The Sage Award is an opportunity to recognize excellence in the home furnishings and bedding industries through honoring and acknowledging companies who lead in area of:
Reducing their environmental footprint
Expanding their positive social impact
Running a profitable business
This is the third year BiOH® polyols has partnered with the AHFA to present the Sage Award winner with a $2,500 donation to any non-profit organization of its choice. The purpose of the Sage Award is to seek out, discover and recognize true industry innovators from whom others can learn. This award is founded on the belief that environmental excellence is an ongoing journey requiring flexibility, insight and constant learning. The annual Award honors businesses that demonstrate a passion for and a sustained commitment to that journey.
Zenda Leather embodies these environmental requirements and many more by having internationally-recognized ISO 14001 environmental management certifications for its factories. This certification controls use of natural resources, handling and treatment of waste, and energy consumption. Over the last five years they also have:
Developed practices to reduce over 3 million kilograms of solid waste per year by producing compost.
Opened the first private energy plant in Uruguay that transforms waste into energy, eliminating the company’s need to buy power from an outside source
Built a waste treatment plant in which the biological sludge is used as organic fertilizer for local farmland and also saves an estimated 2 million liters of water per day by recycling rainwater.
Invested in developing more eco-friendly products and introduced “Eden” leather to the residential market in 2008. Only natural extracts – no metals – are used in the tanning process for Eden leather. They have over 10 years of experience making chrome-free leather for the automotive industry.
Edith Ledzema and Juan Diego Casaretto of Zenda Leather
Finalists Flexsteel Industries, Inc. was the first AHFA member company to implement the program EFEC – “Enhancing Furniture’s Environmental Culture” – a voluntary environmental management program for furniture manufacturers in all seven plants. As a result of the new practices and policies established during implementation of EFEC, they:
Reduced its waste to landfill from 554 tons per quarter in March of 2009 to 114 tons per quarter as of June 2010.
Energy consumption has declined every quarter since March 2009.
Water consumption and natural gas have also been reduced and the company has increased its use of recycled materials in operations and product development.
Pushed sustainable practices through the supply chain by requiring vendors to establish environmental goals – an effort now completed by 86 percent of its suppliers.
Finalist TLS by Design, which stands for Total Life Style, is an innovative, family-run business striving to follow an environmentally-responsible path. They are seriously committed to the environmental journey and on their way to be LEED® certified. In addition to energy efficient practices they also:
Use soy-based BiOH® polyols for foam cushioning, locally purchase recycled steel springs and all wood finishes are water-based.
70 percent of the company’s products are produced and sourced within a 75-mile radius of its base in Portland, Indiana including using local forests and mills for wood.
Repurposed their facility section by section, including buying old bowling alley lanes for a “new” 60-foot long cutting table and hired locally displaced employees.
Finalists TLS by Design's Jeff Day and guest
The competition for this year’s award was challenging. Thankfully we had a handful of incredibly talented judges. Ten environmental, media and industry leaders accepted the responsibility of reading and judging the entries. They included:
Ray Allegrezza,Editor in Chief of Furniture Today.
Mary Frye, Executive Director of the Home Furnishings Independents Association
Heather Gadonniex, managing partner of MindClick, a San Francisco-based consultancy specializing in sustainable business
Leslie Guevarra, associate editor for Greener World Media, the online publishing group founded by Joel Makower
Susan Inglis,Executive Director of the Sustainable Furniture Council,
Robyn Griggs Lawrence, Editor in Chief of Natural Home Magazine
Jean Nayer, former editor-in-chief of Woman’s Day Special Interest Magazines and author of “Green Living by Design”
Richard Prisco, professor of industrial design, department of technology, Appalachian State University
Ryan Trainer, President of the International Sleep Products Association
Steve Walker, Assistant Directorof the Furniture Manufacturing and Management Center at North Carolina State University
Criteria for judging is based on three key points; Sustainable Business Practices, Commitment to Social Responsibility and Profitable Growth. We commend all entrants for their dedication to these efforts. For more information about the Sage Awards please visit: www.sageaward.org.
