Over the years it's interesting to see that besides the usage of common trees such as Oak, Acacia, Maple, Mahogany humankind has been innovating in using many more varieties. With promising harvesting, handling and processing it's amazing to see how many diverse materials we can use. Not just that, each of them brings to the table (ya table) diverse textures, patterns and colors. Home decor and home design benefit immensely from these diverse types of wood. Let's have a look at five of the trending wood types.

What is Mango Wood

Mango wood is resident to the lands of SouthEast Asia, places like Myanmar and India. As the name suggests it comes from mango trees. Over the years Mango wood is now being harvested in Brazil, Hawaii and a few other parts of the world.

Mangifera indica was brought to East Asia between the 4th and 5th century BC. With the establishment of water trade routes operated by the Portuguese, the Mango tree in the 16th century AD reached the Philippines, Brazil, and Africa, where it has flourished ever since

Why is Mango Wood eco-friendly?

Mango Wood is more sustainable than oak or teak due to a few reasons. Mango trees reach maturity in 7 to 15 years depending on the species. On the other hand a teak or oak tree maturity ranges from 30-40 years. The sheer difference makes us realize the volume of water, resources and sustainability difference they both have. All wood is beautiful in its own way but when it comes to the planet it's a welcome thought to understand these nuances.

Thus Mango wood is sustainable, eco friendly and planet friendly.

Uses and texture of Mango Wood

Now coming back to the texture and use. Once a mango tree reaches full maturity and stops producing mangoes, that is the time farmers are open to its use for mango wood. This commercial use helps many small and big farmers who can use the finances for their farms and needs.

The beautiful color of mango wood can vary from light to dark shades of brown, though golden brown is the most common shade one naturally gets. It can have beautiful streaks and with maturity can also change color naturally and darken. This depends on the finishing. It's durable and a hardwood which can be refinished and used with great versatility. It's not just used in furniture and decor but also for musical instruments such as ukuleles.

At BlueGrape Studio we absolutely love sourcing and curating products harnessing the beauty and sustainability of mango wood.

What is Trembesi Wood and Monkeypod Wood

Another exotic wood, the Trembesi or Monkeypod Wood, is found in the regions of Indonesia, South and Central America. It comes from a tree called Albizia Genus or Albizia Saman. It is also known as Suar wood or Monkeypod. The key feature of this wood is contrast, you will often see a mix of light and a dark streak, deep grains, here and there. It has a rich and deep look and can create some stunning pieces of furniture. Its weight is similar to Acacia and Teak. Trembesi or Monkeypod is dried over time and sometimes in hot kilns before being used for creating beautiful pieces. Due to its crisscrossed interlocking grains, it is resistant to decay and sought for its strength.

How is Trembesi, Monkeypod eco friendly?

The tree grows up to 100 to 200 ft in diameter and is widespread. It spans up to 50-80 ft in height. They grow fast and are widespread across regions making them eco friendly and sustainable currently. They are farmed as well and grow easily in tropical climates.

Where did the name Monkeypod come from

The name Monkeypod came as these trees have seed pods with sweet sticky flesh. Monkeys used to gather in large numbers given the widespread diameter of this tree and eat the sweet pod. Thus the name Monkeypod!

What is Rattan?

Rattan, known for many years as the harbinger of stylish pieces - from accent pieces, benches, nightstands and more. The Rattan plant is part of the Palm family but it is a vine or creeper. South East Asia accounts for over 80% of the world’s Rattan growth.

How is it used for furniture?

Harvesting Rattan involves avoiding its sharp thorny layer and is a skill many local farmers excel at. For many countries harvesting rattan from the deep forests, farms and supplying it for furniture is a key source of livelihood. There are almost 40 varieties of Rattan which are used for furniture. Post harvesting, some are cured and smoked to get its earthy brown and ochre colors. A lot of prep goes into getting that beautiful piece into your home!

How is Rattan Eco-Friendly?

When it comes to sustainability Rattan re-grows in 5-7 years making it far more eco-friendly than teak and oak. It lasts for generations, its strong, not hollow and sturdy.

At BlueGrape we love products in Rattan for their warmth and intricacies.

The lightest of timber woods is the Paulownia Wood. It is light, fine grained and one of the fastest growing hardwoods coming from the tree known as Paulownia (of course!) or Empress. As deforestation permeated many parts of the world including the US the search to find fast growing, sustainable wood increased. Paulownia grows at steep inclines, grows fast and thus can be grown repeatedly. There are almost 17 species of Paulownia trees and they vary in usage. Grown for thousands of years in Japan and China, native to China, one can now find these trees in some other parts of the world. But these trees which are native to China are still found largely in those areas.

How is Paulownia Eco-Friendly?

Paulownia trees are disease resistant and knot free, reducing wastage and optimizing usage. They can grow from 6 to 13 feet in one year making them very usable and eco-friendly. They reach a height of 15 feet in 10 mature years. One thing to remember though is that the roots of the tree are invasive so farming them with care is vital.

Let's start with saying Bamboo is not really a wood but scientifically categorized as a grass. The stalky bamboo stalks are woven together or now even glued together to create some strong wood boards. Surprisingly mankind has innovated in not just using Bambii for intricate furniture but also larger scale pieces.

How is Bamboo Eco-Friendly?

A Bamboo tree takes just 4 years on an average to reach 40 feet making it eco friendly and sustainable.It requires very little water and doesn't need much fertilizers. Bamboo plants release 30-35% more oxygen in the air than other plants. All these incredible features make it eco-friendly.

Usage of Bamboo

Bamboo is 2-3 times stronger than timber and used for making houses in many countries. It predominantly grows in Asia, Latin America and Africa along with some parts of Southern United States and China.Besides furniture Bamboo is making its mark in clothing, agriculture and building material. It makes for beautiful flooring and in many countries you will see it on the wall for texture and interest. It blends in to create perfectly zen like environments.