At an estimated 100 billion board feet, Tangaloa Prime hardwood is the largest single-species hardwood resource in the world. It is the largest non-rainforests wood resource in the world. It is a "safewood" resource that is almost universal in its uses and an excellent replacement for near-extinct mahogany and other depleted old-growth woods. It is the only high-quality natural wood that is milled from a common agricultural waste that is found in over 60 countries spanning the equator and the South Pacific. And, Tangaloa Prime is the sole developer and supplier of its Tangaloa Prime hardwood.

"SafeWood"

With no exceptions, and one that no rainforest wood resource can claim, Tangaloa meets all the criteria of "safewood" and guarantees the following.

The Qualities of Tangaloa Prime Hardwood

Where Tangaloa Prime hardwood can be used is almost universal in application. A stable and beautiful high-quality wood, Tangaloa can replace any rainforests woods that are currently in use. It is equal to or better than any old-growth woods. In addition to high-quality wood, sawdust from milling and off-cuts can be used to maufacture many common processed wood products, such as plywood and wallboards. With its high fiber content, it is an excellent pulp resource for paper making.

All Tangaloa Prime hardwood is clear-grained, knot-free and prime grade. In relation to NHLA grading standards, Tangaloa is higher than FAS, which has a second face requirement of at least 83.13% clear. Tangaloa could well be regarded as FAF, in that all faces or sides are 100% clear. The mechanical and strength properties of Tangaloa exceed those of mahogany. In addition, Tangaloa wood is not known as a primary host for termites.

The Scope of the Tangaloa Resource

Based on best estimates of senile coco palms in existence, Tangaloa’s world estimate of milled Tangaloa wood yield is 100 billion board feet. Converted to rainforests trees, this can save over 60 million loggable trees. Are there that many trees left to cut? Certainly, Tangaloa can save all of the remaining mahogany trees in existence, today. All this is to say that the Tangaloa resource is huge, already here and ready to move forward.

At this time, Tangaloa has a start-up raw resource base with a yield of 200 million board feet. This is more than enough to immediately begin the process of replacing rainforests woods and sets the foundation for accelerated development of a world-wide wood resource system that is based on a resource that is renewed as it is used. A rare, if not, singular event for the 21st century.

These above estimates do not include by-products of charcoal, firewood, plywood, pressboards and paper pulp that can save an additional amount of hundreds of billions of board feet of rainforests woods. Given current world usage, we believe that there is enough resource to supply Tangaloa wood for all of the 21st century. A claim that cannot be made nor met with the existing stands of rainforests. In addition, there is time for replanted coco palms to mature, twice over, and to expand the world volume of harvestable trees for an expanding world population.

The Scope and Future of Rainforest Wood Usage

Many rainforest and old-growth woods, such as the endangered mahogany, cedar and others are well-known and extensively used in the building and funiture industries. Many are familiar with flooring, trims and moulding, lauan plywood, wall panels and teak furniture. But, there is also another segment of voluminous usage in the production of component parts, i.e., handles for shovels and wheelbarrows, cutting boards, servers, trays, counters, and so forth. Together, this combined weight of usage has placed the world’s rainforests environments in a state of crises and on the path to extinction.

Rainforests and old-growth forests trees are not renewable and, according to studied projections, have only 30-50 more years of diminishing yields. Factor in an exploding world population and their demands and that time frame may be even less. Whatever the time frame, one fact is unalterable: rainforests and old-growth forests trees are a terminal resource.

A Model for Change

The commerce of rainforest woods is fueled by first-world product demands and driven by a product chain of material suppliers, product manufacturers and product sellers. At the top of the product chain are the sellers who act as product arbiters and are the gateways to change. It is the sellers who have the leverage to specify which woods shall be used in the manufacture of whole wood products, such as flooring, and wood components, such as wooden shovel handles.

For wood component parts, Tangaloa makes excellent sense. Rather than cutting down a rainforest non-replaceable tree to make utilitarian component parts, using Tangaloa Prime hardwood is using "safe wood" and very environmentally and politically correct. Sellers can require their suppliers of shovels with wooden handles, for instance, to supply those shovels with handles made of Tangaloa hardwood. This can apply to wheel barrows with wooden handles, rakes, knives and the list goes on. Utilitarian products such as cutting boards and servers can be made from Tangaloa wood. Afterall, for the vast majority of consumers, what wood is used for a handle or cutting board is less important than its durability and utility. Therefore, changing to Tangaloa wood will not create consumer resistance. Indeed, consumers would welcome a product with a "safe wood" origin.

Ultimately, linking the broad uses of Tangaloa with the leverage of sellers will directly impact the usage of rainforests woods. Doing this makes good business and societal sense, preserves a critical component of our world’s well-being and, best of all, gives our children a worthy legacy.