Posted by Nicole, BiOH Polyols Marketing Manager on October 15, 2010
Have you ever wondered where everyone in the furniture industry is during the entire month of October? Well, I have a little secret and if you didn’t already know… it’s time for the season’s hottest event for the Home Furnishings industry! High Point Market is “the world’s home for home furnishings” and runs October 16-21, 2010 in High Point, NC. This is where the furniture industry comes together to share, collaborate and connect with some of the industry’s most influential retailers and manufacturers.
The BiOH® polyols team is hitting the road and headed to the beautiful state of North Carolina where I get to experience my first High Point Market. Of course we are thrilled to kick-off the week at the Century Furniture showroom with the Project UDesign tweet-up on Monday evening. Don’t forget that UDecide the winner! So hurry up and visit the BiOH® polyols fan page before 11:59pm EST on Tuesday, October 19, 2010. We will announce the winner at the WITHIT student mentoring breakfast on Wednesday, October 20. Check back for more details on the winner… Until then, watch this video about the top three SCAD student designs and view inspirational quotes on sustainability from passionate interior design bloggers.
In addition to Project UDesign, we will be visiting with many of our incredible partners who share the soy love for sustainability and BiOH® polyols. If you happen to be at High Point Market, make sure to stop by one of these manufacturers and inquire about their furniture with BiOH polyols.
Posted by Jenny, BiOH Polyols Marketing Assistant on June 16, 2010
Interior designer Gloria Battista Collins, who sent us the video below, is a key proponent of this new movement.
Slow Home means being mindful and knowledgeable about the furniture you purchase for your home and the impact on the environment of the materials that are used to make it. It means buying the best furniture you can afford so that it will last and not end up in a landfill. It means slowing down to appreciate and remember the memories that accrue to each well-loved piece you own.
Thank you, Gloria, for using furniture made by TLSbyDesign, an Indiana based manufacturer, who uses foam made with BiOH’s soy ingredient in each piece.
But, especially, thank you for sending us this beautifully produced and unsolicited video of your slow home living room to share with our readers. We wish you and your family many years of happy memories there.
Posted by Jenny, BiOH Polyols Marketing Assistant on June 7, 2010
Congratulations to Tiffany Bradley for winning our Bed Head is Soy Stylish photo contest! Her “Morning Me… Bleh!!!” bed head photo garnered the most public votes and was also the favorite among our judges. The Bed Head is Soy Stylish contest is a partnership with Serta® Mattress and the 2010 HGTV Green Home. Tiffany will receive a top of the line, queen size mattress set from the new collection of HGTV Green Home mattress collection by Serta® shipped directly to her home!
Thanks to everyone who participated in the contest! To see all entries and the runners-up, please view our slideshow below:
Posted by Jessica, BiOH Polyols Marketing Manager on May 10, 2010
Jump for Soy! At the April 2010 High Point Market, LEE Industries introduced a new cushion option in their upholstered leather collection that is made with >30% soy content in the foam - the highest renewable content currently offered in the industry!
Two chairs from LEE's Leather Collection in their High Point Showroom
The cushions are made with Bio-Lux™ Max technology from NCFI Polyurethanes where 50% of the foam’s petroleum-based polyol is replaced with BiOH® Polyols. NCFI has been using BiOH technology in their foams since 2006 and continues to explore ways to add more renewable content to their foam products.
LEE has a long history of embracing sustainable processes and materials. In fact, they were the first manufacturer to adopt soy-based foams made with BiOH® Polyols back in 2006. Additionally, they are founding members of the Sustainable Furnishings Council. We shared some fun facts about LEE Industries in a previous blog post - including their extensive fabric and leather options! You can contact LEE directly to inquire about their furniture and/or new cushion options.
