For the majority of our engineered products, we use Rubberwood (Hevea) that is planted for the production of natural rubber as the core. This means that the tree is not removed from the forest or cut down for timber. It is only felled when it has to be replaced towards the end of its natural productive life. This is a 100% plantation species in Asia as it only occurs in the wild in Brazil. Thus, 75% of the engineered product is renewable, and the remaining 25% from timber veneers is from legally sourced timber. In addition, Rubberwood, being a hardwood species with similar density and characteristics to Oak, has excellent physical and mechanical properties that give it greater dimensional stability and the ability to withstand external pressure to change. The net result is a strong, environmentally safe and beautiful product.
 
The rubber tree belongs to the family Euphorbiaceae and is the most economically important member of the genus Hevea as its sap-like extract (latex) can be collected and is the primary source of natural rubber.
 
In the wild, the tree can reach a height of up to 144 feet, but in plantations most are kept smaller, up to 78 feet, to use most of the available carbon dioxide for latex production. The latex occurs in latex vessels in the bark, mostly outside the phloem. These vessels spiral up the tree in a right-handed helix. Rubber tapping begins when the trees are 5-6 years old: incisions are made just deep enough to tap the vessels without harming the tree's growth, and the sap is collected in small buckets, with older trees yielding more latex.
 
At the end of the trees latex-producing cycle, the trees are felled for their wood. The wood is valued for its dense grain, minimal shrinkage, attractive color and acceptance of different finishes.