The Simple Furniture Company

1. The Simple Furniture Company Becoming Green

2. The company was started in the Spring of 2005 We currently manufacture our products in Richmond, IN at a facility we share with a custom UV Rollcoat Finishing Company. Our products are distributed out of our warehouse in Indianapolis, In and are shipped to locations in the US, Canada, and Europe. Background

3. How we manufacture • All or our products are cut with a Thermwood CNC Router • All of our products are finished via a UV Rollcoat flat line.

4. Before we were Green • Our first product line was the Studio Collection. • This line was produced with a primary input of non - FSC Russian Birch plywood. • These products were packaged in a non-recycled fiber corrugated box with a PE foam inner pack. • This line was sold through the Drop Ship Vendor progams of Target.com, Sears.com, and other catalogs

5. A new direction • In the Spring of 2007 while we were working on a new line of modern styled RTA Furniture our CEO asked if we could make it “Green”. He already owned a large grain farm in North Dakota and had been following the organic movement in food products. • During the same time period the price of Russian / Baltic Birch rised from a cost of $23.40 per 5’x5’x18mm B/BB panel to a cost of $39.00 per panel so we needed to start looking for an alternate material.

6. Changes we made to become Green • We changed our wood inputs from Russian Birch plywood to a FSC certified Birch plywood from Columbia Forest Products. • The Birch plywood was specified to be a Purebond panel which eliminated Formaldehyde from our products. • We changed from our PE foam inner pack to an indented kraft paper inner pack. • We changed our corrugated packaging and instructions to 100% post consumer recycled fiber content paper products.

7. Inmodern • Inmodern was our first product line to be marketed as an eco-friendly RTA furniture option for the home. • The Inmodern line is targeted to the 20 to 40 year old professional • Inmodern has been featured in Business Week and USA Weekend

8. ecotots • Ecotots is our newest and best product line. • Ecotots is targeted to the modern lifestyle parent of young children. • Ecotots is sold through 100s of websites and stores across the US and Canada • Ecotots has been on the featured on the Today show and featured on the cover of Parents magazine along with many other publications

9. Why we are Green • The use of FSC Certified Plywood • The use of Purebond plywood – No Formaldehyde • All of our products are assembled with no tools and do not require metal fasteners • 100% recycled fiber content packaging and instructions • Water based stain • Manufactured in the USA

10. Current affiliations and certifications • FSC Chain of Custody Certified • Member of 1% for the Planet • Member of the Substainable Furniture Council • Independently tested for Hazardous metals in our finishes

11. Our next challenges • GreenGuard certification • SFI certification • Ensuring CARB compliance. • Implementing the procedures required under the Consumer Products Safety Improvements Act.

12. Shades of Green • The question we deal with everyday is “what shade of green does the american public want” • Being completely green is expensive compared to the normally imported RTA furniture that we compete against. • For every $10 in extra cost we incur, the suggested MSRP goes up $30.