CRAFT AND THE ENVIRONMENT

CRAFT is deeply committed to the principles of sustainability and healthy living environments. But these aren’t just empty statements –we have the third-party certifications to prove it

Commitment To Using Wood From Sustainable Sources

CRAFT values the principles of sustainability, and has acted on those values. As a result of our commitment, the wood used in every CRAFT floor has been certified by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI) to have come from North American forests that are managed responsibly and sustainability. We feel that this is a significant achievement, because few other hardwood flooring manufacturers (if any) have made this level of commitment to sustainability. This commitment, evidenced by our SFI® Chain of Custody Certification, allows us to trace the wood used in our products all the way back to a certified sustainable forest. The result is that environmentally conscious end users can trust the wood used to make a CRAFT floor, because it’s been certified by an independent third-party to be legal, responsible and sustainable.

Contributions to a healthy living environment

Our commitment to making products that contribute to a healthy living environment is evidenced by the fact that all of our products have been third-party certified by Underwriters Laboratories to the level of GREENGUARD® Gold, demonstrating the most stringent level of low emissions available.

Products that have achieved GREENGUARD® Gold Certification are scientifically proven to meet some of the world’s most rigorous, third-party chemical emissions standards, helping to reduce indoor air pollution and the risk of chemical exposure, while aiding in the creation of healthier indoor environments. The GREENGUARD® Gold Certification standard includes health-based criteria for more chemicals than other indoor air quality certifications, and also requires lower total VOC emissions levels to help ensure that products are acceptable for use in environments like schools and healthcare facilities. In addition to limiting emissions of more than 360 VOCs and total chemical emissions, GREENGUARD® Gold Certified products must also comply with requirements of the state of California’s Department of Public Health (CDPH) Section 01350.

THE EARNING OF GREEN BUILDING RATING SYSTEM CREDITS

All CRAFT floors have third-party certifications that contribute to the earning of points in several green building rating systems.

CRAFT’s commitment to using certified wood  (as evidenced by the SFI® Chain of Custody certification of all its products) along with its use of low-emitting materials (as verified by its GREENGUARD® Gold certification) are product attributes that will help a project team attempting LEED® certification to achieve points in at least two different credit categories.

Furthermore, CRAFT has an accredited LEED® Green Associate on its team, so anyone seeking more information on how CRAFT’s floors qualify for earning LEED® points should feel free to contact us with any questions.

Information on using CRAFT to earn credits in Green Building rating systems can found here.

CRAFT’S SFI/PEFC COMMITMENT

Creative At Home Inc, the exclusive manufacturer of CRAFT Artisan Wood Floors, and it’s factory, Creative Wood Products International, is committed to implementing and maintaining the chain of custody requirements in accordance with the PEFC® and SFI® standards.

CONCERNING ‘GREENWASHING’ IN THE MARKETPLACE

Greenwashing is “an attempt to capitalize on the growing demand for environmentally sustainable products by making unsubstantiated or misleading claims about the environmental benefits of a product, service or technology”. We see greenwashing going on all the time in the hardwood flooring industry. Yet we recognize that there is a way for consumers to get to the bottom of what is truth, and what is spin –and it comes in the form of third-party verification from reputable, independent organizations. This can provide end users with facts that cut through the empty claims served up as marketing spin with the sole mission of selling products, and can ultimately lead to consumers making environmentally informed decisions that are certain to align with their values.