Our Environmental Policy

African Shade mostly uses Pine, which is a wonderful timber for furniture manufacture, but also an invasive alien to South Africa. Massive commercial Pine forestation has unfortunately resulted in the species "escaping" on a large scale, resulting in infestation of the country's sensitive natural water courses and catchment areas. This poses a massive threat to our indigenous plant life and scarce water resources.

The removal and eradication of Pine and other alien species and the replanting of indigenous vegetation is being tackled at great expense to our country's environmental and conservation agencies. For this reason companies such as African Shade have the support of the national Working for Water Programme, through which all our Pine is purchased.

African Shade also manufactures furniture using indigenous timber such as Yellow Wood and Iron Wood, and this is purchased directly from and according to the strict guidelines of the Department of Forestry, which is doing a fantastic job preserving the country's indigenous forests. For example the Department only sells timber which has lived its natural life.