Hickory is among the hardest and strongest woods native to the US. As hickory trees grow in abundance throughout the US forests, this long-lasting material is readily available. However, as the hickory trees support a lot of mammals, birds, and insects, cutting down the trees hurts wildlife. So we had to ask: How sustainable is it to buy products made out of hickory wood?

Willow trees grow fast and tall, quickly replenishing timber cut for furniture and household items. However, as the willow trees support a lot of mammals, birds, and pollinators, cutting down the trees hurts wildlife. So we had to ask: How sustainable is it to buy products made out of willow wood?

Birch wood comes from various birch tree species which spread far and wide across the northern hemisphere. The timber is strong and suitable for making long-lasting furniture. Also, species like the American yellow and paper birch grow sustainably in abundance in US forests. However, as the birch trees support many animals and birds, cutting down the trees hurts wildlife. So we had to ask: How sustainable is it to buy products made out of birch wood?

Redwood trees are the tallest living trees on earth. They grow fast and tall, which are good signs for the sustainability of their wood. However, redwood forests, especially the ancient ones, store a larger amount of carbon than any other forest type. So we had to ask: How sustainable is it to buy products made out of redwood?

Batu (or red balau) wood comes from a few endangered tree species native to South and Southeast Asia. Due to high demand and lax regulation, these species have been under decades of overexploitation. Illegal logging and unsustainable practices reduce the tree population and the invaluable biodiversity of their native habitats. So we had to ask: How sustainable is it to buy products made of batu wood?

Balau is a group of valuable tropical timber commonly used and traded globally. Balau tree species, alongside other tree species in the meranti group, used to dominate tropical forests in South and Southeast Asia. But high demand and lax regulation have led to decades of overexploitation. Illegal logging and unsustainable practices reduce the tree population while damaging the forests’ invaluable biodiversity. So we had to ask: How sustainable is it to buy products made of balau wood?

Cocobolo wood is considered one of the best-looking and best-sounding woods from the tropics, highly sought after for fine furniture and musical instruments. The color is deep and rich, highlighted with attractive swirling patterns. Tone travels through it fast and accurately. However, illegal and over-logging in tropical forests for cocobolo wood timber have extremely high costs, especially regarding biodiversity. So we had to ask: How sustainable is it to buy products made out of cocobolo wood?

Olive wood is a by-product of much-priced fruit from the same tree. It comes from the trunk of very old trees that no longer bear fruit. Small pieces of wood can also be utilized from pruned branches of fruiting trees. Turning olive wood into household items is, thus, sustainable usage of the would-be waste material of the olive orchard. Still, we had to ask: How sustainable is it to buy products made of olive wood?

Balsa wood is much-loved for its buoyancy and excellent ability to insulate sound, heat, and vibration. It is light-weighted and soft – one of the lightest and softest commercial woods out there (though its density varies significantly depending on the growing conditions). Thanks to the fast growth rate of balsa trees, this timber provides an environmentally friendly alternative for many products, for example, a surfboard blank. Still, we had to ask: How sustainable is balsa wood?

Thuya trees tend to develop a burl underground at the base of the trunk. Such burl wood is strong, smooth, fragrant, and very beautiful. It is often considered similar to burl wood from a redwood tree and highly-priced in decorative woodwork. However, thuya trees are rare as they grow primarily around the Atlas mountain region. Digging out the burl also kills a thuya tree. So we had to ask: How sustainable is it to buy products made of thuya wood?

Rosewood is one of the finest and most demanded tropical woods for high-end furniture and musical instruments. The wood is famed for its rich red color and a strong sweet smell close to the fragrance of roses. However, much damage is done to their native tropical forests and grassland when rosewood trees are illegally cut down and overexploited. So we had to ask: How sustainable is it to buy products made out of rosewood?

The durable and exotic cumaru wood comes from some of the tallest tree species in the Amazon Rainforest. When cumaru trees are cut down illegally and/or excessively, much damage is done to one of the richest ecosystems on earth. So we had to ask: How sustainable is it to buy products made out of cumaru wood? 

Beech is increasingly used for more household projects other than firewood. The wood is strong, comparable to oak, and its strength makes it suitable for furniture that withstands a lot of pressure. However, as the beech trees support many animals and birds, cutting down the trees hurts wildlife. So we had to ask: How sustainable is it to buy products made out of beechwood?

Tulipwood comes from tulip trees – the tallest hardwood trees in North America. This tree species provides a large quantity of timber, thanks to the trees’ size and perfect straight trunk. Its high availability means that tulipwood is more sustainable than wood from rare tree species. However, as the tulip trees support many animals, birds, and insects, cutting down the trees hurts wildlife. So we had to ask: How sustainable is it to buy products made out of tulipwood?

Black cherry wood is an excellent choice for furniture and musical instrument projects because of its durability, strength, and reddish-brown color, which becomes deep and rich with age. However, as the black cherry trees support many animals, birds, and insects, cutting down the trees hurts wildlife. So we had to ask: How sustainable is it to buy products made out of black cherry wood?