Reasons To Buy American Made Furniture From Vermont

In this day and age, as Americans we really all need to take a look at what we are doing when it comes to how and where we spend our money! A lot of us are struggling to make ends meet, and we are picky where we spend our money, and usually it's whatever is cheapest. But, we all need to take a look at that! Now look, I'm all for saving money, but we have millions of people out of work in this country and families are ending up on the streets. What kind of America is that? So, I know I am starting to sound like one of those wacko people who spouts "down" with everyone else and "up" with us, but it's not like that. I just want to make you think of a few things the next time you reach for your wallet to purchase something, for example furniture:

1. You are buying a quality piece of furniture that will last generations. Imagine purchasing your last dresser in your lifetime, and then being able to pass it along to a family member, and it lasting for their lifetime.
   
2. If you purchase from Vermont Woods Studios, you are purchasing a piece of furniture that is custom handmade in Vermont by artisan furniture makers in small studios, usually just one person with maybe an apprentice or family member helping them.
   
3. Our furniture makers only use non-toxic finishes.
4. If you have a problem with an imported piece of furniture, just try calling them to get help. There is sometimes a language barrier that makes these things more difficult.
5. All the furniture our artisans produce is from either reclaimed wood or wood from sustainable wood from managed forests.
6. We have a community of eco- friendly artisan furniture makers and environmentalists dedicated not only to beauty and quality in our craft, but also to the preservation of our natural environment, which is Vermont Woods Studios Mission.
7. Our furniture is amazingly affordable considering the high quality.
8. Once a job goes overseas it rarely comes back, so you are keeping more jobs local then sending them out of the country.
9. The more US manufacturing fades, future generations of Americans will not be able to find jobs at a livable wage.
10. So just remember...when you are purchasing from a family in America and not China, it means that this family in America might just be supporting where you work, or a product you produce....making it possible for you to keep your job.

Enjoy!

Rebecca

Top Ten History And Facts About Cherry Wood Furniture

When I started working here at Vermont Woods Studios, I really had not put much thought into fine wood furniture. I was into fashion and shoes more than the cherry wood bed I slept in. So, as time went on, and I started listening to Peggy and learned more about the Vermont Woods Studios' Mission, I got hooked! So, I will be talking about the sustainably harvested wood that our Vermont fine furniture makers use, and the things I find interesting about them, and what makes what we do here so special. Today is about cherry wood furniture. All I can hope for is that you find them interesting too. Feel free to add what you like for a comment!

1. Cherry wood has been used for furniture as early as 400 BC by the Greeks and Romans.
2. Early Colonial furniture makers called cherry "New England Mohogany" due to it's darkening color with age, similar to mahogany.
3. The heartwood of the cherry tree varies in color from pinkish, when first cut, to rich red to reddish brown and darkens with age.
4. The sapwood of the cherry tree, in contrast, is creamy white in color.
5. Black cherry is called a variety of names - rum cherry, choke cherry, whiskey cherry and wild cherry.
6. Small natural mineral deposits in cherry furniture can often be desirable, giving each piece it's uniqueness.
7. The grain of the cherry tree is desired by furniture makers because it has unique ripple figures, is straight and satiny, it takes a finish well and is easy to work with.
8. Cherry wood furniture has a beautiful, lustrous finish and is actually satiny to the touch.
9. Cherry has characteristics that make it perfect for fine furniture, it's strong, moderately hard and has excellent shock resistance. Early printmakers even used cherry wood for their printing blocks!
10. Black cherry trees grow throughout the Midwest to Eastern U.S. - average tree height is 60-80 feet and extreme ages of trees can reach 150 to 200 years.

All the cherry wood used by Vermont Woods Studios artisan furniture makers is harvested from forests that use sustainable practices, so we are not contributing to decimating forests for our furniture.

I had so much fun writing this post! I found so many fascinating facts about cherry wood that I will have to do another posting soon to include all the cool cherry wood facts I didn't include in this post.

Enjoy!

Rebecca