFC)
  • Rainforest Alliance - The Rainforest Alliance (RA) works with people whose livelihoods depend on the land, helping them transform the way they grow food, harvest wood and host travelers. From large multinational corporations to small, community-based cooperatives, we involve businesses and consumers worldwide in our efforts to bring responsibly produced goods and services to a global marketplace where the demand for sustainability is growing steadily. (We have worked with the RA in evaluating our wood products supply chain and developing our responsible purchasing policy and they are the certifying body for our FSC CoC certification)
  • SFI – Sustainable Forestry Initiative Inc. is a fully independent, charitable organization dedicated to promoting sustainable forest management. SFI works work with conservation groups, local communities, resource professionals, landowners, and countless other organizations and individuals who share our passion for responsible forest management. (we value the SFI certification and let our vendors know)
  • Lacey Act – A strengthened federal law, as of May 22, 2008, prohibits all trade in plant and plant products that are illegally sourced from any U.S. state or any foreign country.
  • CARB - The California Air Resources Board, also known as (CARB) is the "clean air agency" in the government of California. They have regulated the content of formaldehyde in hardwood plywood, medium density fiberboard (MDF) and particle board.
  • TSCA VI - The US Federal Government has issued new regulations through the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) that supercede the CARB regulations. These come under TSCA VI regulations. Effectively the CARB and TSCA VI regulations are the same