A company founded in a garage by two high school friends? It’s a familiar story, and yet a successful one. Before sustainability was all the rage, U.S. government-mandated recycling in the late 1980s prompted a swelling increase in the use of plastic. The need to transform the overabundance of recycled plastic into something new was greater than ever. Because high-density polyethylene plastic is extremely durable and weather-resistant, POLYWOOD’s founders knew that outdoor furniture was the ideal application. Their original mission of stewardship and pushing the envelope of sustainable design sets the company apart from its competitors and remains at its core today.
“Through sustainable materials, local production and infinitely recyclable products, we are committed to leaving the great outdoors better than we found it,” said Dalila Benz, vice president, commercial sales. “Our company’s core pillars of innovation and integration are not only key industry differentiators in the outdoor category, but true guiding principles as to how we define our process—from material development to product design, testing and finally execution.”
POLYWOOD is a thick, dense plastic product that replicates high-quality lumber in dimension and strength. “Our furniture pieces can stand the test of time, without requiring any of the laborious maintenance so often needed by other natural woods,” noted Benz.
She also shared that POLYWOOD’s in-house testing lab regularly tests both new and existing designs for structural stability, weight tolerance, UV resistance and material suitability. “Because testing is such an important part of ensuring the safety and durability of our products, POLYWOOD is in the process of becoming an American Society for Testing and Materials-certified facility, so our results have an added level of reliability and impartiality,” Benz added.
The hospitality sector requires aesthetics, comfort and most of all, durability in furniture. POLYWOOD’s offerings meet those needs through an array of products. The company is best known for their Adirondack lounge chair, though their furniture categories include something for every space: rocking chairs; coffee, side and accent tables; dining furniture; deep seating; benches; swings; gliders; chaise loungers; bar and counter furniture; accessories and even kid’s furniture.
POLYWOOD manufactures everything from furniture frames to cushions in Syracuse, Ind. and Roxboro, N.C., committing to an agile manufacturing process that eliminates inventory risk and results in short lead times. They operate with a zero-waste mindset, reusing all scrap materials and building everything to order, which prevents surplus stock from being discarded.
Despite having a catalogue of over 10,000 available SKUs, POLYWOOD is constantly innovating to develop new designs, implement new materials and stay ahead on color technologies.
“While our ability to truly customize product (i.e., new design or alternate dimensions) is reserved for national programs or branding initiatives due to required minimum-order quantities, POLYWOOD is very nimble in its ability to provide custom color combinations of our existing pieces or client branding by way of custom medallions or etched logos,” Benz said.
Designed to be used through countless seasons and crafted in America with industry-leading sustainability practices, POLYWOOD is “forever furniture.” HM
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POLYWOOD's durable outdoor furniture is sustainably made in the USA using infinitely recyclable lumber made from reusable plastics with a zero-waste mindset. The company offers a large variety of all-weather porch, lounge, dining and kids' outdoor furniture that is low-maintenance and easy to clean, as well as accessories, including quick-drying cushions and pillows. “Our integrated approach to sustainability is driven not only by what we make, but how and where we make it,” said CEO Doug Rassi, who is also one of the company founders.
This article was originally published in the January edition of Hotel Management magazine. Subscribe here.