Green Initiatives
Perennials and Sutherland, LLC–comprised of Sutherland Furniture, Perennials and David Sutherland Showrooms—continues to make strides in facilitating environmentally-friendly processes in each area of business. From reducing waste with incredibly durable products to responsible sourcing throughout manufacturing stages, the Perennials and Sutherland companies are proud to decrease our environmental impact year after year. We consistently research alternative means of operations in order to reduce waste, recycle ancillary product, and lessen our carbon footprint. Our business relies on clients enjoying the great outdoors. In order to foster this, we must ensure the great outdoors remain just that… great
What makes Perennials 100% SDA fibers superior?
Certifications
UL Green Guard Gold: Perennials products are GREENGUARD Gold Standard certified. (Aligns with CDPH Standard Practice)*
TVOC < 220 μg/m3
IVOC < 1/100th ACGIH TLV or ½ CREL*
Formaldehyde < 7.3 ppb
Total Aldehydes < 43 ppb
*CREL covers ethylene glycol, naphthalene, acetaldehyde, and a few others
OEKO-TEX: Perennials’ woven fabrics made of 100% acrylic, solution dyed, with water, oil repellant and softener finish, with or without coating meet the human -ecological requirements of the STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX® presently established in Annex 4 for decoration material.
REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization & Restrictions of Chemicals): Perennials solution-dyed acrylic meets all REACH regulations, and is certified that none of the substances listed in any published candidate list, particularly N, N Dimethylformamide, is present in the fiber in a concentration higher than 0.1% by weight.
CFSI (Conflict-Free Sourcing Initiative): Perennials certifies that no conflict minerals (gold, tungsten, tin and tantalum) are knowingly used in the production of all fibers, yarns, fabrics or finishes. Conflict minerals are those mined in areas or countries with known conditions of armed conflict and/or human rights abuses.
PFOA / PFOS free: Perennials certifies that all fabrics and finishes are free of perfluorooctanoic and perfluorooctanesulfonic acids.
California Technical Bulletin 117-2013: All Perennials 100% solution-dyed acrylic upholstery fabrics pass the standard for this requirement, with NO fire-retardant chemicals added to any part of the manufacturing process
PTM and Perennials India Initiatives
- Water used in the finishing of our fabrics is filtered and treated, which allows for 50% of the water to be used for such things as landscape irrigation and 50% to be recycled back to the finishing process for reuse.
- Water used during rug production undergoes treatment and is recycled for various onsite applications.
- Perennials “leftovers” (cut cards, memos, seconds, etc.) are recycled through various local partners that upcycle the fabric for education, art projects, charitable opportunities, mask manufacturing during the pandemic and more. Perennials India works with a vendor that picks up scrap yarns and shavings to recycle through avenues such as cement manufacturing and garment manufacturing.
Sutherland’s Initiatives for a Greener World
Our designs are timeless and the material and processes used in the construction ensures the products last a lifetime. The various raw material used in Sutherland products are carefully chosen to ensure their properties have the greenest possible footprint.
We acknowledge that the business world is as diverse as the planet we live in, and that we have a choice in how and with whom we do business. We aim to do business with partners that share our values and place integrity over financial gain. Our partners share our commitment to the well being of employees, reducing impact on the environment and supporting the communities in which we conduct our business. All raw material is sourced from Legal Entities.
Teak
Sutherland Furniture heavily relies on teak as the chosen timber for our outdoor collections. Teak trees require at least 35 years to develop sufficient density, natural oils & tannin which are the key properties to ensure this beautiful raw material can last a lifetime. Sutherland’s manufacturing partners carefully select teak from plantations in Indonesia and Thailand that harvest responsible volumes. In return for maintaining the teak during the early years of growth, the plantations provide employment and farmland to the surrounding villages.
The factories strive for zero waste by carefully hand marking and cutting every component from teak slabs to ensure maximum yield is obtained from this valuable raw material.
The sawdust produced during cutting is collected and sold for incense sticks & BBQ briquettes. Smaller cuts are used to fire the boilers in the kiln-drying process.
Aluminum
When producing aluminum extrusions for Sutherland, our suppliers use 50% recycled content to ensure we are operating as consciously as possible. Sutherland has over 150 different aluminum extrusions in our collections. Every extrusion has been optimally designed and produced to ensure a lifetime of use by our clients.
Sutherland aluminum collections are ordered with 21 powder coat colors which enhance the appearance and performance of the furniture. All aluminum items have the ability to be recoated if the client wants a change in the appearance.
Stainless Steel
Sutherland works predominately with 316 grade Stainless Steel, which is widely known as marine grade. Its superior durability and corrosion resistance ensures Sutherland products have long term durability.
Stainless Steel can be recycled when it meets the end of its life cycle.
Sutherland Warehouse Initiatives
- All waste materials at Sutherland are separated for recycling, and credits are paid back to Sutherland for recycled materials.
- The amount of insulation in the warehouse is being increased to reduce energy costs.
- 400 Watt high bay lighting has been changed to LED to reduce energy demand.
- All foam used in Sutherland cushions is recyclable
- Sutherland boxes are typically 25% recycled, with some versions being 100% recycled material.