Gerry and Petie Cooklin pictured at right are helping the furniture industry secure their resources for the future.
Furniture Industry Representatives Applaud the Use of Sustainable Wood Products
more news...A Quarterly Publication of The Rain Forest Alliance
The Canopy
PaTS(Partnerships and Technology for Sustainability) is a non-profit organization focused on preserving forests and ensuring employment for rural families. PaTS’s projects are currently located in the Peruvian Amazon; however, the vision is to execute these model projects globally.
Sustainable Furniture Council Gaining Momentum
Industry group begins forging alliances to promote environmentally sustainable products and practices in
Los Angeles, California, February 23, 2006 – Initiated at the High Point Market in October of 2005, The Sustainable Furniture
Council (SFC) is making its first strides towards bringing increased prosperity and positive change to the furniture industry. “We
contacted everyone who attended the October meeting, outlining the Council’s objectives, membership levels, and member benefits,” says Gerry Cooklin, CEO of South Cone Furniture and founder of the SFC. "The Response has been fantastic. We are also
developing a memorandum of understanding with the Rainforest Alliance, that spells out the assistance and benefits they can
offer to Council members.”"
"The Rainforest Alliance" is very excited to see an industry-led initiative to encourage and promote sustainable forestry and
sourcing practices,” says Daphne Hewitt, Project Manager for the Rainforest Alliance’s TREES
program. “We’re looking forward to
working with Council members as they realize the benefits of this important initiative.”
“The SFC has two objectives,” continues Cooklin, "to assist manufacturers in adopting sustainable practices, and to promote
sustainable products. To meet the first objective, we will guide members to full certification under wood harvesting standards
established by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) – the most respected sustainability standards in the world. Members who achieve
certification will then join together to educate consumers about the value of sustainable products and show retailers how
sustainable furniture raises their profile with a very desirable consumer demographic.
The market for sustainable goods is growing quickly,” concludes Cooklin, "creating a great opportunity for those who position
themselves now. The next SFC meeting will be at the October 2006
High Point Furniture Market. I personally invite all furniture suppliers,
manufacturers and retailers to join us and discover an exciting way to build your business while ensuring the long-term health of
our planet.”–
About South Cone
The world leader in sustainable furniture, South Cone designs and manufactures fine living room, bedroom, dining room, and accent pieces
for the North American market. The company is headquartered in Gardena, CA. For more information, visit South Cone Trading Company.
About Rainforest Alliance
The Rainforest Alliance works with organizations of all sizes, from large multinational corporations to small, community-based cooperatives,
to bring responsibly produced goods and services to a steadily expanding global marketplace for sustainability. Its SmartWood program
certifies responsible forestry practices to Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) standards. For more information, visit www.ra.org.
Susan Holland/Press Relations • The Kirschner Agency
336.376.3352
