World's first FSC-certified bamboo plywood and flooring

SMITH & FONG CO. TO PRODUCE WORLDS FIRST FSC-CERTIFIED BAMBOO ARCHITECTURAL PLYWOOD AND FLOORING

San Francisco, Calif. Smith & Fong Co., manufacturer of Plyboo bamboo architectural plywood and flooring, today announced it has secured certification according to the standards of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and established the sustainability of its bamboo forest resource, enabling the company to produce the worlds first range of FSC-certified bamboo plywood and flooring.

Product will be available to the North American market by this summer.

The independent European FSC-certifier Institut fr Marktogie (IMO) was impressed with our forestry practices and agreed that if we could meet the same FSC standards for a tree forest, it would certify our bamboo source, Smith & Fong president and founder Dan Smith said. We have been working with the bamboo forests and telling our story for more than a decade now, and were grateful to both FSC and IMO for validating our efforts.

We are pleased that Smith & Fong has expanded the North American marketplace for certified products by offering bamboo plywood and flooring with the FSC label, FSC-US president Corey Brinkema said. FSC is the worlds most highly respected certification for forest products. Whether a product is made of a traditional wood species, or a less traditional non-timber forest resource like bamboo, it is important for consumers to know that the forest is being managed to high social and environmental standards.

Smith & Fongs certified products will qualify for the FSC Pure designation, as they are 100-percent FSC material from an FSC-certified forest and have been sold and/or processed by an FSC chain-of-custody certified company. Smith further stated that the companys sources use no irrigation, pesticides or fertilizers in growing their bamboo. This is not only a success for the forests and the farmers who grow our bamboo, he said. Its a victory for everyone who believes in a sustainable future.

Smith & Fongs chain of custody (COC) certificate is from the SmartWood program of the Rainforest Alliance: SW-COC-003124.

Founded in 1989 and headquartered in San Francisco, Smith & Fong Co. was the first U.S. company to manufacture bamboo flooring in China for sale in North America, offering its first product in 1993. In 1996 the firm began producing bamboo plywood, followed by coconut palm flooring and plywood products in 2000. Smith & Fong is committed to sustainability and innovation.