Watson Furniture: Made and Sourced in the USA
4 Min Read
At Watson Furniture we believe in creating a better future for our environment, our employees, and our customers. At our headquarters, located on 34 forested acres in the lush Pacific Northwest, we use regionally and ethically-sourced raw materials and transform them into locally made furniture using environmentally friendly processes and superior handcraft.
The Watson Furniture Ideals
The foundation of Watson starts with passionate people and practical environmentalism. Watson’s CEO, Clif McKenzie, is a firm believer that “we should return the Earth in better condition than we found it,” which is easily recognizable in our efforts to consider and successfully facilitate practical environmentalism throughout all parts of our business.
By providing products produced out of recycled and recyclable materials, Watson is able to help customers meet environmental standards in their own buildings. Additionally, this allows for a prolonged life cycle, re-use, and conservation of materials during replacement.
Locally Sourced Office Furniture
Our process starts with a desire to source as locally as possible. Regional sourcing plays an integral role in reducing our carbon footprint by reducing carbon emissions that come from long-distance transport. Choosing to source locally helps to boost the local economy, creating more American jobs, while also helping to reduce waste.
With 75% of materials sourced from within the USA, and 32% of that within 500 miles, we are proud to be able to positively contribute to the LEED certification score for any projects within 500 miles of our factory. LEED is the widest used green building rating system in the world, and offers credits as a symbol of sustainability achievements.
Furniture Built from Quality Materials
Choosing the highest quality, environmentally friendly materials that we are able to source in practical and economical ways is the backbone of our furniture.
By using green materials, we are able to give our employees a healthier, cleaner working environment, providing customers with furniture that do not off-gas.
Wood
- No added formaldehyde
- Composed of 92% recycled industrial by-product from NW milling operations.
Steel
- Bases and brackets are created from recycled auto parts.
- 80% recycled, 100% recyclable
Textiles
- 100% post-consumer recycled polyester from reclaimed plastic bottles.
Laminate
- GreenGuard certified
- Combination of phenolic resin, Kraft paper, and 22% recycled content.
- No VOCS used
Adhesive
- Nontoxic
- Water-based
- Emits low to no VOCS
Edge Banding
- Safe, nontoxic, and environmentally friendly
- 100% no PVC
Processing and Facilities
Happy, passionate employees are an important part of any successful business. At Watson we understand that this starts with our commitment to provide facilities that are safe, air that is clean, and compensation that supports a high-quality life.
ISO 14001 is a family of standards related to environmental management that exists to help organizations minimize how their operations negatively affect the environment; comply with applicable laws, regulations, and other environmentally oriented requirements; and continually improve in the above.
The ISO 9001 family of quality management systems standards is designed to help organizations ensure that they meet the needs of customers and other stakeholders while meeting statutory and regulatory requirements related to a product or service.
Another noteworthy system of reuse within Watson is our sawdust reclamation program. At Watson, around 350,000 pounds of sawdust is produced annually. But instead of contributing to the local landfill, we choose to gather and compress leftovers into briquettes which then are used to fuel the local paper mill.
At Watson we design our furniture for disassembly. By implementing reuse, repair, remanufacturing, and recycling, we are reducing our impact while maximizing value to our clients.
Our drive to produce locally made furniture that not only “feels good” but “does good” allows us to positively influence the planet while creating beneficial, quality American jobs!
