This is our first piece in a series on the materials we use in our production when we make outstanding outdoor furniture here at ScanCom.

The first material we want to talk about is fittingly one of the most classic and recognised materials used in outdoor furniture around the world: teak hardwood.

Teak is a premium hardwood that is traditionally found growing in the regions around south-east Asia and Oceania and is well-known for its fantastic properties relating to outdoor use, as well as its characteristic golden colour that will turn silver-grey over time if left untreated.

Originally used primarily for construction work in the region, Teak became a popular material in ship-building as the properties proved ideal for use in the decks due to the high level of oils in the wood making it extremely resistant to both saltwater and fungi – thus proving ideal for use in the heat and humid the boats were exposed to every day.

Today, Teak is used in many ways, but is probably most known for outdoor furniture. This is because of the above characteristics of the wood making it perfect for creating durable and stunning pieces that suits perhaps particularly the European taste in creating outdoor spaces for leisure and relaxation. At ScanCom we only use Teak that is 100% FSC-certified and grown in plantations or made from recycled buildings, railways and the like. All our Teak is grown and processed in Indonesia, as this is one of the top providers of the wood in a very high quality and with supreme qualities. In addition, we also produce with reclaimed teak that is otherwise bound to be discarded, and upcycle this into beautiful and unique pieces.

We distinguish between three types of Teak at ScanCom: Premium FSC Teak, Upcycled Teak and Standard FSC Teak.

Premium FSC Teak

Our Premium Teak is made from a very high quality part of the heartwood of trees that are decades old and is subjected to a special in-house finish ensuring an even and exclusive look.

Standard FSC Teak

The Standard Teak is a new material for us, as we have found a way to use the outer layers of the wood in furniture manufacturing. Lighter and with more unique and visible patterns in the wood, this material is pre-treated at our facilities which adds a beautiful colour and is a very ethical material as it minimises waste from

the trees.

The reason we use only plantation Teak is because this is our way of guaranteeing that the wood is fairly, legally and sustainably sourced. Most of the old Teak forests were shamelessly harvested – often illegally – making plantations the only ethical way of cultivating and producing the trees for production. An interesting fact: it is not known to many, but true Teak only comes from the south-east Asia and Oceania regions. While it is possible to buy South American, African and Chinese Teak, this is a cheaper wood that have lesser properties, and is actually not related to the Teak you find in for example Indonesia and Burma.