Materials

At Kohburg, environmentally-friendly materials are used throughout all production phases. From sustaining forest lumbers to recycled printing materials, Green is found at all corners of our factories. We also emphasize Green through our use of water-based non-toxic finishes and E-Zero Organic Glue to ensure environment protection. Below are a few Green materials we've been using for years:

	FSC Certified Lumber Kohburg has a license from FSC to promote FSC certified packaged and labeled products. Our license code is: FSC N001905. Products carrying the FSC logo are independently certified to assure consumers that they originate from managed forests meeting the social, economic and ecological needs of present and future generations.
	CARB Certified Board Kohburg's composite wood products guarantee that all plywood and MDF board used are made according to California Air Resources Board (CARB) standards. These standards ensure reduced formaldehyde emissions into the atmosphere and help maintain a healthier air quality. Kohburg dedicates itself in creating a Green learning environment for our kids.
	Australian Pine Fiberboard (APF) Kohburg products are produced from our exclusive APF material. Our APF is the Greenest material available in today's market and guarantees safety without compromising quality. Man-made from 100% recyclable wood fibers Significantly lower production error rate, thus decreasing wasted materials and trees consumed Minimized formaldehyde emissions and provides a greener learning environment
	Water-Based Finishes Kohburg uses Water-Based Finishes instead of traditional oil-based finishes on its products that require coating. Our finishes are non-toxic, readily biodegradable and recyclable friendly, unlike traditional oil-based finishes that may contain lead or other heavy metals. Water-Based Finishing is the most advanced coating method today and highly recommended by the European Union and US Government because it better protects the environment and our kids.
	E-Zero Organic Glue Kohburg uses E-Zero Organic Glue instead of traditional toxic wood glue to assemble and combine furniture parts. E-Zero Organic Glue is all natural and produced from plant derivatives versus wood glue containing chemicals and formaldehyde by-products. E-Zero Organic Glue is the only choice for Kohburg because it protects children from toxic air contaminant exposure, thus providing a healthier air and greener learning environment.
	304 Stainless Steel At Kohburg, we are the first company in the industry to produce our metal accessories from 304 Stainless Steel. 304 Stainless Steel is widely used today in the medical field for surgeries and noted for its extreme durability. The austenitic alloy can also be recycled and remade into other products. Unlike competitors, copper and iron materials, our 304 Stainless Steel is stain, corrosion and rust resistant.

Option for the Greener Good

Kohburg has revolutionized the early childhood furniture industry with the use of its exclusive Australian Pine Fiberboard (APF) Material. It is the first manufacturer to make the transition from the wasteful and expensive solid plywood to the very Green and equally durable, APF. Requests for Kohburg's APF based, children's furnishings have surged as consumers have become educated of its advantages.

Australian Pine Fiberboard (APF)

APF is man-made from 100% recyclable wood fibers, which are often the byproducts of "Trim Off Waste" from plywood manufacturing processes. The USDA Forest Service reports that APF products contain approximately only 34% virgin wood, meaning that minimal trees are used during its "Shred & Impact" production process. Thus causing less lumber waste.

It is evident that there are considerable amounts of waste inherent in plywood manufacturing given that only 50-75% of the usable volume of wood in a tree is converted into plywood. A lot of waste occurs in the preparation of tree logs for production:

Trim Off Waste - Shavings incurred during sizing of the log, removal of defects and natural voids
Veneer Bolts - "End Pegs' that are used, and ultimately discarded of, to accommodate stains, end checks and lack of log "squareness"
Rounding Waste - Waste involved while turning unsymmetrical veneer blocks into cylinders for "peeling." Bark components are shredded and removed; making many small scraps of little use and thus, wasted.

Kohburg's exclusive APF contributes to the minimization of wood waste, thus directly limiting deforestation and the need for landfills. It's significantly lower rate of production error limits the number of trees and other natural resources required for production.

Our APF is the clear choice for a Green education as it saves natural resources now for healthier living and learning later.

		Australian Pine Fiberboard		Solid Plywood
	QTY	# of Trees per Item	Total Trees Used	# of Trees per Item	Total Trees used
Four Space Locker	6	0.15	0.90	0.38	2.28
3' x 4' Shelf	8	0.07	0.56	0.20	1.60
24" x 24" Square Table (24" Ht.)	7	0.03	0.21	0.08	0.56
12" Chair	26	0.01	0.26	0.03	0.78

Total Trees:

1.93

5.22

* Figures based on 1 tree = 10 (9 ft x 4 ft) sheets of materials used.

** APF uses ~ 2.7x less the amount of trees than solid plywood.