In light of the recent controversy surrounding formaldehyde emissions in laminated flooring products from China, we decided to conduct an internal sales audit to find out how our customers have responded over time to a premium price on formaldehyde-free and FSC-certified products we make.

The results of our audit indicate our customers have been resilient to cost increases for premium soy-based, formaldehyde-free and FSC®-certified finishes. And we were encouraged by the resilience and commitment of this market to the higher environmental standard.

In one of our most popular bamboo flooring looks, edge-grain amber, Smith & Fong discovered that sales were three-to-one, soy-based, over low-emitting/CARB II-compliant. This was phenomenal. In another recent project just completed, a multi-unit, high-end apartment complex in Marin County, CA, the specification was for 40,000 sq. ft. of formaldehyde-free coconut palm flooring. An additional interesting twist to the project was that management and residences, after recent news of excessive levels of formaldehyde in some imported flooring products, requested confirmation that the flooring product met the stated claims of formaldehyde-free. Given the recent circumstances, we were more then happy to oblige.

To us, this is proof that the concepts of green building, environmental sustainability and indoor air quality have gone mainstream in a very real way and end users are seeing the value in thinking long-term about their health and the health of the planet.