Page 28 - Green Builder July-August 2018 Issue

mafi

When it comes to natural wood

ooring, this company sets a

gold standard.

ma has specialized in sustainable practices for
manufacturing wood for more than 35 years, serving
residential, commercial, hospitality and health care
industries. The company (https://bit.ly/2LGHTzY)
delivers to more than 55 countries worldwide by using
local sales partners that sell directly through architect
and designer specications.

OR WOOD FLOORING maker ma, sustainability
starts at home. The company’s primary product
comes with a lot of “no”—no chemicals during
production, no out-of-area wood sources, no long-
F term damage to area forests. But one restriction
stands out: no nishes on ma „ooring.
According to company o†cials, ma wood is designed to
be left open and without nishes. What this does is lter
the air; water and wood
work to remove toxins in “Products and their
the air during the drying ingredients ha e e ects on
process. The „ooring can our well eing. ma opts
withstand washing with
hot water and soap, but for production of natural COURTESY OF MAFI
polyurethane or other wood oors purely with Nothing wasted. mafi’s production
hard surface finishes wood, white glue and our facilities are zero waste, utilizing
can’t be used, because natural oils. COURTESY OF MAFI all facets of a wood log during
they would trap the creation of its flooring.
water in the wood below alter ourie, technical
that nish. sales manager, ma They’re an Eco-Leader because...
“Think of a cutting
board. It cleans with only water and soap and we eat oŠ of it ■ mafi recently completed a program that recycles all of its waste from production
every day,” says Walter Lourie, ma’s technical sales manager. into pellets that heat its buildings and wood-drying facilities.
“Our „oors are working the same way. Every day, we take Its facilities are zero waste, all products are local and no chemicals are used
toxins from the built environment. Wood also works to re- during production.
move electronic smog from our cell phones and computers.” ■ The company’s floors are produced from trees grown in a local forest, and it
Several scientic studies also indicate that wood relax- plants a new tree for every one it harvests.
es our senses by doing nothing more than smelling the mafi has been certified for low-emitting materials and passed the California
fragrance, Lourie says. Once a hard surface or coating is air quality test requirements. mafi is Declare labeled Red List Free from the
placed on wood, it stops that action. “ma has never used International Living Future Institute.
chemicals or hard surfaces for any product in over 100 It won the Global Energy Award in 2011. It was selected as the floor provider
years,” he notes. “Allowing wood to remain natural helps for Delos’ New York headquarters; Delos is a leader in sustainable design

everyone around it.” consultation.
26 GREEN BUILDER July/August 2018 www.greenbuildermedia.com

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