As we discuss eco-friendly window treatments, a category that comes immediately to mind are plantation shutters made from wood. The wood species that are used most commonly for shutters are poplar and basswood. Both of these woods grow fairly quickly in farmed environments, and qualify as eco-friendly by most definitions. The question then becomes whether the manufacturing and finishing process remain ‘green’. Other hardwoods are also used for plantation shutters such as maple, cherry, mahogany and walnut. These slow growth woods are harvested from managed forests that actually promote new growth, and therefore are eco-friendly.

Does the manufacturer operate in an eco-friendly fashion; are scraps minimized and utilized properly? Is transportation minimized? Are the finished used water based and or low VOC’s?

Finally the product itself is very eco-friendly and remains so indefinitely. Shutters are a wonderful insulator for the home, reducing heating and cooling costs. The louvers can direct the sunlight into or out of the home to allow the sun to passively heat the home, or direct the sun’s rays back out of the home to maintain a cool home.

Learn more at our very detailed shutter information page.

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