TFT Certification
By using this independent 3rd-party Certification Mark, you will demonstrate to the world the high quality of your wood-based products.
Independent, rigorous quality checking
TFT Certification offers independent, third-party certification services so that our clients can demonstrate the conformity of their products and services to their customers and end-users.
We can award a Licence to use our Certification Mark and logo, and we use Qualified Auditors to assess the Client's Factory Process Control (FPC) System, which our sister company, TFT Woodexperts Limited, can help with setting up.
Demonstrate the reliability of your products with the TFT Diamond Mark
The TFT Diamond Mark is an instantly recognisable guarantee, to others, that the Client has complied with the relevant Rules, such as European Harmonised Norms and British Standards which apply to the Certified products; or with TFT Woodexperts Limited's own tailored Product Specifications that can be written to satisfy particular industry requirements.
And through additional services offered by TFT Certification, we could also help you to show that your production complies with all aspects of legality, sustainability and renewability.
JANUARY 2021: Please note that plywood from the Jinlun Mill in China is no longer licenced to apply the Diamond Mark. Any supplies received from that mill since July 2020 will not be validated by TFT Certification.
Teak Furniture — What do FSC and TFT Stand For?
Many people turn to us with the question what do FSC and TFT stand for in teak furniture. To make things clear for others who may be wondering the very same thing, we will briefly explain what do the abbreviations FSC and TFT refer to and why we emphasise that our teak furniture is either FSC or TFT.
About FSC Teak
The abbreviation FSC stands for Forest Stewardship Council certification. Like its name suggests, it is issued by the Forest Stewardship Council, an international non-governmental organisation which promotes sustainable management and development of the world’s forests. It was founded by 10 countries in Toronto, Canada in 1993 when the FSC Founding Assembly was held. Since its foundation, the organisation was joined by more than 40 countries including the United Kingdom.
The FSC was founded as a response to the UN Conference on Environment and Development, called the Earth Summit that was held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 1992. Since the Summit did not accept any legally binding commitments in regard to forest management, a group of 10 countries decided to create a non-governmental, non-profit international organisation with an aim to limit deforestation and provide the public with a trustworthy wood certification which guarantees that the timber is sourced from sustainably managed forests.
Prior the introduction of certifications such as the FSC, the consumers were unable to identify and buy wood and forest products that are made from environmentally-friendly timber even if they wanted to. Meanwhile, the world’s forests continued to disappear. Deforestation remains a serious environmental problem because as much as 130,000 square kilometres (more than one half of the size of the United Kingdom) are being cut down every year. Furthermore, in some areas such as parts of Indonesia which is the main supplier of teak wood, illegal logging accounts as much as 90 percent of the total teak output and causes an irreparable damage to the country in the environmental, economic and social aspect.
Illegal teak harvesting is seriously affecting the local ecosystems because the trees that have been cut down are not replaced. At the same time, illegal logging deepens the poverty of the forest-dependent communities and causes serious damage to the country’s economy. However, it also affects the international market which has become overflown with illegal timber and forest products despite the efforts of governmental and non-governmental organisations to prevent import of illegal timber and forest products. The greatest power against illegal logging activities therefore have the consumers by rejecting to buy wood products which do not have proper certifications and clear evidence that they are made from timber that was harvested from a sustainably managed forest or plantation.
The FSC certification guarantees that:
— the wood from which the product is made is harvested from a sustainably managed forest or plantation and that the harvested tree is either replaced or allowed to regenerate
— parts of the forest are protected to provide habitat to wildlife and endangered species
— the local communities have the right to use the forest for resources
— the forest or plantation is managed by the local workers who are provided with proper training and equipment as well as paid decently for their work
— the timber is traced from the standing tree all the way to the store
By choosing FSC teak furniture, you will support sustainable forest management which promotes biodiversity and protects the forests for the future generations, helps alleviate poverty and contributes to economic development of both the producer and your own country. By saying no to unfair competition and cheap imports which are made from illegal teak, you will help relieve the pressure on small and medium-sized European companies which are dedicated to fair trade and environmentally-friendly practices.
About TFT Teak
TFT stands for Tropical Forest Trust, a global non-profit organisation that was founded by six garden furniture companies in 1999. The founding companies joined their forces to solve the problems with the timber supply and to ensure that the timber is sourced from legal and sustainably managed forests and plantations. In order to eliminate illegal timber from the supply chain, the TFT has developed a highly effective system which allows businesses to verify the origin of the timber, limits deforestation and destruction of the forests, and protects the rights of forest-dependent communities. Lastly, it helps the consumers identify environmentally conscious furniture companies and reduce their carbon footprint.
The TFT is in the first place focused on countries which are faced with increased demand for tropical hardwoods such as teak. The timber is highly sought after all over the world, while its relatively high cost in comparison to other types of wood has unfortunately increased illegal teak harvesting which does not have any regard to the environmental and social effects. Many teak products on the European market as well as elsewhere in the world are therefore made from illegally harvested wood. And despite the devastating effect of illegal teak harvesting on the environment both locally and globally, many producers and consumers are either unaware or ignorant of the damage they are causing by not paying attention to the origin of the timber. The TFT is determined to change that by increasing the amount of sustainably managed teak plantations which do not contribute to deforestation rate and global warming nor affect the quality of life of the local communities.
The organisation is active in many countries across the globe including Indonesia where it has been working with Perum Perhutani, a government-controlled teak plantation (where we source teak wood for our garden furniture) in order to improve plantation management and traceability of timber all the way to the end product. Since 1999, the founding companies of the TFT were joined by over 70 environmentally conscious companies which are committed to delivering high quality wooden furniture that helps protect the world’s forests and improve the lives of the local communities at the same time. By choosing TFT teak, you will say no to environmentally reckless practices.
FSC – TFT Certificate
Everyone knows that the FSC certificate is very important to the furniture factory. With an organization incorporated in the FSC, it means that the company cares for the environment.
As FSC certified shows that you comply with the highest social and environmental standards in the market. As public concern rises about the state of the world’s forests and wood resources, provides FSC will give you a simple solution to complex environmental and social issues.
The FSC label is an effective way to get public and consumer recognition of your responsible practices. This gives you credibility with customers and business partners, financial institutions and watchdog organizations.
FSC certification helps to protect your brand and reputation, and it allows you to tap very ecologically sensitive markets. Increasingly, governments and other organizations, FSC-certified products into its procurement policy. And because FSC is the only globally applicable standard, it is also the only standard that no obstacle to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) trade.
When a decides to become , they must conform to all applicable FSC rules before earning FSC and the right to use the FSC label. Because managing forests the FSC way means following the highest social and environmental , it often requires managers to adapt their management and operations. This is how FSC has a direct and permanent positive impact on the world’s forests and the people living from, in and around the forest.
We incorporated with PT. KOTA JATI FURINDO as FSC Certified Company, we ensure our production will be environmental friendly.