Support Care for Exotic Woods

Every year, we make approximately 8,000 guitars, which on average requires 43 cubic meters of exotic woods. Exotic woods account for two thirds of all materials used in the manufacture of acoustic guitars. For illustration, the making of one acoustic guitar requires 0.00734 cubic meters of materials, including waste, of which exotic woods account for 0.00537 cubic meters.

In view of our production needs, we have established partnerships with the Panamanian company Planting Empowerment and with the Arimae community, where the aim is to replenish the amount of wood we use in the production process with a view that ensures environmental sustainability. Under the partnership, we will provide the community with financial assistance to care for 4 hectares of cocobolo (dalbergia retusa) and 2 hectares of mahogany (swietenia macrophylla), where average annual growth amounts to 39 cubic meters.

The new partnership is a part of our broader concept for environmental protection. All woods used in the manufacture of our guitars come from duly verified suppliers. In addition, a number of models are made from materials that provide a full-fledged alternative to exotic woods. An example is black walnut, which is used for the back and sides of a number of models instead of Indian rosewood. We are dedicated to conserving the natural world and plan to expand our activities in this area by the introduction of various ecological processes and technologies. For example, several years ago, we developed the Full-Pore High-Gloss Finish, a state-of-the-art alternative to traditional solvent-borne finishes, which contains no chemical solvents and causes no air pollution.