Kathryn Bar Stool from the Kristin Drohan Collection is Greenspiration Home American Made "Pick-of-the-Week!"

(3BL Media / theCSRfeed) October 5, 2011 - We struck North Carolina gold, craftsmanship and chutzpah with this irresistibly stylish bar stool from the Kristin Drohan Collection of eco-friendly furniture -- our latest Greenspiration Home Pick-of-the-Week.

So much of what Greenspiration Home admires about the American made furnishings industry is (literally) woven into this unique, comfy looking bar stool.  The emblem-stamped linen back is woven in a North Carolina mill.  Like all other pieces from the collection, it is 100% made by a family-owned furniture manufacturer in Hickory, NC—one that has courageously chosen to fight back against hard times by partnering with Atlanta-based interior designer, Kristin Drohan. Oh – and the barstool is named after Kristin’s mom, Kathryn!  How great is that? 

An Entrepreneurial Success Story

The birth and evolution of the Kristin Drohan Collection speaks poignantly to the plight of American made furnishings.  A highly regarded interior designer, Drohan had been interested in eco-friendly furniture for many years.  She was also fiercely loyal to American made furnishings – recommending them to her clients whenever possible.  Of course, over the years this became increasing difficult because of competition from cheap imported goods.  Fortunately, Kristin had forged a relationship with a well-known Hickory, NC manufacturer who happened to share her passion for eco-friendly home furniture.  The designer and manufacturer eventually developed several prototypes from Drohan’s sketches and the Kristin Drohan Collection was born.  

Something Old, Something New

The collection not only reclaimed a bit of North Carolina furniture heritage, it is reclaiming North Carolina wood from closed down furniture and textile factories.  Customers have the option of using either reclaimed wood or sustainable harvested wood for framing.  Most of the fabrics used are eco-friendly and have cradle-to-cradle certification.  Several are sourced from local mills. 

 “Whenever I can find a suitable choice – for my collection or for my clients – I choose American made.  Even if my clients don’t always care – I do.  I'm on a crusade to get designers to specify items with regard to origin,” said Drohan.

 The Kristin Collection includes a little bit of everything from seating to beds.  It can be purchased directly or through the Chicago Merchandise Mart.

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Greenspiration Home LLC is an online resource dedicated to helping homeowners build, renovate, and decorate green.  The Greenspiration Home American Made “Pick-of-the-Week” campaign is part of the publication’s initiative to educate consumers about domestically made home décor options. 

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