Built Respectfully
Our rule of three.
Watson’s respect for materials, processes, and planet forms the stable foundation of our environmental philosophy. Everything we make and everything we are as a company emerges from these three intertwined commitments.
Practical Environmentalism
Practical environmentalism is about getting real.
At Watson, we’ve been talking about our philosophy of “practical environmentalism” for years. But to be honest, we still find it tough to explain exactly what we mean by it. In a nutshell, practical environmentalism prioritizes doing environmental good over feeling good about our environmentalism. It’s less about waving a green flag and more about making a real impact and being truly accountable for our choices as a company. It’s complicated, a bit imperfect, and evolving all the time. Which makes it a lot like the natural world we’re here to protect.
The heart of the matter.
There’s a method to our materials mindset. First and foremost, we use the cleanest ingredients we can get our hands on – stuff that’s recycled or recyclable; stuff that doesn’t off-gas toxins; stuff that lasts. Second, we keep our eyes and ears open to how the materials landscape is constantly changing. New options emerge all the time, which means we’ll forever be on a journey to improve what we use. So watch this space.
Wood
Watson uses NAUF (No Added Urea Formaldehyde) particle board and MDF with 90% pre-consumer recycled content from suppliers in the Pacific Northwest.
Steel
The steel used in all Watson products contains both post-consumer and post-industrial recycled content. All of our steel is 100% recyclable and contains approximately 24% recycled content.
Textiles
Watson privacy screens are upholstered in 100% recycled polyester fabric made from reclaimed plastic bottles.
Laminate
Our GREENGUARD-certified laminates are comprised of phenolic resin and kraft paper and contain 22% recycled content.
Laminate Option – Linoleum
As an alternative to standard plastic laminates, Watson offers a biodegradable surface finish made from linseed oil, natural pine rosin, wood flour, and color pigments.
Edge Banding
All edge banding is made from safe, non-toxic, and environmentally friendly polypropylene, which is 100% PVC-free.
Adhesive
Our bond with the natural world is as strong as the bonding agents used for our products: water-based and emitting little to no VOC’s.
Natural Clear Finish
A blend of natural oils, waxes, and zero-VOC solvent is hand applied to all surfaces with raw edges, enhancing wood tones and protecting the material from damage.
Power Modules
The power systems (receptacles, duplexes, harnesses, & jumpers) used in some products are all PVC-free.
Every step counts.
Around here, how we do things is as important as what, where, and why we do them. As an environmentally minded manufacturer, we take our methods very seriously. Each stage of our process is designed to maximize our ability to reduce, reuse, and recycle. We use nesting algorithms to minimize the materials we need. We reclaim and repurpose powder, sawdust, and water. We recycle everything we possibly can. Then we get downright granular about our waste stream – rethinking each scrap before anything gets tossed. Even if we didn’t operate on a septic system, we’d want to keep the gunk out of the pipes. Literally and figuratively.
We pick up after ourselves.
We believe we should return the Earth in better condition than we found it.
Be Somebody
For well over 30 years, my father picked up roadside trash on his two-mile walk home from work at the shipyard. When I asked him why he’d do such a disagreeable task, his reply was a simple, straightforward, and decidedly uninteresting: “Somebody has to do it.”
But then he chuckled and said, “And I always wanted to be somebody.”
And I learned a lesson I’ll never forget. The heavy lifting in any community is done by those “somebodys” doing the little things. The little things that often go unnoticed but are threads in the fabric that binds communities together. I’m grateful for that lesson and grateful for all those somebodys at Watson who are making their communities and neighborhoods a better place for all.
Clif McKenzie