HIGH POINT, N.C. — President Bush famously asked us to shop after the 9/11 attacks. He wanted to show the evildoers that the fuel that feeds capitalism-consumerism was as abundant as sand in the desert and that Americans could not be deterred from their favorite pastime. Shopping might not be everyone’s idea of patriotism, but if you are buying things made in the USA, you could be helping to strengthen this anemic economy.
The furniture industry saw those sands shifting more than a decade ago as cheap overseas labor and other factors threatened to turn “Made in America” into an endangered species. Maintaining designers, factories and a skilled workforce became a point of pride for some companies. At the International Home Furnishings Market in High Point, N.C., in October, American-made products had a strong showing of new introductions.
C.R. Laine, a North Carolina-based company, started out in 1958 making goose neck rockers and grew into a successful upholstery maker. The cash flow is not the only thing green about this company — its environmental practices are as green as an organic cabbage patch. It was the first upholstery company to achieve sustainable by design certification. The frames are made from sustainable hardwoods, and the construction process emits no volatile organic compounds. Even the springs are formed from 50 percent recycled metal.
“At C.R. Laine, our upholstery is not mass-produced. Each item is handcrafted to the consumer’s specifications one at a time,” said company COO Warren Frye.
Customers can choose from more then 1,000 frame styles and nearly 1,000 fabric choices. “The possibilities are endless and require the execution of well-seasoned artisans,” he said. “All the craftsmen at the company have specialized skills that have been honed over years of mastering.”
View the C.R. Laine Collections
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