aves’ world
It takes a planet
The furniture industry is large, diverse and dispersed.
by John Aves
john@designdiscoveries.net
Ihave noticed that some furniture very eco-friendly.
which I designed arrives in Finishing materials and training
finished form bearing a little in application are provided by the
white tag that reads, “Made in China.” Asian branch office of a leading U.S.
And I have also observed that some company.
people in our industry and perhaps In China, skilled weavers complete
some consumers have a prejudice that this product with extraordinarily
all Chinese goods are of low quality difficult and time-consuming hand
and that their manufacture and sale weaving of long strands of the German
benefits only the Chinese factory resin fiber. No machines can duplicate
owners and workers. Moreover, this process.
they may misunderstand how this In America we use durable and
furniture was created and how it beautiful fabric from American
got into their local neighborhood. mills to encase cushions of specially
No doubt, there are some formulated foam and other varieties of
“junk” status products floating cushion material made in the United
ashore with this rising tide of States. The labor-intensive cost of
imports. But there are also some these cushions is nearly equal to the
very fine products that provide cost of the frames.
a large segment of American When the furniture is finally put
consumers with better furniture in a box, its various parts could fly
than we ever expected to own. the flags of five different countries
A collection I am involved with on three continents. The label should
is a new line of casual indoor and read, Made on Planet Earth.
outdoor furniture. This furniture is more elegant,
The collection was researched and comfortable and costly than the metal
designed in America. or plastic outdoor furniture that
An unusual feature is the exposed preceded its development. And, this
material on the arms and legs that elegant and durable line of furniture
looks like natural pole or wood. would be too expensive for anyone
John Aves is founder and managing This attractive and eco-friendly but oil barons if it were made entirely
partner of Macatawa Bay Associates L.L.C. frame material comes from a unique in the United States. Because it
The company offers design management recycling company in England. is so extraordinarily beautiful and
and offshore product development for a The weaving material on the comfortable, and it can be made at a
range of U.S. and overseas marketing and manufacturing companies. He has broad outer frame comes from two high- relatively modest cost, this category
experience in furniture design, marketing technology companies with facilities of product has quickly become
and offshore resource management. He can in Germany, France, the Philippines the fastest-growing segment in the
be reached at 616/335-2209. and Indonesia. This material is also industry.
