Here at Cantoni, we pride ourselves on our diverse portfolio, which is constantly evolving to offer our customers the very best in modern and contemporary design. We scour the globe for the exceptional and the innovative from leading design houses to emerging designers alike who share our same commitment to quality and craftsmanship.
One of our most recent and exciting additions to our portfolio, specifically our outdoor collection includes luxurious and sustainably produced outdoor furniture from Gloster. Leading the way in ethically grown and harvested teak furniture, Gloster’s pedigree spans over 50 years and across three continents where quality and sustainability have been a cornerstone of the company’s values since its inception. Read on or watch the video above to learn more about some of the ways Gloster has and continues to keep sustainability at the forefront of their company as well as what makes their plantation teak furniture so unique.
THE ROOTS
Gloster’s roots can be traced all the way back to West Africa in the 1960’s where a dedicated and passionate group of entrepreneurs and craftsman embarked on a journey to create an entirely sustainable and innovative luxury brand of outdoor furniture. By the early 1970’s, increased demand and access to sustainable, plantation-grown teak led Gloster to move their workshops to Indonesia, which is where they still source the teak that can be found in their beautiful outdoor furniture today. Here’s a fun fact: Teak is not indigenous to Indonesia–it was introduced to the islands by Buddhist monks about 700 years ago. When the Dutch colonized Indonesia in the 19th century, they soon realized the opportunity to establish large plantations and introduced the sustainable plantation management systems that are still in use today.
COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABILITY
Every piece of Gloster teak originates from the world’s largest sustainably-managed, Indonesian plantations of state-owned Perum Perhutani, on the island of East Java. Gloster only harvests what they have planted themselves, and every tree that is felled was placed in the soil by one of the Gloster plantation’s workers – workers whom the company has known for a lifetime.
QUALITY + CRAFTSMANSHIP
Gloster also has local experts who understand wood and instinctively know how to read a log. Only the most superior grade of teak is selected for the manufacturing of their products. Whereas a majority of companies use teak that is only ten-years-old and has little density or oil content, Gloster only chooses logs with a minimum age of approximately thirty-five years and upwards to ensure the timber is of sufficient quality. Gloster’s furniture is not the result of random mass production – skilled craftsmen build each piece, all by hand from every joint to rounded corner.
WHAT’S SO SPECIAL ABOUT TEAK ANYWAYS?
The benchmark hardwood for fine outdoor furniture for more than 700 years, teak–whether it has a buffed sheen or natural finish–is a luxury timber valued both for its strength and beauty. A close-grained hardwood with a high natural oil content, teak is exceptionally hard wearing, highly resistant to rotting and almost impervious to the effects of sun, rain, frost, or snow. It also weathers naturally when left outdoors, gradually changing to a soft silver-grey patina.
ONE-OF-A-KIND
As with our own fingerprints, so every teak tree is one-of-a-kind. Even within the managed plantation environment, no two trees share the same ground or reach for the light in the same way and thus, each grows and matures in its own unique way with the natural variations and irregularities that give timber it’s inherent appeal.
RAW Beauty
Just as no two teak trees are the same, so no two pieces of furniture from Gloster’s Raw Collection will match. The beauty of Raw is in its imperfections and natural irregularities, whether it be the color or depth of the sapwood, the texture of the bark or the checks and splits radiating from the center of the log. Each “imperfection” tells a story and marks each piece out as unique.
Shop & explore our selection of Gloster teak furniture on our website here or visit us at your local Cantoni store to save an additional 10% on already marked down prices! *Sale ends May 15, 2018.