LEE's leather collection featured a new cushion option with Bio-Lux Max Technology
Hats off to LEE Industries and NCFI for embracing the soy story and taking the lead in ”raising the bar” around renewable, soy content in foams! As BiOH® Polyols are incorporated at higher levels across the industry, the positive environmental impacts and petroleum savings can continue to increase. Every additional percentage of soy embraced by manufacturers along with each individual furniture or mattress purchase decision adds up!
PS – For those that would like to learn more about Bio-Lux™ Max foam made with >30% soy content, contact NCFI around supply and performance questions.
Posted by Jessica, BiOH Polyols Marketing Manager on March 24, 2010
Did you know that you might be sitting on soy while waiting for your next flight? Arconas became the first airport-seating manufacturer to incorporate soy-based BiOH® polyols from Cargill in late 2009. Arconas is a global leader in airport seating, servicing some of the world’s largest airports such as Boston Logan, Dallas/Fort Worth, JFK, Hong Kong, La Guardia, Lisbon, and Orlando, among others.
So where will you be able to sit on soy? Arconas seating with BiOH polyols is coming soon to these airports:
Los Angeles International Airport, CA
Raleigh-Durham International Airport, NC
Winnipeg International Airport, MB
Des Moines International Airport, IA
Newport News International Airport, VA
Calgary Executive Flight Center, AB
San Antonio International Airport, TX
Flyaway Seating from Arconas
This week the Arconas team is highlighting their innovative products – including those containing soy foam with BiOH Polyols - at the Passenger Terminal Expo in Brussels, Belgium. Among other things, visitors to their booth may receive a reusable shopping bag crafted by Arconas from 100% recycled textiles as shown in the picture below!
These reusable shopping bags from Arconas made from 100% recycled textiles will be handed out during the Passenger Terminal Expo.
You can keep up with Arconas and their innovative products on Facebook, Twitter: @Arconas, or their You Tube channel. And next time you’re at the airport… consider if you might be sitting on a soy innovation while waiting for your flight!
Posted by Jessica, BiOH Polyols Marketing Manager on January 22, 2010
Copeland Furniture!Congratulations to Copeland Furniture on winning this prestigious industry award. The Sage Award was created in 2008 by the BiOH®polyols team in partnership with the American Home Furnishings Alliance (AHFA) to recognize industry innovators that embrace the value of environmnetal and social responsibility with profitable growth. See my last post or watch the video below to hear stories from all of the 2009 finalists!
About the 2009 Winner
Copeland Furniture was singled out among this year’s entries for its “exceptionally focused” approach to sustainable business operations. The company holds a Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) chain of custody certificate and currently manufactures eight product groups that qualify for FSC on-product labeling. Wood for these collections is sourced from forests within 100 to 500 miles of the plant. Ninety percent of the electricity used to power the manufacturing equipment comes from low emission sources.
According to Copeland President and CEO, Tim Copeland, the company is in the process of converting its heating plant from oil-fired hot water to wood-fired, using its own waste scrap as fuel. The scrap not used as fuel is reprocessed into wood pellets that are being sold locally to fuel wood stoves – a popular item in Vermont households.
Copeland was also recognized for urging its finish suppliers to formulate better water-based wood finishes – a key challenge for eco-minded furniture producers. Further, the company is taking steps to reduce the use of non-recyclable materials in product packaging and is posting its entire product catalog on its website rather than printing hundreds of copies for retail customers.
Copeland was awarded a $2,500 check from Cargill’s BiOH® polyols business unit to be donated to the charity of the company’s choice. Copeland chose to add another $2,500 to the amount, so $1,000 could be contributed to each of the following: Bradford Conservation Commission, Bradford Food Shelf, Orange East Senior Center, and the Bradford Library, all in Bradford, Vt.; and Dougscamp.org, Plymouth, Vt.
Copeland Furniture is a 32-year-old family owned and operated enterprise that produces quality bedroom, dining room, living room and home office furniture crafted from sustainably harvested hardwoods from the American Northern Forest. The company also holds the exclusive license to produce the furniture designs of Frank Lloyd Wright.
