Sustainable from the start
Superior quality, expert craftsmanship, and sustainably sourced high grade teak since 1979 are at the core of Summit Furniture’s ethos and product line
or over four decades Summit has worked with a collection of responsibly managed teak plantations in Indonesia, where, although not native, teak has been grown as a cash crop on large timber farms since a group of Buddhist monks first brought Tectona grandis seeds to the island nation’s shores in the 16th century. They source not simply plantation-grown teak but only teak from Indonesian plantations certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, an international nonprofit that promotes the thoughtful and sustainable management of the world’s forests. Not content to stop with establishing eco-friendly internal best practices, Summit is working with a host of like-minded organisations such as Prince Albert II Foundation and the Water Revolution Foundation, with the goal of minimizing any
ecological impact.
While Summit’s stable of in-house designers are some of the very best in the business, it’s the timeless beauty of the teak (Tectona grandis) with its flawless grain and warm golden-brown coloring that represents the bulk of Summit’s appeal. Nearly immune to decay or insect damage, the Asian hardwood is prized for its strength and durability—the result of a high percentage of tannin oils in the wood as well as a slow growth rate making it the material of choice for centuries of shipbuilders before modern craftspeople recognized those same qualities made it an ideal candidate for outdoor furniture, which needed to standup to all manner of elements. However, teak is only native to four countries, including India, Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos, and decades of unsustainable logging practices initially prompted by colonization lead to the disappearance of nearly all the world’s natural teak forests. It’s for this reason, that partnering with local governments and farmers to source sustainably grown and harvested teak that possess the quality, beauty, and character as well as an ethical footprint has been a pillar of the Summit brand since the very beginning.
