Five years ago, when Greenway Cabinetry heard about a $120 million totally green building going up in Manhattan, it sparked a vision of what the future might hold for the cabinetmaking industry. Upon learning the project’s builder was having a tough time finding green cabinetry to install throughout the facility, Greenway got the idea to start its ‘Breathe Easy’ cabinet line, which it began manufacturing four years ago. "We figured this was going to be the future, and the sooner we got started, the better," says Karen Oxholm, representative for the Long Island, N.Y.-based company.

Greenway’s "Breathe Easy" Cabinetry for Indoor Air Quality uses a frameless box with full overlay doors and drawer heads. The box is made of ¾" maple veneered plywood with no formaldehyde in its binding agents. Forest Stewardship Council-certified plywood boxes are available at an additional charge. Responsibly harvested solid wood from sustainable forest programs, rapidly renewable bamboo and sustainably designed MDF boards are among the materials used for door and drawer construction.

Greenway started the business to produce a formaldehyde-free product for healthy indoor quality. During that development time more and more inquiries came in regarding certification under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System and how its cabinetry would fit into the LEED standards. The company researched materials and components further in order to produce a product that would leave as little of a carbon footprint as possible. Greenway decided that the ‘Breathe Easy’ line would create three things: a healthier indoor environment, a healthier planet and a new niche in a business in which Greenway had years of experience. "When you think about it, it’s all connected," says Oxholm. "Everything we do affects the future generations. It’s time we think more responsibly."

Greenway realized providing a less toxic product enables consumers to have healthier homes, the employees at the factory are subjected to fewer toxins and the emissions during manufacturing are reduced. When the cabinetry is eventually discarded, the materials may be recycled or disposed of without adding toxic, non-degradable debris to landfills. "I continuously ask myself what the connections are between the rise in medical problems of the children today and manufacturing methods," says Oxholm. "Naturally, we considered that this move was also smart business savvy to position ourselves to be ready for what we believe is the future of the cabinet industry."

How green can you go?

Greenway Cabinetry sells its "Breathe Easy" cabinet line mostly within a dealer network. Sales representatives educate and sign up dealers from Florida to New England who are interested in carrying an eco-friendly line. Since the product line’s inception, Greenway has seen an increase in demand and interest. "On the whole, prospective customers are sure they are looking for a non-toxic cabinet," says Oxholm. "Some even more environmentally concerned, along with architects and designers, are seeking to find the ultimate green cabinet and are particularly interested in how and where the materials originated. Sustainability becomes an important issue, and we try to give honest, realistic answers."

Greenway’s cabinets are accepted by the U.S. Green Building Council, and professional green project designers know they can raise the standards so the project may be awarded more LEED credits, which are categorized as Silver, Gold and Platinum.

Reviewing the sustainability of the available materials and the distance those same materials travel to the factory and eventually to the installation site play a role in making final decisions. The toxin issue already has been addressed by the combined use of formaldehyde-free plywood, water-based glues and no-VOC or low-VOC stains, paints and finish coats. The stains, paints and waterborne lacquers have a range from zero to very low VOC content, and all are either "Green Seal" or "Greenguard" certified. While most orders received by dealers for the homeowner include the standard "Breathe Easy" specifications, architectural and design groups often include FSC-certified boxes and five-piece hardwood doors made of lumber from forests that have strict forest management programs in place.

Approximately half of the "Breath Easy" orders are for bamboo, a rapidly renewable species that takes just five years to grow before harvesting. At present, only solid bamboo is used, but Greenway may add a bamboo veneer on a sustainably designed MDF board in the near future. The current line of slab style doors on MDF includes wood veneers in maple, cherry and rift cut oak. Since each job is custom, customers can specify other veneers such as quarter sawn maple.

The 20,000-sq.-ft. factory and 25 employees were already accustomed to producing quality products for the high-end market before the move into a green product was made. Each cabinet features top-of-the-line hardware, and most accessories are chrome-plated wire, rather than polyvinyl. All edgebanding is done with matching wood veneers, eliminating the use of PVC material. Since each job is custom, Greenway does projects large and small, including kitchens, baths, offices and entertainment units.

The company is set to partner with several factories to maintain its six-week lead time should several large projects come in at once. "We are not limited in our production," says Oxholm. "We would oversee production and quality control to ensure our specifications are met and all ‘Breathe Easy’ materials are used. It’s all part of the FSC chain of custody issue."

An answer for frustrated customers

Greenway Cabinetry is currently working on several LEED projects, and most of its LEED-seeking clients discover the company through its Web site. Oxholm says the company has seen a tremendous increase in the last few years in calls from throughout the country, many of which are architects passionate about pursuing LEED projects. Other interested clients include developers, who want to get LEED credits on large projects such as condominiums, and walk-in trade who come into dealerships frustrated with trying to find products that are truly green.

"We believe there are not many cabinet manufacturers who are as green as we are – especially with the non-toxic values," says Oxholm. "They might use some sort of a composition board that still has melamine on it on the interior of the cabinet, and that will drop the LEED points." Greenway prefers not to use wheat board or similar agricultural board for its box construction because ¾" plywood is more stable, and agricultural board comes from the Midwest, increasing the emissions produced. Conversely, the hardwood Greenway uses is harvested in the Northeast. "It’s the total package that we offer that sparks a real interest. We are always investigating new materials to meet the needs of greenness and budget," Oxholm says.

Greenway recently began using a new edgebanding for the interior shelving to help reduce the cost of wood edgebanding. Unlike commonly used PVC, it disintegrates when disposed. "There are so many levels of green, and we learn something every month on how we can make a change for the better," Oxholm says. "It’s a continuous journey to become greener."

Green’s inherent challenges

Oxholm says the biggest challenge of manufacturing green cabinetry is understanding the whole picture. "Greening up our homes and work spaces requires a consciousness of how everything we do is connected to the quality and health of the earth and its inhabitants," she says. "How and where the materials are manufactured to the way they are shipped and will eventually be disposed of all play an important role. There are social issues as well as economic issues to address in much of the decision making." And while the LEED program gives woodworkers a set of guidelines to follow, "when you feel passionate about something, there is always room for improvement."

Greenway’s dealers are invested in the process of propelling green products in the marketplace and educating customers. "It’s a common understanding that what we are doing will make a difference for future generations, but at the same time, will allow us to have a viable, economically sound business of which to be proud," says Oxholm.