Posted by Jessica, BiOH Polyols Marketing Manager on November 24, 2009
Drumroll please….. the 2009 Sage Award Finalists have been announced! The 3 finalist companies areCentury Furniture, Copeland Furniture, and La-Z-Boy. The Sage Award was created to seek out and recognize innovators with a commitment to sustainable practices, social equity, and profitable growth in the home furnishings and bedding industries. The idea for the Sage Award was hatched by the BiOH polyols team over two years ago, and we partnered with the American Home Furnishings Alliance (AHFA) to bring this award program to the industry in 2008. We are proud to continue to sponsor the Sage Award and recognize great companies from whom others can learn. Read more to learn about some of their great stories…
Century Furniture is a family-owned furniture manufacturer that has been in business for more than 60 years. The company has implemented a comprehensive environmental management system within each of its domestic manufacturing plants, and this has resulted in dramatic reductions in energy use, water consumption and waste disposal. Aggressive recycling and resource conservation have become part of the corporate culture as a result of this program. Century has also begun to incorporate sustainability into its product design.
In addition to manufacturing in the United States, Century also procures goods from around the world, both as component parts and as finished products. Among the accomplishments noted by the Sage Award judges were Century’s efforts to push sustainable practices throughout its global supply chain.
We caught up with Alex Shuford, Jr. from Century Furniture shortly after they were named a Sage Award Finalist and captured some of his thoughts on sustainability in their business. Check out the video….
Copeland Furniture has been commited to sustainable manufacturing practices long before eco-friendly became a trend in the residential furniture industry. The company holds a Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) chain of custody certificate and currently manufactures eight product groups that qualify for FSC on-product labeling. They are a founding members of the Sustainable Furnishings Council, and one of only eight companies worldwide that qualify for the Council’s silver exemplary status.
Their environmental initiatives touch every aspect of operations. Sustainably-grown raw materials come from within 100 to 500 miles of the plant. Ninety percent of the electricity used to power their manufacturing equipment comes from sources that are low emission. They are converting their heating plant from oil-fired hot water to wood-fired and using their own waste scrap as fuel. They are taking steps to reduce the use of non-recyclable materials in product packaging and are working with finish suppliers to formulate finishes that use water as the primary solvent. They’ve stopped printing their catalog and now post it entirely on the Internet. Despite all of their accomplishments, Copeland views sustainability as an ongoing process of improvement, rather than as a finite goal.
Gain a little more insight into Copeland Furniture from this short clip we captured of Ben Copeland shortly after they were announced as a Sage Award Finalist…
La-Z-Boy has adopted a strong commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainable business practices. Altogether, 11 domestic manufacturing facilities across the United States have implemented an environmental management system to both systematize and accelerate sustainable practices throughout the corporation.
La-Z-Boy’s sustainability initiatives are helping them accomplish significant improvements in energy and water conservation, as well as in waste reduction. In 2008, they used almost 27,000 tons of renewable fuels. They reduced water consumption by more than 6 million gallons, and they recycled or reused more than 50 million pounds of material that previously would have gone to a landfill. La-Z-Boy also has introduced moderately-priced, eco-friendly products (made with BiOH polyols!) under a brand name that millions of consumers recognize.
In addition, La-Z-Boy has a retail group of 68 company-owned stores that have also taken steps to minimize their environmental footprint by implementing energy and waste conservation measures. Across this retail network, the company is in the process of replacing 27,000 light bulbs with eco-friendly alternatives. The store merchandising team has started a “Go Green!” newsletter to encourage further conservation and recycling efforts. For more details on their environmental programs, check out their website.
We weren’t able to catch a video clip of La-Z-Boy after the Sage Award announcement, but I did have a chance to get a few more details from Rod Miller, Director of Environmental Affairs for La-Z-Boy this week. See a few of his responses to my questions below….
What have been some financial impacts of your sustainability efforts? Our sustainability initiatives have helped us obtain significant improvements in energy, waste and water conservation including the following significant reductions (2008 compared to 2007):
• Reduced total energy consumption by 12% (electrical consumption was reduced by 9% and natural gas consumption by nearly 25%) at six upholstery facilities and 4, 12 and 18% at three case good facilities (also reduced natural gas consumption by 25%).
