Humble Beginnings
In 1988 Anne Ebel was selling resin benches in Virginia Beach, but little did she know that more than twenty-five years later she would be the president of Ebel Inc. a major outdoor furniture manufacturer. Today they have over 35 different collections of high-grade patio furniture. The headquarters are now based in Jacksonville, Florida and their great products can be found in a number of countries around the world. A leader in synthetic wicker patio furniture, Ebel has become synonymous with quality. Nearing a quarter century of unparalleled value they are poised to remain amongst the top of the outdoor furniture industry for the foreseeable future, but that hasn’t stopped them from continuing to make innovations.
Leading The Charge
In 2008 Ebel partnered with Trees for the Future, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping communities around the world improve their livelihood and their surrounding environment. Since 1988 Trees for the Future estimates they have planted nearly 65 million trees. By their calculations those trees remove one and a half million tons of CO2 from the atmosphere each year. In turn, Ebel has committed to planting enough trees to offset the carbon emissions resulting from their daily operations and planting a tree for each piece of furniture produced. As of 2010 they had already planted over 85,000 trees, by our estimates they have more then doubled that figure as of today. Also, all of the aluminum and wicker they use in the manufacturing of their furniture is 100% recyclable and their teak wood is only harvested from sustainable plantations. All of their marketing materials are made in a facility that has the Forest Stewardship Council certification. It’s refreshing to see in this day and age a company not fully consumed with their bottom line of their gross profits but has found a way to to conduct their business and while doing their part in making the world a truly better place at the same time.
How You Can Make A Difference
Want to get involved and see how you too can contribute to Trees for the Future? You can do so by making an on-line donation, downloading a agroforestry training manual or by simply volunteering.