Good to Know: Saving Forests, One Chair at a Time

What if furniture mattered? That’s the question two woodworkers intend to answer with their new company, IF Green.

September/October 2006
By Rebecca Ragain 
/uploadedImages/articles/issues/2006-09-01/GTK1.jpg
Image Gallery
Lisa Grove, Stephen Becker (center) and Tim Tracy: not your average furniture makers
Andie Petkus Photography
Article Tools
Print
Comments
RSS
Bookmark and Share

A tale of two craftsmen: Stephen Becker and Tim Tracy could be twins separated at birth, jokes Lisa Grove, Becker’s wife and the third partner in IF Green. Becker managed an organic farm in Kansas; Tracy managed one in Washington. Becker ran his own cabinetry business; Tracy built his own cabin. The two met while working at a home-building/remodeling firm in Portland, Oregon.

RELATED CONTENT

Furniture with a philosophy: In 2005, Becker, Tracy and Grove launched IF Green, offering stylish, built-to-order home furnishings that are economically, physically and socially sustainable.

Less is more: Becker strives to use minimal resources while creating strong, attractive furniture. The Split-Back Dining Chair is made from just one-third sheet of plywood, thanks to his ultra-efficient design.

Something new, something old: The IF Green crew can’t decide which new material thrills them more: an innovative, eco-resin product called 3form that can be twisted and curved, or a batch of Douglas fir reclaimed from an old cherry-orchard storage vat, stained pinkish-red from the fruit.

Dumpster delight: IF Green’s Dumpster often gets emptier as the week goes on, as Becker and Tracy re-appropriate material. “We use it for storage, really,” Tracy quips. Unusable remnants are given away for use as firewood; sawdust becomes compost.

No rest for the creative: Becker is obsessed with making things. “It’s a blessing and a curse,” he says. One snowy night in Portland, he stayed up until 2 a.m. building a sled for the next day using old cross-country skis, a crutch and a piece of wood slated for the garbage. Unfortunately, the snow didn’t stick.

The goods: Ogle or order wheatboard ottomans, palm-wood chairs and more at IFgreen.com.

 

 

Bookmark and Share
RSS | Comments | E-mail | Print

Comments

Add Your Comment

You can use this comment form to enter your personal experiences or additional information and resources that you'd like to share with Natural Home readers. Your helpful advice will be posted on this page.  E-mail addresses are never displayed on comments, but they are required to confirm your comments.

Line breaks and paragraphs are automatically converted — no need to use <p> or <br> tags.

New to Natural Home?
Sign up to share comments.
Asterisks(*) indicate required fields.
Name*
Your name appears next to your comment.

E-mail Address*
This will be your login ID.

City State Zip Code

Password*


Confirm Password*

Comments
1500 character limit (Offensive materials and/or spam will be removed, no HTML allowed)
Please Note: Your sign-up must be verified via e-mail before your comment is published.
FEATURED ARTICLES
MOST POPULAR


Subscribe today and save 50%
First Name: *
 Last Name: *
Address: *
 City: *
State/Province: *
 Zip/Postal Code:*
Country:
 Email:*
(* indicates a required item)
Canadian subs: 1 year, (includes postage & GST). Foreign subs: 1 year, . U.S. funds.
Canadian Subscribers - Click Here
Non US and Canadian Subscribers - Click Here

Subscribe to Natural Home

Welcome to Natural Home, the authority on green lifestyle and design. With an up-to-date outlook on current trends in sustainable building and wholesome living, Natural Home gives today’s eco-conscious homeowners the information they need to live in nurturing, healthy homes. Subscribe to Natural Home today to get inspired on the art of living wisely and living well.

Save money and a few trees by paying with your credit card now. Take advantage of our earth-friendly automatic renewal savings plan. You’ll save an additional $4.95 and get six issues of Natural Home for just $15! (Offer valid only in the U.S.)

Or, choose Bill Me Later and pay just $19.95