Copeland Beds

Copeland Furniture – A Brief History In Their Own Words

With a vision to create a family owned and operated enterprise, we set out in the early 1970s to make wood products from natural hardwoods. Initially, we made cider presses for home and small-scale orchard use. From there our designs evolved into butcher-block kitchen furniture and Adirondack-style porch furniture, items that were functional and affordable for baby-boomers as they furnished their first homes.

During our many periods of growth, we have changed from a one-man operation in an old garage in East Corinth, Vermont, to a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility located on the banks of the Connecticut River in Bradford, Vermont. Using a combination of leading-edge computer technology and traditional craftsman technique, we have created an enterprise that is embedded in our local community, a place that provides a fulfilling work environment for the men and women who come to work here every day.

Design Aesthetic

The continued evolution of our furniture designs has coincided with a resurgence of appreciation for designs from the Arts & Crafts, Mission, Shaker, and Scandinavian movements. Today, our aesthetic continues to be strongly influenced by these creative movements, as well as the surroundings here in Vermont.

Vermont’s culture has historically placed a high value on preservation as witnessed in the many small villages dotted with architectural gems in the form of houses, libraries, and churches. These understated, well-designed structures inform our creative sensibilities each and every day. Our furniture is best characterized as transitional, neither strictly contemporary nor traditional but rather a combination of elements that incorporate classic proportion with modern simplicity.

The Past is Prologue

Since the beginning, Copeland Furniture has sought to stay loyal to its mission to produce furniture for discerning consumers who have an appreciation for good design, quality, and value. We have also worked hard to stay loyal to the New England tradition of quality craftsmanship. Our work ethic embraces the belief that continuous improvement is ultimately what best serves the customer. We strive to meet your expectations and make the best furniture we possibly can.

The Beauty of Natural Hardwoods

Natural hardwoods have specific characteristics that make them warm and appealing to the eye. Swirls, knots and burls are some characteristics that contribute to the natural beauty of finely crafted hardwood furniture. Hardwoods oxidize, or change color, from exposure to direct light. The color of the wood will deepen over time and take on a warm glow and soft patina.

Care of Your Furniture

When we make a piece of Copeland Furniture, we hope that it will be used and cherished by generations to come, so we have created a clear finish that is silky, smooth to the touch and still tough enough to stand up to the wear and tear of daily family activities. To preserve the beauty of the finish, simply clean the surface of the furniture with a soft damp cloth and then dry it thoroughly. Care over the years to come will not require oil, polishes, or cleaners.

Copeland Furniture is Green Furniture

Preservation and stewardship are values that run deep in Vermont. We take pride in the quality of the environment and the natural beauty that surrounds us. Here are some of the ways that our environmental values are reflected in each piece of furniture that we make:

We use sustainably harvested hardwoods from the American Northern Forest

The lumber we use comes from within 500 miles of our factory. Living and working in and near the regions that supply our raw materials means that far less fossil fuel is consumed and less carbon dioxide emitted through transportation. Furthermore, a recent independent research study, commissioned by the American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC) and conducted by a team of international experts confirms that:

• 1. U.S. hardwoods derive from legal and well managed forests. Hardwood procured from anywhere in the hardwood states could be considered Low Risk in all five Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) controlled wood risk categories.
• 2. There exists, a low risk that U.S. hardwoods are produced from controversial sources as defined in the Chain of Custody standard of the Program for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC).
• 3. The U.S. hardwood-producing region can be considered low risk for illegal and non-sustainable hardwood sourcing as a result of public and private regulatory and non-regulatory programs.

We were awarded Silver Exemplary Membership Status by Sustainable Furnishings Council.

Copeland Furniture was awarded Silver Exemplary Membership Status by Sustainable Furnishings Council (SFC), joining only a handful of companies to have been awarded this prestigious distinction for proven performance in meeting a range of specific sustainability measures.

Recipient of the Sage Award for environmental excellence

Sponsored by the American Home Furnishings Alliance (AHFA), the award program was launched to recognize environmental accomplishments within the home furnishings industry. For more information go to www.sageaward.org

Standard finish is GREENGUARD Certified.

We use a post-catalyzed conversion varnish that is GREENGUARD Certified for low chemical emissions as the default finish option on all of our products. GREENGUARD certification is a testing program of UL (Underwriters Laboratory) focusing on the issue of indoor air quality. Further information about GREENGUARD certification, can be found at: www.greenguard.org

We create durable furniture with timeless designs that will last generations.

Heirloom-quality furniture has less environmental impact than a piece that will fail or has a fashion life. We use time-tested joinery and construction methods, combined with durable finishes and quality hardware.

We're not done.

While the environmental impact of our factory and the environmental cost of the furniture we build for you is among the lowest, we're not standing still. We've continued to work to reduce VOC (volatile organic compounds) emissions. We've reduced packaging material purchases with the installation of a box making machine that allows us to make only what we need. We recycle all packaging waste and have reduced our reliance on landfill disposal. We now heat our building completely with wood waste from our manufacturing operation further reducing our consumption of imported oil.