Sustainability and Tuscan Olive Wood

It’s been awhile since my last blog post! I must say, I’ve missed blogging and am happy to have finally settled down, at least until December. I’m sure many of you have said this same thing, however it’s difficult to believe that, as of tomorrow, we’re going into the end of the year and the holiday season!

{ Central Park in the Fall }

Sustainability is an issue most designers consider at some level, particularly with flooring and furnishings. One source that is highly sustainable but that is not mentioned as frequently as oak or other hardwoods is Tuscan olive wood.

The beautiful, smooth texture of this beautiful, ancient tree wood is unparalleled and many don’t realize how durable and usable it actually is.

{ Tuscan olive wood flooring via Hemphill’s }

In Italy, when farm-grown, these trees are protected to the extent that the law allows for harvesting only when the production of fruit and oil tapers and slows. Every tree is registered and the trees are often not touched until they are roughly between 400 and 700 years old!

The wood is actually 3 times harder than oak and is also lightly grained and extremely dense, which makes it highly resistant to moisture. These two characteristics help it resist typical sources of household abuse, and make it a good choice for “light” commercial settings as well.

Those who are into cooking may be more familiar with it from salad bowls and utensils in higher end stores.

{ via Colourbox }

All in all, Tuscan olive wood is a wonderful, sustainable product that has many different uses, all with the same beautiful result!