Our furniture is individually handcrafted to a high quality standard from solid wood and other natural materials, fundamentally enhancing its value.
The solid hardwoods used in our furniture are locally grown and harvested. Most of the wood used in our furniture does not travel more than 50 miles from where it is grown to the craftsman's workshop.
Furniture created from manufactured 'fake' woods begins showing its age after just a few years; composite wood can not be repaired or refinished. The obsolescence of poorly-made furniture creates a substantial carbon impact.
Our furniture, by contrast, is built to outlast its buyer. This reduces our furniture's lifetime carbon footprint of our furniture, as it avoids the destructive cycle of disposal, re-manufacture, and repeated shipping over generations.
American Made, Supports the Local Economy:
Our furniture is made with pride in the USA. Therefore, purchasing a piece of furniture from Erik Organic directly supports the Midwestern economy.
1. The solid hardwoods used in our furniture are locally grown and harvested in the Upper Midwest. Most of our wood is harvested from land within 50 miles of the Amish craftsmen we work with in Minnesota, Iowa, Indiana, Ohio and Wisconsin.
Purchase of this wood employs midwestern farmers with sections of their land set aside for selective hardwood harvesting, tree farms, and sawmill operators. Hardwoods are the largest single expense/component of our furniture.
2. We use high quality metal hardware and wood finishes, the major components of which are all manufactured in the USA. Our dining table interior mechanisms are manufactured in Ohio and Indiana. The hardware for our cribs are manufactured in Tennessee. Our wood finishes are manufactured in Wisconsin and Ohio. Our organic mattresses are manufactured in California.
3. Purchase of our furniture employs Amish craftsmen and their assistants, who purchase most of their goods and services from the local community. The multiplier effect of this income is significant.
4. Erik Organic is a small business that employs several people. We strongly believe that a business must uphold its end of the social contract by being responsible to its customers, to the land, and to the community at large.
Handcrafted From Solid Hardwoods:
Our furniture is created from solid hardwoods, joined together with strong Amish wood joints and high quality hardware.
Solid hardwoods are naturally beautiful, long-lasting when properly maintained, and free from many of the toxins endemic to artificial wood furniture.
Each hardwood has its own unique characteristics; we recommend ordering wood samples to see the range and beauty of real hardwood.
For the cost conscious, oak or soft maple is the preferred option. Oak is very versatile and can be stained a number of different colors.
For added durability, we recommend hard maple and hickory. Both are exceptionally strong and durable woods.
For a truly beautiful piece, we recommend cherry and walnut. They are gorgeous hardwoods, and a walnut or cherry furniture piece is a wonderful way to show off its complex grain and color.
Pass it On To Your Grandchildren:
Having access to this beautiful, locally-grown hardwood is very important when building a quality piece of furniture. But building to last involves more than just having the right wood that's been properly prepared - it involves a lot of knowledge, patience, and commitment.
Time honored methods of building fine furniture mean these pieces take a lot more time to assemble than mass-produced products. But a well-constructed baby crib or dining table necessitates this quality of construction.
This woodworking knowledge is passed from father to son, from master craftsman to apprentice. They learn the right way to make a piece of furniture that can stand the test of time.
That's what makes each handcrafted furniture piece from Erik Organic special, and how you know it is built to last - because it has already stood the most important test of time.
Because our solid wood furniture is designed to outlast the buyer, it can be passed on to your children or grandchildren. Our furniture will become the next generation's heirlooms and antiques.
