As consumers, we are all familiar with the ingredient labels on food products for informed decision-making.
And today, we all understand plywood is an important “ingredient” in home interiors including the cabinets and built-ins in rooms like the kitchen, around which family life revolves.
A new ingredient labeling program helps consumers understand what makes up building materials, including Columbia’s PureBond® hardwood plywood and it is called Declare®.
Declare labels present an analogue to a food ingredient/nutrition labeling as part of a transparency platform that is changing the materials marketplace.
According to the International Living Futures Institute, a Declare label answers three questions:
Declare labels contain information on Red List and watch list chemistries, TVOC performance (on selected product lines) as well as the availability of responsible sourcing options including certified wood with a chain of custody for all product lines we provide.
Labels are renewed annually through the Toxnot™ platform which helps to standardize outreach to firms whose ingredients are used in Columbia’s production.
Columbia's first Declare label was published in 2019 for PureBond® domestic veneer core panels and Columbia’s staff have strived to add more labels over time.
We find through engagement with designers and fabricators, that the Declare label also is a real time saver for submittals.
Declare is recognized by LEED®, ILFI Living Building Challenge®, Well® and architecture and design resources including Red2Green™, Mindful Materials™ among others for material ingredient due to diligence reporting.
Supply chain partners, fabricators, designers and consumers have all found a Declare label opens doors to a fresh, transparent embrace that many argue is long overdue.
For more information on Columbia’s Declare label visit Declare - International Living Future.
For more information on the Declare label itself and what is involved to create one, visit About Declare.
PS: If you do ever replace those cabinets of yours, take them to your nearest Habitat for Humanity ReStore and extend the resource!