Sabin Bureau from Gat Creek is Greenspiration Home American Made "Pick-of-the-Week!"

(3BL Media / theCSRfeed) September 14, 2011 - The look of this handsome “Sabin Bureau” from Gat Creek is as timeless as the Appalachian wood from which it is made.  Like every piece of furniture made in Gat Creek’s manufacturing facility in Berkeley Springs, West Virginia, it is crafted from wood that is sustainably harvested from the Appalachian forests.  Of course, the only thing that Greenspiration Home loves more than American made furniture is furniture that is crafted with locally and sustainably grown wood, making this simple yet elegant chest an ideal choice for our American Made “Pick-of-the-Week”. 

Forestry and Furniture

Gat Caperton, CEO of Gat Creek, wouldn’t have it any other way.  Early on, Caperton had to make sure that his love of furniture and his love of the Appalachian forests would not be in conflict.

“I woke up and I worried, 'What if we were cutting down all the trees in the forest where I played as a kid?'” 

So Caperton started to get more educated about forests, harvesting practices, and supply chains.  He was pleased to learn that his beloved Appalachian forests are actually among the most successfully managed American forests in terms of biomass and biodiversity.   Much of the forestland in Pennsylvania and in New York is Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified, meaning that it meets the most stringent forestry practice standards in the world. 

“Appalachian hardwood growers manage their forest very well – even without FSC supervision,” said Caperton.  “On the other hand so much imported wood is illegally or improperly harvested that consumers really need to look for that FSC label on any furniture that is not American made.” 

Common Sense = Sustainability

Gat Creek has worked hard to remain competitive despite the onslaught of cheap imports from China.  Caperton credits his company’s focus on sustainability with its ability to maintain cost effective operation.  The company’s sustainability initiative focuses on 5 tenants:  Raw Materials, Energy Minimization, Waste Reduction, Social Equity and Product Life Cycle.  All of this, along with an impeccable safety record, has helped keep Gat Creek’s relatively stable despite the eoncomy. 

“It’s common sense that really isn’t so common.  Being sustainable is absolutely more cost effective,” said Caperton. 

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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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