Company to take part in Green Seminar during Casual Market
Casual Living
According to recent research, more than 40% of American women will go out of their way to help the environment – and Groovystuff believes that can include buying outdoor furnishings that are environmentally friendly. 
 

Groovystuff is a Dallas-based manufacturer of residential furnishings crafted from reclaimed teak wood. Introductions at this week’s International Casual Furniture and Accessories Market include the Double Adirondack Swing Chairs crafted from antique plows and bark wood; outdoor benches, tables and occasional sets crafted from the root bulb of teak trees; and an exclusive debut of the marriage between Made In America wrought iron frames from Charleston Forge combined with the live edge teakwood tops from Groovystuff.
 
“The root bulb on a 50-year-old teak tree can be up to 15 to 20 feet in height,” said Chris Bruning, vice president of Groovystuff. “The farmers in Thailand dig them up to re-cultivate the land for farming. Conventional wisdom has always led them to burn these root bulbs which is horrible for the environment and contributes to the greenhouse effect evident in the lowland hills of South East Asia.”

To encourage reclamation, Groovystuff employs local furniture factories to collect, shape and work these root bulbs into sustainable furniture. The result of this work in progress can be seen at the Chicago Casual Market.
 
Groovystuff has just completed a second independent audit from the Forest Stewardship Council to certify the chain of custody on select products in its catalog. The program evaluates the source of the wood and the handling procedures once the wood has been recovered. All information is verified through an audit before certification is granted. The process is both time consuming and costly but Bruning believes it is essential.

“We have the ability right now to raise educational awareness in the casual furniture industry,” Bruning said. “Education is the key to stewardship.” 

Bruning, along with Norman Hamilton, publisher of Casual Living magazine, and Mike Italiano, president and CEO of The Institute for Market Transformation to Sustainability, will present a “green” seminar, Increasing Your Sales, Profits & Market Share in a “Green” World, Wednesday, Sept. 19, from 9-10 a.m. during the Casual Show on the 2nd Floor, Merchandise Mart Conference Center.