Woods generally are a sustainable material thanks to their carbon sequestration. However, their environmental impacts vary based on the specific trees, their biodiversity, and their distance and method of transportation. Besides, some sought-after decking wood comes from tropical rainforests where illegal logging has devastating consequences on the earth’s biodiversity. So we have to ask: Which woods are the most sustainable for decking?

Active people like you are taking a serious look at your athletic wear since the apparel industry contributes 10% of global emissions and is the second biggest polluter of our environment. The North Face is a sports apparel brand that has grown in popularity to become more than sportswear, it’s now known as everyday streetwear, too. So we had to ask: How sustainable is The North Face?

Woods are generally a sustainable material thanks to carbon sequestration. However, the environmental impacts vary when different hardwood trees are cut down and when their timber is transported to places to be turned into a product. Besides, some hardwood trees provide vital shelter and food sources for animals, birds, and insects. So we have to ask: Which hardwoods are the most sustainable option to use in our wood projects?

Poplar wood is soft and lightweight – easy to work and less energy-consuming to harvest and transport. Any timber cut for furniture and household items could be quickly replenished because poplar trees are generally fast-growing. However, cutting these trees can hurt wildlife that depends on them for food and shelter. So we had to ask: How sustainable is it to buy products made of poplar wood?

Eucalyptus trees can regrow easily (and rapidly) from the stumps left behind after lumber logging. It means any timber cut for furniture and building projects. However, there are concerns over the diversity of forest lands where the non-native invasive eucalyptus species overtake local vegetation. So we had to ask: How sustainable is it to buy products made out of eucalyptus wood?

Most engineered (composite) wood products recycle wood waste from different stages of other timber products, which is a telltale sign of their sustainability. However, the synthetic resins often used in wood composite panels cause concern. So we had to ask: How sustainable is it to buy products made out of engineered wood?

Cedar wood makes durable exterior furniture thanks to its being rot-resistant. And because of cedar’s lightweight, the energy consumption during harvesting and transportation is relatively low compared with most hardwoods and some softwoods. However, cedar trees, especially in old-growth forests, play a significant role for wild animals, birds, and insects. So we had to ask: How sustainable is it to buy products made out of cedar wood?

Hardboard, also called High-Density Fiberboard (HDF), is made with exploded wood fibers salvaged from wood chips and shavings. This engineered wood is an excellent way to recycle wood waste collected from sawmills into a reasonably strong and affordable material. Though the wet wood fibers can be bound using heat and pressure, synthetic resins are often used. So we had to ask: How sustainable is it to buy products made out of hardboard?

Spruce trees are abundant and widely distributed in the US. Some species of spruce are among the fastest-growing and largest trees in North America. The high availability and large size are telltale signs of the sustainability of spruce wood. However, spruce-fir forests play a significant role for wild animals, insects, and birds. So we had to ask: How sustainable is it to buy products made out of spruce wood?

Particle board is a wood-based product that doesn’t contribute to more deforestation because it uses only wood waste material. This engineered wood is an excellent way to recycle wood chips, shavings, and sawdust collected from sawmills. However, the chemicals used in glues that necessitate the formation of these boards are a cause for concern. So we had to ask: How sustainable is it to buy products made out of particle board?

Elm trees grow fast and produce many seeds over a long time, making timber replacement relatively quick and easy. However, the elm trees, which support many birds and mammals, are susceptible to the Dutch elm disease. So we had to ask: How sustainable is it to buy products made out of elm wood?

Medium-Density Fiberboard (MDF) was born from leftover wood chips and shavings. This engineered wood is an excellent way to recycle waste material collected from sawmills. However, the chemicals used in glues that necessitate the formation of these boards are a cause for concern. So we had to ask: How sustainable is it to buy products made out of red oak wood?

Plywood is wood engineered to be strong and flexible. Making plywood is a good way to reduce wood waste as a higher percentage of wood from a log can be used. However, the chemicals used in glues that necessitate plywood formation are a cause for concern. So we had to ask: How sustainable is it to buy products made out of plywood?

Active people like you are taking a serious look at your athletic wear since the apparel industry contributes 10% of global emissions and is the second biggest polluter of our environment. Canada Goose is a luxury outerwear brand popular for extreme weather gear. So we had to ask: How sustainable is Canada Goose?

Red oak trees grow in abundance throughout the US forests, making their timber highly available for manufacturing furniture and building houses. However, as the long-lived, large oak species arguably support more life-forms than any other trees in the US, cutting down the trees hurts wildlife. So we had to ask: How sustainable is it to buy products made out of red oak wood?