Plantation grown teak from Java island

Tectona Grandis is an extremely dense hardwood of the family Verbenaceae. It is indigenous to India, Burma, Thailand, Indochina and Java. The harvest of teak does not destroy rain forests -- it cannot even grow in rain forests. It is a deciduous tree that grows well in the dry, hilly terrain typical of plantation forests in Southeast Asia.

Much of the teak that is used to make furniture comes from very large teak plantations in Java, which were first planted by the Dutch in the early 1800's. In Java, the government agency Perum Perhutani is responsible for managing extensive forests and plantations. They operate a strict policy regulating the number and size of trees that can be felled, as well as with regard to the numbers of trees that are replanted to maintain the productivity of the teak forests for future generations. The teak plantations produce a high value crop that is a very valuable source of income in their local area. And the associated furniture and timber products industry provides regular local employment to many thousands of people.

Teak can also be taken from forests, which may or may not be sustainably harvested. Be sure to find out where the teak comes from when making your selection.