Green Talk™ » closet systems

Terra Cabinets, A Socially Responsible Company where Greening Your Closets is a Priority

Green Talk — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 07:39:25 +0000

Photo courtesy of Terra Cabinets

(Note: this is part three of a series on Do You Get A Headache When You Walk Into Your Closet?)

Terra Cabinets located in New Jersey was started by a brother and sister team combining twenty five years of experience in the cabinetmaking field. They pride themselves on their social and environmental practices at their company. Their company is socially diverse, workers are paid a living wage, and they source their materials locally to be in compliance with LEED standards.

In addition to manufacturing eco-friendly kitchen cabinets, Terra Cabinets also creates closet systems. They use both SkyBlend (particleboard that emits very low levels of formaldehyde) and Columbia Forest Products’ UV cured interior plywood that contains a formaldehyde free resin (“FFR Plywood”).

FFR Plywood contains a proprietary resin called Pure Bond, which does not contain any formaldehyde. The use of this plywood in construction, as with Skyblend, qualifies for LEED points, and offers an alternative to people who prefer all wood products. In addition, its resin is formaldehyde free unlike the resins contained in Skyblend, which emit very low levels of formaldehyde. However, it is more expensive than SkyBlend.

Terra Cabinets offers their floor mounted or wall-hung closet systems using SkyBlend in hardrock maple, rustic cherry, and white, and natural finish maple in plywood. The Company uses ABS edge banding as an added environmental feature in the manufacturing of all of their closet systems. This product is chlorine free.

As for shipping, Amy Canary, the sister half of the team, replied, “we can ship anywhere in the United States; the customer can provide a design or we can build and design based upon a designer or customer measurements. Measurements must be done very carefully to avoid big problems with installation.”

When you are thinking of adding a closet system to your house, think green and contact either Stor-X, California Closets, or Terra Cabinets (see Related Posts below). Each company offers something different and may have different prices for its closet systems. Just think, once you are totally organized with your new closet system, your only headache should be you have nothing to wear. We all know that is something that can easily be remedied!

California Closets–Even the Big Storage Boys are Going Green

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California Closets–Even the Big Storage Boys are Going Green

Green Talk — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 02:29:39 +0000

Photo courtesy of California Closets

(Note this is Part 2 of a series on “Do You Get A Headache When You Walk Into Your Closet?“)

I was recently reading an article in Good Housekeeping about a NYC architect, who remodeled his townhouse using many green materials. What caught my eye is that the family used California Closets to create and install their closet systems. I nearly dropped off my seat. California Closets, who is well known for all of their storage solutions for the home and garage, is producing green storage systems??

This had to be a misprint. How come I did not know this being as green as I am? I had to check this out. First, I looked at their website and nothing was on it about this green option. Perhaps my nearest California closet franchise store would know? I called, and they confirmed that they were using SkyBlend if you requested the product.

As I mentioned in my prior post, “Do you Get a Headache When …”, SkyBlend melamine is manufactured by Roseburg Forest Products and is a particleboard comprised of 100% pre-consumer recycled wood fiber. This particleboard contains a phenol formaldehyde resin, which is basically the glue that holds the wood fibers together, and emits very low levels of formaldehyde. According to Rosenberg, “SkyBlend formaldehyde emissions (.00-.01ppm) are no greater than levels occurring in outdoor ambient air conditions.”

Are all of the California Closets’ franchises using SkyBlend? I needed to know more, and contacted the company in California. My call was referred to Melanie Vuynovich, of Double Forte, spokesperson for California Closets. As Melanie can attest, I had a lot of questions about California Closets’ decision to go green. She went that extra mile to answer all my questions and this is what I learned from our endless email conversations.

In September, 2006, California Closets, the leading home storage solution company, teamed up with Roseburg to offer SkyBlend made closet systems as their commitment to the environment. In their press release prepared by Double Forte, “‘California Closets’ adoption of SkyBlend panels is 100% the result of our clients request for more eco-friendly products,’ said Anthony Vidergauz, president and CEO of California Closets.’” The use of California Closet’s SkyBlend storage systems contributes to achieve LEED credits in any home or building construction project.

Go to “location section” on California Closet’s website to find the nearest franchise to you to see if they distribute SkyBlend. It is available in a range of colors including white, almond, maple, cognac, candlelight, pearwod, rustic cherry, quiet, ivory, and chocolate pear. The product is priced at a premium and requires a longer lead time so that the franchises can special order it. It is only being offered in the United States, Mexico, and Canada at this time.

Do not be discouraged when you go on their website since there is no information about their new green offering. They are looking into new marketing efforts to get the green word out.

I am just glad that California Closet took this important Green storage step…

Next Post: Terra Cabinets, A NJ Socially Responsible Company Making Green Closet Systems A Priority

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Do You Get A Headache when You Walk into your Closet?

Green Talk — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 15:25:20 +0000

Photo courtesy of Stor-X featuring their Eco-System^TM

Just searching for my clothes in the morning can give me a headache. I can never find where I put anything. Does this sound like you? Thinking about remodeling your closet with a closet system that can take that “where did I put those shoes I need for today” frustration out of the way? Don’t replace your lack of organization with a new problem caused by a closet system that contains urea-formaldehyde.

