The Economic Impact of Sustainable Furniture

March 29, 2021April 21, 2021 Alexandra Thompson

Last updated on April 21st, 2021 at 09:56 am

Sustainably managing forests is nothing new in Vermont. According to the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund, 75% of the landmass in our state is forest land. Over 2,000 businesses in the state rely on those forests to generate ~$1.5B in annual revenue.

“Vermont’s forest products industry generates an annual economic output of $1.5 billion and supports 10,000 jobs in forestry, logging, processing, specialty woodworking, construction, and wood heating. In addition, Vermont’s forest recreation economy (skiing, etc) generates another $1.9 billion in economic output, and supports 10,000 additional jobs.” – VSJF

Despite all the economic activity dependent on our forests, they’re still growing in size and density.

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This blog is written by your friends at Vermont Woods Studios. Check out our Vermont made furniture and home decor online and visit our showroom and art gallery at Stonehurst, the newly restored 1800s farmhouse nestled in the foothills of the Green Mountains.

Women’s History Month: Dr. Suzanne Simard, a trailblazer in forest ecology

March 12, 2021March 18, 2021 Alexandra Thompson

Last updated on March 18th, 2021 at 03:43 pm

Over the past few years, we’ve been learning more about how connected trees are to one another. I’m a big fan of ‘The Daily’ podcast from the New York Times and was super excited to see this topic covered during one of their Sunday Reads. ‘The Social Life of Forests’ inspired me to write about Dr. Suzanne Simard for Women’s History Month.

Dr. Suzanne Simard | The Mother Tree Project

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How Sustainable Forestry in the Furniture Industry Protects the Planet

March 5, 2021March 5, 2021 Alexandra Thompson

We believe that practices are genuinely sustainable when they meet the needs of people, protect the planet, and create economic impact. As leaders in our industry, our goal is to highlight the innovative (and traditional) best practices that make it possible for wood furniture making to sustain itself for generations to come. Read part one of our triple bottom line sustainability series on people here.

Our Planet

Illegal logging and widespread deforestation has already begun to affect our climate and ecosystem. Rainforests that once covered 14% of the earth’s land surface now cover a mere 6%. The last remaining rainforests could be gone in less than 40 years. Rainforest deforestation is destroying or severely threatening nearly half of the world’s species of plants and animals over the next 25 years.

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How a Working Forest Contributes to a Healthier Ecosystem

February 14, 2021 Alexandra Thompson

By managing our own forest here in Vermont since 2013, we have witnessed the beautiful harmony of a healthy ecosystem. When Vermont Woods Studios outgrew the spare bedroom in Peggy’s home, our team searched for a permanent home. Above all, our goal was to find a space that would reflect the values of the company and offer a home to showcase the works of Vermont’s finest furniture craftsmen. After a long search, we found Stonehurst. As you can imagine, we love every minute we get to spend out in our forest!

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This Climate Change Remedy Is Proven. What Are We Waiting For?

November 16, 2019November 16, 2019 Peggy Farabaugh

Climate Change is Mitigated by the Green Mountain National Forest in Vermont — Trees are Carbon Capture Technology at it’s best. Trees remove carbon dioxide CO2 from the atmosphere. CO2 is the greenhouse gas that’s causing climate change and global warming. Protecting existing forests (and re-planting forests we have already destroyed) is our best chance to remedy climate change. Let’s start planting trees. Photo of the Vermont’s Green Mountain National Forest by artist #1778011 at Pixabay.

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Sustainable Furniture & Climate Change

November 28, 2018June 20, 2019 Peggy Farabaugh 2 Comments

Last updated on June 20th, 2019 at 11:45 am

Peggy & Ken Farabaugh | Vermont Woods Studios | Stonehurst Showroom — Ken and Peggy Farabaugh, co-owners of Vermont Woods Studios in Vernon, VT. Photo credit: Erica Housekeeper.

Thank You, Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund VSJF

We have three important people to thank today:

Christine McGowan (Forest Products Program Director at VSJF)
Erica Houskeeper (author of Happy Vermont travel blog) and
Emily Bradbury (owner of Emily Bradbury Communications)

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Green Business: We’re a Textbook Case

May 6, 2018July 22, 2018 Peggy Farabaugh 1 Comment

Last updated on July 22nd, 2018 at 01:25 am

Textbook Green Business | Vermont Woods Studios | Furniture Store — Susan Karr, co-author of this Environmental Science textbook used Vermont Woods Studios as a case study on Green Business. It’s an honor to be noticed alongside companies like Whole Foods, REI and Levi Strauss. Thanks Susan!

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Monarchs & the Milkweed Symposium

January 26, 2017May 23, 2018 Peggy Farabaugh 1 Comment

Last updated on May 23rd, 2018 at 02:27 pm

Jose Luis Alvarez and conservation of monarch habitat in Mexico — We brought Jose Luis Alvarez to the Milkweed Symposium in Canada so he could teach attendees about the need to reforest monarch habitat in Mexico.

The 1st International Symposium on Milkweed

Last Friday I traveled to Becancour, Quebec with our friend Jose Luis Alvarez for the 1st International Symposium on American Silk (aka milkweed). The symposium was put together by Francois Simard. He’s a textiles engineer who’s developing technologies to use milkweed fibers as a down substitute in winter jackets. Francois is trying to persuade farmers to plant milkweed as a commercial crop in the USA and Canada.

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The Importance of American Made Furniture In Today’s Global Market

October 27, 2016March 31, 2017 Megan Fulton Leave a comment

Last updated on March 31st, 2017 at 01:43 pm

Learn how you can help the environment and economy by purchasing American Made Furniture this Holiday Season.

It’s hard to believe that not just 40 years ago when you bought wood furniture, or any product for that matter, it was most likely made right here in America by a skilled craftsman. The crew at the workshop or factory was most likely paid a fair and livable wage and the price of the product reflected that. We took pride in American Made Furniture.

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Sustainable Furniture Buying Tips: 5 Questions You Should Be Asking

May 6, 2016August 14, 2018 Megan Fulton Leave a comment

Last updated on August 14th, 2018 at 03:34 pm

sustainable furniture buying tips — Our Skyline Panel Bed in Cherry with Walnut accents.

Being a sustainable company may be trendy now, but how do you know if what you’re buying is truly sustainable?

Our company was founded with the mission to save the rainforest. If you don’t know, we are a wood furniture company that uses only sustainably harvested wood from here in the Northeast. It’s been 10 years and we still guarantee that. Now it seems big name brands to celebrities are getting in on the action. With so many products and brands now claiming sustainable practices and resources, it may be hard to tell if the products you’re using really are eco-friendly.

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