• Reduced water consumption at three upholstery facilities by 6.68 million gallons.
• Reduced the amount of waste sent to the landfill by an additional two million pounds (almost 15%) at six upholstery facilities. We even further reduced this amount by nearly 400,000 pounds per month in the first six months of 2009.
• Reduced the amount of solid waste going to the landfill by 47 % (139 tons), 63% (202 tons) and 38% (95 tons) at three different case good facilities.
• Reused or recycled more than fifty-million pounds of material.
We continue to utilize renewable wood fuels (26,800 tons in 2008) generated on-site for the production of steam used in our processes. Wood fuel, a renewable energy source via sustainably managed forests, helps reduce green house gas emissions and eliminate solid waste disposal. We also sell excess wood for further reuse by other industries.
What impact have your sustainability efforts had on your employees, your customers? Besides the positive business and environmental impacts our sustainability initiatives have on our organization, we believe one of the most important outcomes are those that directly affect our employees and their communities. Some examples include:
• Employees have volunteered at the Ronald McDonald Houses across the country, from gathering donations to assisting with the day-to-day activities at the homes.
• An EFEC team visiting the local landfill and recycling center to more fully comprehend our waste management process
• Employees participate in local county selection committee for sustainability project grants
• An EFEC team member provided a presentation at the county Economic and Tourism Council regarding sustainability issues
• A group of employees made a float out of recyclable materials for the local city parade.
What are the benefits of your EcoComfort line? The EcoComfort by La-Z-Boy line includes the use of soy-based foam in the cushions of several popular sofas, recliners and chairs. The soy material replaces a portion of the petroleum-based product used in manufacturing poly foam. This line also includes a selection of fabrics which have been tested and certified to be environmentally friendly by Oeko-Tex, the world’s definitive ecological certification process and come in a variety of colors and styles which we are proud to say are pleasing to the eye and the environment. Our eco-suede fabric utilizes the plastic of one recycled water bottle for each yard of fabric, thereby reducing waste and pollution. A recliner in the line also features arms made of renewable rubber wood. Many of the other wood materials and components we use are provided by suppliers that have implemented sustainable forest management practices or come from sustainable plantation grown rubber wood. Other wood and fiber based materials utilize recycled or recovered paper.
What advice would you give to other large companies wishing to become more focused on sustainability? When you make the decision to focus on sustainability, realize that it is a journey. You will need to think broadly about timeframes, payoffs and successes. Start at the top with senior executives engaged in setting the vision and providing support for your initiatives. Use programs such as the AHFA’s EFEC and SBD initiatives to implement sustainability goals and give your program focus. You must also engage enthusiastic internal champions to help promote and implement each segment of your sustainability initiatives.
Ultimately, you must be committed to responsible stewardship of the environment by integrating environmentally sound and sustainable business practices into all of your daily business decisions.
Tune in next week as the winner of the 2009 Sage Award will be announced on December 2 at the AHFA Sustainability Summit in Greensboro, NC. Do you have any questions for the finalist companies?
Posted by Jessica, BiOH Polyols Marketing Manager on October 21, 2009
I’m finally catching my breath from the whirlwind that surrounded the Experience Soy Style: Be in the KnOH! event on October 10… and wanted to share some highlights with those of you who could not attend! First of all, a BIG thanks to Room & Board for hosting the event in their Edina, MN store and for their flexibility in adjusting their retail space to showcase the MCAD student exhibits.
The winning MCAD student exhibitors – Nick Kriegler, Stephanie Polus, and Ruth Sauvageau – did a fabulous job designing exhibits that fit with the Room & Board brand experience and told the BiOH® story from soybean to sofa. I think they were happy to receive their $5000 cash prize too!
