Panels & Furniture Asia May/June 2020

22 | ENVIRONMENT REPORT
May / June 2020, Issue 3 | Panels & Furniture Asia
He also drew attention to The Local Tree Project, an initiative by
Singapore wood crafts company Roger & Sons and supported
by National Parks Board, to turn discarded logs into fashionable
furniture, which is very much aligned with the principles of PEFC’s
Trees Outside Forests.
By using already-felled trees that have been cut down for urban
development instead of importing new raw materials, the project
shows that good quality furniture can be made with not only
imported wood but also local waste wood, and that local trees
can have a useful afterlife.
PEFC is currently in talks with the Singapore Furniture Industry
Council (SFIC) to foster the introduction of responsible sourcing
of timber for furniture designers and makers from the Southeast
Asia region.
It has initiated a proposed collaboration between Singapore
and the Sarawak Timber Industry Development Corporation
(STIDC), as there are already a number of certified companies
in Sarawak available to supply the furniture industry and the
State has 635,000 hectares PEFC-certified under Sustainable
Forest Management.
MALAYSIA’S CERTIFIED TIMBER LEADERSHIP
Already Malaysia is ahead of the game when it comes to the
use and application of certified timber. The PEFC-supported
National Governing Body in Kuala Lumpur, the Malaysian Timber
Certification Council (MTCC), has been operating for 20 years.
MTCC and PEFC both support the view that wood is the best
environmental and sustainable choice.
Believing in the crucial role of architects in specifying the use of
wood in designing and constructing buildings, MTCC collaborated
with a renowned architect, AR Azman Zainal and members of the
Malaysian Institute of Architects (PAM), to take advantage of
“good wood” in built structures, providing benefits for the wellbeing
of society and the environment.
Sustainable manufacturing and responsible sourcing are at the
centre of Malaysian firm One-Tech, that recently became the first
manufacturer in Malaysia producing PEFC-certified homeware
under its DAPO brand.
Founded in 1993, One-Tech has been strongly advocating ‘green
manufacturing’ and sustainable design since 2013, in a desire
to be a more responsible producer. It has future ambitions to
make Malaysia the Southeast Asian hub for sustainable timber
products.
The Malaysia corporation, Sam Ling, manufactures high quality
home furniture. As today's consumers become increasingly
conscious about how natural resources are being used, the
company takes pride in providing assurance that its wood
products come from well-managed forests, in accordance with
an approved standard, specifically MTCC/PEFC.
From basic to ready-to-assemble (RTA) furniture for convenience,
and also flat-packed collections, its furniture products are
principally made for export markets, with major ones including
Japan, United States, United Kingdom and Europe.
VIETNAM’S FURNITURE INDUSTRY
Vietnam is another ASEAN nation which is paying renewed
attention to the value and importance of certified forestry,
particularly since its furniture manufacturing and export industry
are one of the top performers in Vietnam.
PEFC has recently been working with Government and industry
to institute a forest certification scheme and this was highlighted
at the 2019 Vietnam International Furniture Fair (VIFF), which
took place last November in Ho Chi Minh City.
The event welcomed participants from the furniture sector,
including manufacturers of wood-based panels, joinery products,
furniture and flooring, as well as interior designers and architects.
PEFC discussed with invited participants the important role of
sustainably managed forests for the furniture sector.
The DAPO range carries the
MTCC and PEFC labels, and is
helping to raise the profile and
importance of using certified
timber in national and ASEAN
markets. In September 2019,
One-Tech won the MTCC
Sustainability Award for Product
Innovation and Diversification.