Returning to Our Roots
Updated: 2023-04-05
A Natural Connection
Our love for our craft also includes keeping it sustainable.
When you've used a natural, renewable resource for more than 120 years, it only makes good sense to assure that the resource is available another 120 years from now. That's why we commit to not only sustainably harvesting trees but also planting new ones annually. We want future generations to enjoy the special appeal of wood furniture made in the storied Bassett tradition.
Through the years, we've maintained a reverence for the lumber nature gives us. As the decades have passed, our awareness of and appreciation for the environment has grown with the understanding of our vital role in helping these resources flourish.
Respectful, Sustainable, Beautiful
Our BenchMade product line is crafted from oak and maple trees responsibly harvested and milled in the Appalachian region. Computers scan the lumber and determine the absolute maximum yield we can get from each piece. Components are then cut to use as much of the wood as possible.
You see, most of these trees have been growing for 80 years or more. It's going to take time to replace them. So we honor our duty to use as much of each tree as possible.
According to the U.S. Forest Service Forest Inventory Analysis, the lumber we use is sourced from forests that are growing nearly 2½ times the rate of harvest and natural loss (of trees) combined. In layman’s terms, that means the number of trees is meeting present needs without compromising the needs of future generations. And that’s the goal.
Going a step further, our lumber partners rigorously follow and respect more broadly sustainable forestry practices. Even the parts of the tree that cannot be used for furniture are ground into chips, either to support other industries or to use as fuel to heat and power factories.
Where We Take, We Put Back
Working with our sustainability partners, we plant two trees for every BenchMade dining table, bed, cocktail table, and credenza you buy. That’s an average of 20,000+ trees planted each year! Since the introduction of BenchMade in 2015, we will have planted more than 170,450 trees as of Arbor Day 2023.
And we’re not simply planting acres of easy-to-grow white pine. We plant a variety of species – not just those used in our furniture – so that they grow side by side as they do in nature. By mixing the species as we plant, we ensure that a blight will not affect an entire forest. If one species is affected, the rest of trees on the land will continue to thrive and grow.
Planting Together for the Future
Each year a team of Bassett employees travels to the Appalachians to participate in the planting. April 2023 has our team in Berlin, Ohio to plant 32,000 trees. And it's not just a photo op. It's a hands-on effort for all, while also showing our employees how to value and respect the resources we use. It’s a company core value to see our environment as something that needs to be cared for and protected.
When we describe our furniture as built by hand, from the heart, it starts here in the planting fields and forests. You can feel the personal pride as you hear some Bassett folks sharing their hands-meet-earth experience:
"The saplings we planted were about 1 to 2 feet tall, and they were already 2 years old. It will take another 70-80 years before they mature into trees that can be harvested. This gave me a sense of pride in Bassett's commitment and a new appreciation for the natural history represented in each BenchMade product."
"I was struck by the passion, knowledge, and commitment of our partners who carefully plant and nurture the trees as their families have done for generations before them. Not only is Bassett helping to sustain the environment with these plantings, but we're also sustaining the livelihoods of the families in these small communities."
"What's humbling about tree plantings is knowing that the work being done will outlive us ... so that future generations – like 4 to 6 generations from now – will have the resources available to them."
Crafted by Artisans, Signed by Nature
Respect for the value of this natural resource permeates our entire process. Bassett artisans carefully craft the lumber into beautiful, sustainable furniture. The varied grain patterns, range of color, and natural markings visible and celebrated in each BenchMade product tell the story of each tree's life. Our Live Edge tops even preserve the natural contours of the tree, creating an up-close-and-personal reminder of the beauty of the forest and the uniqueness of each tree.
A Commitment to the Generations
By using time-honored techniques, our artisans transform the beauty of nature’s refined materials into special furnishings that will last across lifetimes. Their artistry becomes your future heirloom, your style. And, just as it was when the Company was founded, that’s our goal—that our BenchMade products will last for many of your generations.
Learn More About #GiveBackGrowBack
Our BenchMade story is just one example of our efforts to conserve natural resources, reduce waste, recycle materials, and sustain the environment.