“In 2006, the Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association (KCMA) created the Environmental Stewardship Program to help cabinet manufacturers demonstrate their commitment to environmental sustainability and help consumers easily identify environmentally-friendly products. After meeting certification requirements in areas of air quality, product and process resource management, environmental stewardship, and community relations, cabinet manufacturers can display the ESP seal on their products. The ESP seal helps you identify cabinets and cabinet manufacturers who are committed to protecting the environment. Nearly a hundred fifty cabinet manufacturers have already earned ESP certification and more are on their way to completing the review process.”

The ESP is designed as a framework for manufacturers to highlight environmental business practices concerning: product and process resource management, air quality, environmental management policies and systems, and community relations.

Manufacturers must earn a minimum of 80 points based on compliance with stringent criteria to be awarded ESP certification. The criteria for ESP 04-11 include, but are not limited to:

• Manufacturers must demonstrate their commitment to protect the environment as evidenced by a written policy statement.
• The use of CARB ATCM compliant low-formaldehyde-emitting panel products is mandatory and mus tconstitute 80% of all particleboard, medium density fiberboard (MDF) and plywood used in the cabinets.  These products also must be certifeid by CARB approved third-party certifiers to meet low formaldehyde emissions standards.
• 80% of particleboard and MDF used in the cabinets contain 100% recycled or recovered fiber content
• Chain of Custody (COC) Certification of the manufacturer throught a recognized sustainable forestry program is encouraged.
• Hardwoods, softwoods and plywoods purchased are certified through a recognized sustainable forestry program
• A documented energy conservation program is in place
• A written Environmental Management System is encouraged
• An active recycling program for process wastes is in place
• All federal, state and local environmental requirements are observed and manufacturer agrees to report any violations to KCMA.
• The manufacturer demonstrates community involvement and leadership through service or charitable organizations

If you are interested in learning more about Holiday Kitchens green line of cabinetry, please visit our website or give your local Holiday Kitchens dealer a call.

“I’ve been working at Puhlmann Lumber and Design for 6 1/2 years and Holiday Kitchens is the primary cabinet line we’ve used during that time and for the past 15+ years.  I’ve been married to my husband, Craig for 9 years and we have 4 1/2 year old daughter, Gracie.  I graduated from Minnesota State University, Mankato with a BS in Interior Design-Construction Management.  In 2006 I won the “Designer of the Year” award from Holiday Kitchens.”

Arbor Day is a very special day at Holiday Kitchens and we celebrate every year by providing all our employees with a tree to plant.  While many people have heard of Arbor Day, many do not know the history behind it. 

Arbor Day was founded by nature lover J. Sterling Morton on April 10, 1872 in Nebraska.  It was declared a legal holiday on April 22 in 1885 – Morton’s birthday. You can find out more about the history and how you can make a difference by visiting http://www.arborday.org/index.cfm

If you are interested in finding out the benefits of planting trees in your specific area, check out the The Tree Benefit Calculator, which allows anyone to make a simple estimation of the benefits individual street-side trees provide.

Celebrating Arbor Day is just one of the ways Holiday Kitchens protects the enviroment – you can learn all about our different shades of green at http://www.holidaykitchens.com/livegreen/

The vast majorities of VOCs are not harmful or regulated and are found in both the manufacturing environment, and surprisingly significant amounts, in our natural environment.  Remember that all plants and animals “off gas” in various ways.  The VOCs that are known to be harmful are regulated in the United States on a federal level by the EPA , and often on a more stringently basis by individual state environmental protection agencies 

 VOC’s are present in or emitted by thousands of products:

 What do VOCs have to do with Kitchen Cabinetry?

When it comes to your kitchen cabinetry, it is important to realize that “Not all boards are created equal!”   Cheaper varieties of products are cheap for a reason.  The product’s price more often than not will indicate if it was manufactured with resins containing high levels of urea formaldehyde , or with no added urea formaldehyde (NAUF) compliant resins.  Cheaper cabinetry may also contain high levels of VOCs from varnishes, stains and glues.  The finished product may be “cheaper” in the short run, but could cause traumatic and costly health problems in the long run. 

Holiday Kitchens is a privately-held cabinet manufacturer that has been in business for over 60 years and is one of the top 10 custom cabinet manufacturers in the USA.  Our Robin Wilson Home Custom Cabinetry Collection offers the most complete line of eco-friendly cabinetry in the industry.  Our focus is on creating quality, healthy, eco-friendly cabinetry through the utilization of low-VOC paints and stains and VOC- free glues.  Our Robin Wilson Home Collection of green (eco-friendly) cabinetry includes no added urea formaldehyde options.

This is just one of Holiday Kitchens’ many shades of Green!

