Activists have been working since 1995 to convince Scan/Design Furniture, a West Coast chain with five stores based in Bellevue, and other stores that selling furniture and other products made from old-growth tropical woods harvested in destructive ways is unacceptable.

Rainforest Relief of Portland first inspected one of Scan/Design's two Portland area stores in 1995, finding that almost all of its furniture lines were made from the old-growth tropical forest woods teak, mahogany, and rosewood. In correspondence and meetings with the store's Danish owner in Denmark and regional manager in Bellevue over the last two years, rainforest organizations have worked to demonstrate that none of these woods are sustainably harvested, and their harvest contributes not only to forest destruction but to the destruction of indigenous cultures and human rights violations.

The harvest and use of teak wood products funds the destruction of tropical forests and the illegal military regime of Burma. The demand for teak is fueling massive deforestation in Burma, having been responsible for the loss of entire forests in many other countries. The repressive, illegal regime of Burma is selling off its teak and other hardwoods to pay for the purchase of arms to quell the democracy movement, once again in a tense standoff today with the government.

The majority of mahogany now on the market is taken illegally from rainforests in Brazil and Bolivia. Outlaw timber companies invade indigenous reserves, parks, and nature preserves, destroying not only the fragile forests, but the homelands of indigenous tribal peoples. Tree poachers punch new roads into pristine forests, cut valuable trees, and transport the wood to middlemen and exporters, who in turn sell it to importers in the U.S., Europe and Japan.

In late 1996, Washington Rainforest Action Group supplied Scan/Design with information about how to obtain independently-certified sustainable wood to replace the uncertified tropical woods. But a March 1997 inspection revealed that the vast majority of furniture in the Northeast Portland store still was made with teak, mahogany, or rosewood content. In June 1997, activists in Seattle met with the chain's owner and regional manager. They learned that Scan/Design had begun to make substantial purchases of non-tropical wood furniture, a step in the right direction from our point of view. Tree free and recycled is ideal.

The store's management stated their intent to phase out uncertified tropical woods, but would not commit to a phaseout date, nor state how much more tropical wood furniture they intended to buy and resell. In an August 18, 1997 letter, six conservation and human rights organizations from Oregon, Washington, California, and North Carolina demanded that Scan/Design state a date for ceasing purchase of furniture made with uncertified tropical woods by November 1, 1997.

Scan/Design missed the deadline, and still hasn't answered our last letter. Scan/Design's refusal to commit to ending the use of uncertified tropical woods, and the emergency situation in the world's old-growth tropical forests, left us no choice but to go public through the media and demonstrations outside their stores.

So far, demonstrations have been held in Portland, Eugene and Seattle. In a June 27 demonstration at the company's headquarters, Jeff Shaw from the Eugene Burma Action Group, and Shannon Mayorga of the Washington Rainforest Action Group went into the main showroom and talked with the showroom manager (Gustav Gaarde, the general manager and point communicator was not in). In an effort to hand over a huge stack of petitions collected by the Portland chapter of Rainforest Relief and the Eugene Burma Action Group we were promptly kicked out of the store and the police were called. Apparently, the store's management didn't realize that a demonstration on a public street is perfectly legal, and thought they could intimidate the activists.

Of course the police did not do anything except tell them that if they re-entered the store they would be arrested. Given that, the activists just carried on outside with noise makers, the puppets, handing out literature to the public, and generally trying to disrupt the offering of illegally obtained teak and mahogany that was happening inside. This was a positive event and we gathered a lot of supportive feedback from the public.

We should also note that the company has been telling people who inquire into their tropical forest connection that they don't sell solid hardwoods, just veneers. This is an obvious lie when they have solid teak, rosewood, and mahogany furniture all over the showroom. And it's interesting that Scan/Design would try to convince customers that the furniture is less valuable (and illegally obtained) than it actually is.

Take action now to help stop Scan's Scam: Please write a letter to or call Scan/Design Furniture at the below address. Ask that they respond to Rainforest activists' request for a phase-out date for uncertified tropical woods in their furniture. Let them know that you will pass the word that they are contributing to destruction of the world's old-growth tropical forests, and the oppression of indigenous and ethnic minorities. Scan/Design must commit to a phaseout date, and stick to it, for the campaign to end.

For those letters and calls (yes they do have a slash in their name): Mr. Gustav Gaarde, General Manager, Scan/Design Furniture, 10515 NE 6th St., Bellevue WA 98004; Phone 425-454-7200.

Thanks for your help. Please send a copy of your letter electronically or by snail mail to Washington Rainforest Action Group at: tribal@earthlink.net; Wash. Rainforest Action Group, Attn: Shannon Mayorga, 2417 E. Miller, Seattle WA 98112.