In an area of Japan still rebuilding after the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami that devastated the island nation, Kährs International Inc. (Altamonte Springs, Fla.) recently dedicated the world's first FSC/Fairtrade-certified flooring installation.
The floor was installed at the Asian Rural Institute (ARI) in the city Nasushiobara of northeast Japan. The ARI was rebuilt this year and dedicated on Sept. 22. The flooring, which Kährs debuted in July 2011, was sourced from small-scale loggers in Chile participating in a pilot project for FSC/Fairtrade wood products. Whereas the FSC certification promotes responsible forest management along with social, health and safety requirements, Fairtrade's goal is to ensure that small-scale workers in developing nations are properly compensated for their products.