Q: What is the definition of a “Green” kitchen cabinet?

A: “Green” refers primarily to how friendly a product is to the environment and to the health of those producing and using it.  In terms of the environment, it can encompass everything from the amount of energy used to manufacture, how much virgin (versus recycled) material is consumed, and what the resulting waste stream contains.  A cabinet can be green because it is healthier, because it has a low impact on the environment, or because it is simply more durable.  The quality of a product is critical to how long it will last.

Q: Can a “finished” cabinet be eco-friendly/green?

A: A natural finish is an eco-friendly finish because no stain or color has been applied prior to the topcoat.  Another option for an eco-friendly finish is hand-rubbed linseed oil finish, which is earth friendly. This finish has been used for years on antique furnishings and gun stocks.  Holiday Kitchens uses formaldehyde free glue to construct all of its cabinetry.

Q: Are there eco-friendly/green cabinet options – other than wood?

A: Bamboo is becoming a very popular alternative to traditional wood cabinetry.  It is a fast growing grass that is strong and durable.  Bamboo finishes beautifully with many of the same characteristics as wood.  Although bamboo is a grass and not a wood, it’s a sturdy and highly sustainable resource that is as good as any traditional wood. It is a rapidly renewable plant based product that will qualify for green building points.

Another eco-friendly/green option is reconstituted (composite) veneers, which are wood veneers engineered from sustainably harvested African hardwood trees and Italian plantation grown poplar trees.  These veneers replicate wood species that are under environmental pressure.  Holiday Kitchens offers Brookside veneers in Wenge and Zebrawood as an option for an exotic “green” look.

Q: Is there an organization that oversees environmental/green practices of cabinet manufacturers?

A: Holiday Kitchens is proud to be a certified member of the Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturer’s Environmental Stewardship Program (ESP).  The ESP is designed as a framework for manufacturers to highlight environmental business practices concerning: product and process resource management, air quality, environmental management policies and systems, and community relations.

Holiday Kitchens is making every effort to utilize only vendors that practice sound forest stewardship practices.

Robin discussed the several eco-friendly options for cabinetry, paint, rugs, plumbing fixtures, and cleaning products. She is also discussed the pros and cons of energy efficient options including: appliances, light bulbs, passive solar, geothermal and hybrid hot water systems.

Robin’s new book The Kennedy Green House , which features several of the products and technologies she discusses, will be hitting shelves in April.   She could be in your neighborhood next for a local book signing or home show.

Not all linseed oil finishes are created equally – there is “raw” linseed oil and “boiled” linseed oil.  Raw linseed oil is squeezed from flax seed and packaged with no additional additives or preservatives.  Most products labeled as “boiled linseed oil” are a combination of raw linseed oil, petroleum-based solvents and metallic dryers – making them not so green!

Raw linseed oil, when used as a finish, dries slowly as it soaks into the wood versus coating it like a varnish.  This leaves a smooth shiny surface that shows off the grain of the wood. Wood treated with linseed oil is resistant to denting and scratches and can easily repaired.

At Holiday Kitchens we only use raw linseed oil – we don’t know of any other cabinet manufacturers who can claim this! We offer this earth friendly finish on cherry, oak, and alder woods.  The finish comes in three options Light Linseed Oil, Medium Linseed Oil and Dark Linseed Oil.   

For more information on Linseed Oil, and other eco-friendly cabinet choices, visit http://holidaykitchens.com/livegreen/choices.php

Kay Green

The Greenovation of Terra Verde features the eco-friendly Robin Wilson Home Collection by Holiday Kitchens, which  has over 100 door styles in varying materials from bamboo, coconut palm, wenge, stainless steel, plus hardwood in cherry, maple, oak with low-VOC (volatile organic compounds) finishes. This frameless, custom-cabinetry line has over 10% more usable storage space maximizing storage, cleaning and functionality, compared to framed cabinetry.

Kay Green Design, Inc. has a national reputation for design excellence and has been featured in such prestigious housing publications as Builder Magazine, Professional Builder, Multi-Housing News, Home & Condo and Suncoast Architect Builder, as well as in leading consumer publications such as House Beautiful’s Kitchen/Baths, The Orlando Sentinel, Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and The Chicago Tribune.

• European design, look and feel with unique styles – from classic to trendsetting
• Unique interior storage accessories for all drawers and cabinets, including  pantries
• Stainless steel drawers are optional for an eco-healthier option
• Frameless cabinets are easier to clean to ensure an eco-healthier home environment
• Silent-close drawers are standard

Not sure what bamboo or wenge look like, here are a couple photos to give you an idea:

Bamboo with a natural finish:

Photo Credit: Royal Kitchen Corp NY

Wenge:

Photo Credit: Divine Kitchens, LLC Masachussets