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Teakwood Importing
The number one
importers of teakwood are China and Japan.
In India, teakwood was also being used for huts,
fence posts, as well as furniture. Today, India is the third largest importer of
Teak today with as much as 80% of all lumber consumed being used as much as it
has been in the past, for building homes, furniture, fencing, like. The number
one importers of teakwood are China and Japan. Teakwood can withstand monsoons,
blistering heat, and extremely high humidity, making it the wood that all other
woods are compared.
Teakwood contains natural oil, which makes it impervious to insects, and wood
rot. Teakwood furniture, flooring and decorative pieces have been found in India
which date over two hundred years old, which are still being used today.
Teakwood’s natural oil also helps to maintain the woods luster, however, for the
craftsmen who work with teakwood this same oil tends to dull the bladed of their
tools more rapidly. The durability of the wood is so renowned that after World
War II, many ships were salvaged and their teakwood decks were recycled into
outdoor furniture, flooring for homes, as well as indoor furniture.
Over 90% of all the Teak grown today is under local government control on
plantations. The other 10% can be found in forest where it is illegal to cut
down with out special permission from the local government. In some countries,
individuals who have been caught illegally cutting down teak tress have been
executed. With the development of plastics, and other synthetics, the demands
for teakwood and wood products in general slowed during the late 1950’s.
However, it wasn’t long before individuals soon realized that the longevity of
these products was short lived. Today, the demand for Teak has increased at a
rate of 10% per year. This increased demand has lead many marketers to produce
products that they advertise as “Teak like, or “As strong as Teak.” Many times
these products have only been treated with teak oil, and they are not as
durable, or as resistant to rot and insect infestation as real teak. The
consumer soon learns with when within a couple of years their Teak like
furniture has been infested with beetles, termites, or rot and must be replaced.
It is very understandable why many people would want to avoid purchasing
Teakwood, believing that it is a rare wood and needing protecting. However,
because governments realized the importance of teakwood, today its harvest are
strongly controlled, ensuring the teak forest will survive for many generations
just as the products that are produced from its lumber.
Due the strict regulations placed on teak, it is not easy purchased and is sold
through auctions. Purchasing permits are also regulated and are expensive. In
addition, once purchased, it is the buying companies' responsibility to
transport the wood. Many countries that grow teak also have regulations placed
on the number of logs that can be exported in a given time frame. Today, Java,
Indonesia is the biggest exporter of Teakwood. Several companies located in
Java, process, and fashion the teakwood into products such as furniture, planks
for flooring or siding, and then export the finished items instead of the lumber
to countries around the world.
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