MCAD students receiving their $5000 prize from BiOH team
The Journey Starts with a Tiny Soybean
As guests entered the store, they were invited to start in the farming section where the soybean story begins. The students had been growing soybean plants for the past few months and the potted plants were spread throughout the showroom. Banners outlining the history of soybean farming were displayed along with a video highlighting images of “life on the farm.” Check out some of the exhibits through the images below…
MCAD Student Exhibitors in the Soybean Exhibits
Soybean Plants in Pots Built by MCAD Students
An Image Shown in the "Life on the Farm" Video
From Soybean to Foam Cushions
Next guests were invited to learn how soybeans are turned into BiOH polyols used to make foam. Several banners outlined the story of how soybeans are crushed into meal and soybean oil. The soybean oil is then processed and used as the primary raw material to make BiOH polyols. The students captured videos of how foam is made to show guests. Visitors were even able to test foam properties by conducting a simple “ball rebound” test on three different types of foam.
Banners Educating on Soybeans to Foam
Furniture is the Star
Next guests were invited to learn about furniture history and craftsmanship through an interactive exhibit. There was a section specifically on sustainable furnishings that highlighted some sustainble features like certified woods, soy foams with BiOH polyols, responsible fabrics, and more. See an overview of the interactive exhibit below.
Focus on Sustainability
Downstairs guests were invited to learn more about the sustainable impacts of furnishings made with BiOH polyols through two very visual exhibits. The first was a sculpture made from gallon milk jugs hanging to highlight the amount of petroleum that can be saved when many people make positive choices to purchase furniture containing soy foam. It definitely caught guests’ attention!
MCAD student Milk Jug Exhibit Highlighting Petroleum Savings
Sign Next to Milk Jug Exhibit Outlining Impact
The second exhibit was a great visual that was easy to implement. A sofa was marked with a line to highlight that up to 20% of furniture foam can be made with soy-based materials rather than petroleum. People loved the bold color and simple message.
Additionally, we had our oil barrel sofa on display for people to write their questions about sustainable furnishings on. Some of the questions from guests…. “Is soy foam biodegradable?”. The answer = No, soy foams are not biodegradable and pass the same durability tests that all petroleum-based foams pass. Foam can be recycled at the end of its life. ”How do costs compare?” The answer = Furnishings with sustainable features like soy foams are offered at a range of prices depending on style, functional, and budget needs. There were several other questions that I hope to address in future blog posts!
Some Questions on the Oil Barrel Sofa on Sustainable Furnishings
Other Event Highlights
Besides engaging exhibits, there were several other great activities and experts on hand for the guests. We had three lovely ladies at the event who all embrace sustainability and green design in their own ways -Micaela Preston, the author of Practically Green and blogger of the Mindful Momma, Susan Rapp who writes a fabulous design blog – Urban Lifestyle Decor, and Cindy Ojczyk from Simply Green Design. They took a few minutes to smile for a photo.
Micaela Preston, Susan Rapp, and Cindy Ojczyk
We also had several fun activities for the youngest guests – including soy foam blocks of all sizes and colors to play on as well as pots of soybeans with eco-friendly stickers and (temporary) tattoos along with interactive video activities for kids of all ages. Judging from the photos, I think the kids had fun!
Soy Foam is Soft!
I want these at home!
Even the little visitors like soy foam!
Soy foam blocks are fun!
Playing in Soybeans
That’s just a taste of what Experience Soy Style at Room & Board offered guests! I hope you enjoyed the opportunity to see several images from the event. And I also hope there will be future opportunities for you to personally Experience Soy Style if you were unable to attend this celebration; many of the materials and resources from this event will be available in coming weeks for other retailers that carry furniture and bedding lines containing BiOH polyols to create personalized “Soy Style” events in their stores that can help educate about soy foam options. There is a huge opportunity to increase awareness of furnishigns with soy foams and the benefits they offer. Stay tuned!
The BiOH experience offers resources for you to learn and participate in helping communities and the environment. It is brought to you by the BiOH polyols business — a maker of soy-based ingredients for foam. Please explore our site and then share your thoughts with us. We want to hear from you!
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