The Journey of Responsible Sourcing
How Compliance is Woven Throughout the Supply Chain
Take a moment to look around you. Chances are you are surrounded by products that utilize wood sourced from around the world. The wood flooring in your house may consist of a North American Oak veneer affixed to a Vietnamese Eucalyptus platform. The comfortable chair you're sitting in may have beautifully carved legs made from solid Mahogany grown on plantation land in Fiji. Woods from around the world offer different aesthetic and performance properties than woods grown in North America. Thus, a long and intricate supply chain brings these products from the forest to you.
How can you be confident that these products have been sourced responsibly? Thankfully local, national, and international legal and regulatory requirements, paired with an industry focused on compliance and sustainability, instill confidence that your purchases can support healthy forests around the world.
Port of Export
Exporters must obtain export permits before wood products are loaded on a cargo ship to be transported abroad. Depending on the product and source country, environmental, legal, and safety certifications may also be required prior to shipment.
Port of Entry
Customs officials at the port of entry conduct inspections of the incoming cargo to ensure that it matches what was declared on the relevant paperwork, all necessary permits have been obtained, duties have been paid, and the product is safe for entry.
Distribution Warehouse
Once the cargo has been approved and clears customs at the port of entry, it is transported to a warehouse where it is sorted and safely inventoried for distribution. In the case of hardwood lumber and veneer, this sorting can take into account the species, quality, appearance, and structural characteristics of the wood.
Frequently asked questions
Why are wood products sourced internationally instead of domestically?+
Woods grown around the world offer different aesthetic and performance properties than woods grown in North America. This is why products like Vietnamese Eucalyptus platforms or Fijian plantation Mahogany are used in flooring and furniture.
How can buyers be confident imported wood products are responsibly sourced?+
Local, national, and international legal and regulatory requirements, combined with an industry focused on compliance and sustainability, provide confidence that wood purchases support healthy forests around the world.
What is required before wood products can be exported?+
Exporters must obtain export permits before wood products are loaded on a cargo ship. Depending on the product and source country, additional environmental, legal, and safety certifications may also be required prior to shipment.
What happens when imported wood products arrive at the port of entry?+
Customs officials inspect the incoming cargo to ensure it matches the declared paperwork, that all necessary permits have been obtained, that duties have been paid, and that the product is safe for entry.
How is imported hardwood lumber sorted at the distribution warehouse?+
After clearing customs, cargo is transported to a warehouse where it is sorted and inventoried for distribution. For hardwood lumber and veneer, sorting takes into account species, quality, appearance, and structural characteristics of the wood.