It is important to make a conscious effort to learn about where the materials used in making products that we buy are coming from. Each year, millions of trees around the world are cut down to meet the growing demands for wood. With depletion of forests expected to double in the next 20 years, we all need to be mindful of the state of the world’s forests and timber resources. Research has found that three quarters of UK citizens believe it is important for the products they purchase to have been responsibly sourced (TNS 2018).
At Made In B, we source many of our wood and paper products with FSC certification. But what does FSC certification mean and why should you look for FSC-certified products when buying wood and paper products?
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)
The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is an international, non-governmental organisation dedicated to promoting responsible management of the world’s forests and the people and wildlife who call them home. They are the original pioneers of forest certification and the world’s most trusted sustainable forest management solution. FSC certifies forests all over the world to ensure they meet the highest environmental and social standards. These forests are inspected and certified against strict standards.
10 Reasons why you should buy FSC certified products
The FSC label on wood and paper products guarantee that the product is ethically sourced and has gone through numerous checks to ensure that both people and planet have not been affected adversely.
When you buy wood and paper products with the FSC certification, you can have a clear conscience that the wood, which may be from different types of forests, have been validated as sustainable.
The FSC label guarantees that the trees that are harvested and used in the products have been replaced or allowed to regenerate naturally.
The FSC label means that endangered animals and plants in certain parts of the forest are completely protected and these areas are restricted from felling of trees.
FSC is the only wood certification programme that have been backed by major charities like WWF, Greenpeace and The Woodland Trust, hence products with FSC certification means they are genuinely sustainable or eco-friendly.
An FSC label means that the rights of indigenous people are protected, exempting any felling of trees where these may be considered sacred sites in the forests.
FSC is committed to protecting the forest, so an FSC label gives you the assurance that future generations will be able to enjoy the forest.
FSC label provides an assurance that local workers were used by the forest owners to run the forest, and they were provided sufficient training and safety equipment as well as a decent salary, and in certain circumstances schools for their children within the local communities.
As a market-based initiative, an FSC label ensures the responsible management of the world’s forests and the local people that are dependent on them for their livelihoods. It shows the highest social and environmental standards in the market.
In addition to forest certification, the source of the wood is tracked and monitored from the forest or point of reclamation through to every stage in the supply chain to the point where it is finished, labelled and invoiced to clearly identify FSC certified wood. The final label on the wood also has a code, so, you can be sure that the wood is sustainably sourced and is genuinely FSC when it is used in products.
Make the change
Be kinder to our planet by shopping FSC certified products. Come and explore Made In B artisan products that are made using FSC certified wood - gift wraps, greeting cards, stationery, bowls, pet bowls and children’s wooden plates and be part of this sustainable drive.
Start making the change today.