All Wooden Toys are Not Equal - Why the PEFC Seal is Important

The PEFC Seal Sets HABA Toys Apart from Other Toy Brands

At HABA our wooden toys and games are: beautiful (check), durable (check), and most importantly to us, sustainable and good for our planet (check, check)! For 85 years, wooden items and components have been an important part of our product catalog and our brand identity. And because we value this resource and the amazing products we can create from it, we have been active in developing sustainable ways of sourcing it, knowing that deforestation is a large source of greenhouse gas emissions. This is the reason why 100% of the beech wood we purchase complies with PEFC guidelines and has since 2010. For a product to carry the PEFC label, it means that the entire chain of custody (CoC) is certified, from the sawmill to all processors, allowing consumers to know that their products really do come from sustainably managed forests.

We're Committed to Locally Sourced Wood

Not only is it important that we only use beech wood from forests where more trees are planted than felled, the location of our suppliers matters as well. This means that all of our beech must come from suppliers located within a 100km (62 miles) radius around Bad Rodach where our manufacturing facility is located. Buying our wood locally ensures close, long-term relationships with suppliers as well as short and therefore eco-friendly delivery routes. This is important because on average around 176,000 cubic feet of raw beech wood is purchased by HABA each year - an amount equivalent to around 150 truck loads. [source]

What is the Difference Between FSC & PEFC?

PEFC is an international organization that pledges to support sustainable forest management through independent 3rd party certification. Not only does PEFC focus on the ethical aspects of forestry, but also the processing of the timber. This leads to a bigger emphasis on the supply chain of the wood than FSC. FSC was developed for forests in tropical environments and the methods were not compatible with the climates of Europe. This in turn led to the creation of PEFC in the 90s, to facilitate sustainable forestry certification in countries like Germany. PEFC now accounts for over 600 million acres of certified forests and its certifications are now recognized in over 30 countries. [source]

Sustainability is Important in Every Aspect of our Business

From our PEFC certified wood to the way we heat our buildings, for HABA complying with all applicable environmental laws and standards is not an obligation but ‘second nature.’ Sustainability is a central element of our corporate philosophy. Recycling of waste wood, the use of rainwater for sanitation facilities, office air-conditioning through ground/air heat exchangers, electricity generation via photovoltaic systems, natural open spaces and facades and green roofs, are among the measures used to protect and reduce the impact on the environment. HABA became the first German toy manufacturer to pass the Öko-Audit (Eco Audit) in 1999 and has since strived towards continuous environmental management in accordance with DIN ISO 14001 which is intended for use by an organization seeking to manage its environmental responsibilities in a systematic manner that contributes to the environmental pillar of sustainability. “It is important to us to pursue sustainable environmental protection at all stages of our work and we have set ourselves the goal of becoming even better," says HABA.