As a maker of fine furnishings, we take pride that 87% of our entire product line is made in Hickory, North Carolina. We make upholstery, dining tables, beds, armoires, cocktail tables and a host of other items. Our 99 year old company has over 430 talented craftsmen that make these heirloom quality pieces. This is special as so many furniture companies have lost the ability to make furniture domestically. Another aspect that is very special is the focus each employee has on environmental stewardship.
Employees at Hickory Chair have continued their dedication to continuous improvement in an effort to increase quality, value, and personalized options for their customers. In 1997, they named their focused effort EDGE – Employees Dedicated to Growth and Excellence –and their results have transformed not only the product line itself but the way in which the products are made. One important outcome has been a commitment to improving the environment through a series of initiatives to reduce their environmental footprint and implementation of sustainable business practices.
In 2009 Hickory Chair began the process of earning Sustainable by Design registration by the AHFA. We are proud to announce that in April 2010 Hickory Chair has earned Sustainable by Design (SBD) registration. SBD is providing a roadmap for home furnishings companies to create a corporate culture of conservation and environmental stewardship by integrating socio-economic policies and sustainable business practices into their manufacturing operations and sourcing strategies.
In Hickory Chair’s case, Sustainability by Design is an extension of the EDGE culture and not a new thought process for the company. “Our employees are focused upon making fine furniture that is made to last in an environmentally friendly manner. We are proud that count less pieces of Hickory Chair furniture made in our 99-year history are being passed down from one generation to the next and not filling landfills. We believe that following the guidelines of not only SBD -Sustainability lity by Design but also EFEC – Effecting Furniture’s Environmental Culture will help us launch our second century responsibly and simply doing the right thing for the environment, our employees and the consumer who chooses Hickory Chair personalized pieces for their home” reflects Jay Reardon, president.
Hickory Chair has developed an Environmental Stewardship Policy which guides all activities in this area on the part of its operations and employees. The Policy states their overall goal as follows:
“Hickory Chair recognizes the importance of protecting the environment and conserving our natural resources for future generations. We are committed to responsible environmental stewardship in our dealings with customers, employees, suppliers, government, and our neighbors. The Hickory Chair commitment to responsible environmental stewardship is put into practice by integrating environmentally sound business practices into our strategic business plan and into our daily business decisions. ”
President Jay Reardon said, “At Hickory Chair, we believe the most significant thing we build isn’t furniture, its trust. Nothing is more important to our organization than the relationships we nurture with the employees, dealers and consumers we serve. It’s a conviction that fuels our quest for quality, creativity and excellence – and drives our commitment to listening constantly and responding thoughtfully. The Hickory Chair Environmental Stewardship Mission Statement expresses our conviction to act responsibly so that our employees, our customers, our suppliers, and our community can trust that we will manage our operations in a manner that demonstrates our commitment to sound environmental stewardship practices.
The top management endorses the Hickory Chair Environmental Stewardship Policy and reviews it annually to ensure that its principles and goals remain in alignment with the company’s strategic business plan. The policy is communicated to all employees, prominently posted in the workroom and office and is available to the public upon request. Our goal is to recycle and repurpose all of our waste materials. Through EDGE, our employees are looking at ways to redesign our processes such that waste is prevented from being created in the first place.”
Donna Musick, Hickory Chair’s Environmental Coordinator added, “The improvements generated by EDGE have made a tremendous di f ference on our ability to positively impact the environment, and can be grouped into three areas: better machine utilization which reduced energy consumption, process improvements that eliminated additional work or wasted materials, and the elimination of non-value added operations which improved productivity and reduced energy and materials usage, providing better values without compromise for our customers.”
Among the specific actions being taken by Hickory Chair are:
- Domestic wood is purchased from sustainable/renewable sources
- Beginning in 2007, catalogs and price lists meet FSC (Forest Sustainability Council) registration and are printed on paper that also meets FSC registration.
- Many of the fabrics offered are made of 100% natural/organic fibers
- New insulation and heat reflective roofing have been instal led to reduce energy costs
- Compressors have been updated which eliminated the need for a water cooling system, resulting in water conservation
- Wood dust is the primary fuel source for their boiler for the manufacturing process and facility heating, thus avoiding putting more than 2000 tons of wood biomass in the landfill.
Hickory Chair is proud to announce that in 2008 it became an EFEC (Enhancing Furniture’s Environment Culture) registered company. EFEC is sponsored by the American Home Furnishings Alliance (AHFA) and was created to assist furniture companies in evaluating their operations to ensure continuous improvement of their environmental stewardship. Hickory Chair is one of a smal l group of furniture companies that are now EFEC registered. EFEC is a voluntary environmental management system for furniture manufacturers. The registration requires companies to use management tools that help the company integrate environmental concerns into daily business practices resulting in better environmental performance and improved profitability for the company. EFEC companies enjoy the benefits of increased environmental performance, the recognition as an environmental leader in the furniture industry, improved performance, and efficiency as well as improved regulatory compliance with an enhanced ability to track environmental costs. In addition, financial savings from better management of resources and raw materials results in less waste and recycling.

In 2008 the company was awarded the first ever prestigious Sage Award by the AHFA and Cargill. The purpose of the Sage Award is to seek out, discover, and recognize true industry innovators from whom others can learn. Winners will have demonstrated wisdom, experience and leadership within the home furnishings industry in the areas of sustainable business practices, social responsibility and profitable growth.

“Hickory Chair has demonstrated great visionary leadership in its efforts to move beyond compliance to effective environmental stewardship,” said Bill Perdue, AHFA’s VP of Environmental Affairs. “By embracing the core values of EFEC, the company is creating a corporate culture that will emphasize sustainable business practices and focus on continuous improvement that will result in a significant reduction of its environmental footprint.”