Most closet systems are made of particleboard, which is an engineered product made of wood waste. Its core is bonded together with a urea-formaldehyde resin, and overlaid with a melamine exterior. So how is a harmless closet system with formaldehyde going to harm me?

”Formaldehyde, a colorless, pungent-smelling gas, can cause watery eyes, burning sensations in the eyes and throat, nausea, and difficulty in breathing in some humans exposed at elevated levels (above 0.1 parts per million). High concentrations may trigger attacks in people with asthma. There is evidence that some people can develop sensitivity to formaldehyde. It has also been shown to cause cancer in animals and may cause cancer in humans. Health effects include eye, nose, and throat irritation; wheezing and coughing; fatigue; skin rash; severe allergic reactions. May cause cancer. May also cause other effects listed under ‘organic gases.’ EPA’s Integrated Risk Information System Profile.

Many houses today are built tighter for energy efficiency. In addition, our houses contain furniture, shelving, insulation, and cabinets which all contain formaldehyde increasing our exposure to formaldehyde. “All wood has some naturally occurring formaldehyde. But more formaldehyde is added to composite wood in the form of certain resins, which are used to bind wood particles together,” according to April 2007 news release of The California Air Resource Board. So you ask, what is a girl going to do now?

Are there Green Closets Systems Out there?

Yes Virginia, there are indeed three green closet companies that I have encountered in the last couple of years: Stor-X, California Closets, and Terra Cabinets. Over this week, I will be featuring a post on each of these closet companies. Up first is Stor-x, so hang on to your non-plastic hangers…

STOR-X, A Canadian Company Who Is No Stranger to Green Closet Systems

When we were building our house a couple of years ago, I knew that most closet systems were made out of particleboard, which is comprised of wood waste bonded together with a urea-formaldehyde resin. It was near impossible to find a green alternative but my husband by accident and dumb luck found STOR-X Organizing Systems (“STOR-X”), located in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada mentioned in a remote article. They produced closet systems made out of Wheatboard, which was a particleboard made by Dow out of wheat. It was bonded together with a phenol formaldehyde resin, which emits a low level of formaldehyde. Dow no longer distributes Wheatboard and STOR-X is currently evaluating and manufacturing closet systems using three other environmental friendly alternatives, SkyBlend, Arreis, and Encore.

SkyBlend melamine is manufactured by Roseburg Forest Products and is a particleboard comprised of 100% pre-consumer recycled wood fiber. The boards contain a phenol formaldehyde resin. This resin is used to bond the particleboard’s core together and the melamine exterior to the board. “Third party testing verifies that Roseburg SkyBlend formaldehyde emissions (.00-.01ppm) are no greater than levels occurring in outdoor ambient air conditions,” according to Roseburg.

Arreis, a sustainable designed fiberboard, is a medium density fiberboard board made by Sierra Pine. It contains a formaldehyde free resin and 100% recycled post industrial wood waste. According to Sierra Pine, Arreis “meets the most stringent formaldehyde emission standards in the world.” The third product, Encore, is a brand new sustainable designed fiberboard from Sierra Pine. It is an environmentally friendly particleboard that contains a phenol formaldehyde resin, emits very low levels of formaldehyde, and is made out of recycled post industrial wood fiber. According to Sierra Pine, Encore is the only particleboard on the market toady that meets the ANSI specifications for classification as M-3 Industrial Particleboard due its physical properties and is environmentally friendly. One of its assets is its strength.

The third product, Encore, is a brand new sustainable designed fiberboard from Sierra Pine. It is an environmentally friendly particleboard that contains a phenol formaldehyde resin, emits very low levels of formaldehyde, and is made out of recycled post industrial wood fiber. According to Sierra Pine, Encore is the only particleboard on the market toady that meets the ANSI specifications for classification as M-3 Industrial Particleboard due its physical properties and is environmentally friendly. One of its assets is its strength.

All three products qualify for LEED credit in the construction of new buildings.

STOR-X prides itself on their hands on approach. Their factory is right down the hall from their engineering team. The Company engineers each unique closet system right in their factory based on the specifications their dealers throughout North America submit. They are working towards having multiple dealers in every state. Although their dealers are not listed on their website, you may contact STOR-X for the location of the dealer nearest your location. At present there is very little on the website as to their green option except in their FAQ section.

If there is not a dealer near you, STOR-X can configure the closet systems for you based upon architectural plans and measurements. With any carpentry job, always measure twice. In my case, at the time, there was not a dealer near me. We submitted our architectural drawing to them, and STOR-X designed all the closet systems. Our carpenter rechecked all the closest system measurements again before STOR-X started the systems. My carpenter remarked how easy it was to put up the systems.

Since STOR-X has added more dealers since I purchased my closet systems, you should be able to avoid measuring yourself or installing yourself. We have had our closet systems for two years, and they still look as good as they did when we installed them.
Next, California Closets-Even the Big Storage Boys Are Going Green

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California Closets-Even the Big Storage Boys are Going Green

Terra Cabinets, a Socially Responsible Company Where Greening Your Closets is a Priority

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