Furniture designed for life.

The central sustainability philosophy at Remi Furniture is to build furniture that lasts a lifetime. We want to break the cycle of replacing less durable furniture every 10 years or so. We view sustainability as more then just a marketing term. Sustainability is taking a look at the entire life cycle of a product. From design, throughout manufacture,lifetime of the product and its eventual recycling.

Materials

Materials are chosen that require the least amount of transportation, are recyclable, abundant and have the least harmful effect on the environment and people.
Hardwood - locally grown, harvested, milled and dried species are chosen, such as Maple and Alder.
Metals - when possible, aluminum is used over other metals, chosen for its easy recycle-ability, requiring only 5% of energy compared to producing it from bauxite ore.
Glass - made from abundant silica, and 100% recyclable.
Finishes - water soluble aniline dyes are used in place of alkyd stains. 100% natural Shellac sealers and waterborne low VOC top coats are used for a durable finish.

Manufacture

Energy efficient lighting.
Well maintained machinery.
Insulated workspace.
95% of the waste is recycled.

Life Span and use

Durability - time tested wood joinery techniques are used, such as dovetail joinery for all drawer boxes.  Special care is taken in the arrangement of grain direction to allow for wood movement.
Graceful aging - materials are chosen for how they will look after a lifetime of use. Hardwood especially behaves differently when struck, it dents rather then chips or delaminates. This look is often purposely sought after as many people use a technique called "distressing" to achieve an antique look.
Ease of repair - materials are chosen for their ability to be refinished or easily replaced.  Solid hardwood can be repeatedly sanded down and refinished without worry.  Metal and glass parts can be easly replaced with simple tools.
Health - an important factor in indoor air quality and health effects is deciding on which materials should NOT be used.  Wood veneers over sheets goods are not used as Urea-Formaldehyde glue is used in their manufacture, which later off-gasses inside the home.

Disposal and Recycling

Ease of dis-assembly - All of the components can be easily disassembled with no tools more complex then a screw driver or a wrench.
Solid hardwood - if improperly disposed, wood exposed to the elements simply biodegrades. If buried in a landfill, it effectively sequesters 1lb of carbon for 1lb of wood. 
Glass - is a non-reactive material that will not harm the environment if improperly disposed of, otherwise it is 100% recyclable.
Aluminum - is a reactive material which oxidizes when exposed to the elements, and turns into non-toxic oxide crystals, otherwise it is 100% recyclable.
Steel- is a reactive material which oxidizes when exposed to the elements, and turns into a non-toxic iron oxide, otherwise it is 100% recyclable.