Frequently Asked Questions

Ecology

BreathingJoinery™

BambooTimbre™

Leather

Finishes

General

Ecology

Q. Is the hardwood or bamboo FSC certified?: A. Yes. Please see the FSC Certification section.
Q. Do you observe ISO standards?: A. Yes. Please see the ISO Certification section.
Q. Do you use MDF or particleboard?: A. Maria Yee uses no MDF or particleboard in the construction of her products. All the furniture is handcrafted out of either solid hardwood or BambooTimbre™. Tested against EN717-1, the stringent standards that measure formaldehyde content in wood-based panels, our products' formaldehyde levels are so low they are undetectable.
Q. Are any recycled or reclaimed materials used?: A. When Maria started her business in 1988, she used reclaimed wood to craft museum quality Ming Dynasty reproductions. Because of China's Cultural Revolution, many temples and buildings were destroyed. She personally traversed sites in China looking for reclaimed wood. Upon discovering timber suitable for furniture making, she would transport it, sometimes by donkey, to railroads where it then made its way to her workshop.
As her business grew, Maria Yee began using plantation hardwood that is responsibly grown and selectively harvested. She has never used any species from the rapidly diminishing tropical rain forests.
Q. What happens to the by-products of manufacturing?: A. Maria Yee strives to be as efficient and eco-friendly as possible during the manufacturing process. We recycle sawdust to fuel our low-emission boilers, turning waste into heat for more than 35 acres and one million feet of production space.
We use wood in its entirety to minimize waste and recycle cardboard and other materials. In China, Maria Yee also works with the local bamboo farmers to use the entire bamboo culm - minimizing waste and enhancing the economy.
Q. How does the manufacturing process use energy efficiently?: A. We use advanced technology to run our company efficiently. Our state-of-the-art computerized kilns require less energy to dry lumber, increasing efficiency over traditional methods.
In 2007, Maria Yee inaugurated a new 350,000 square-foot factory - the first industrial building in China to wholly employ hydronic heating, an energy efficient heating source according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
The campus also has 14 large skylights, each one measuring more than 420 feet long, which eliminate the need for electrical lighting during the day and cut energy consumption by nearly half. At night, energy-efficient light bulbs are used.
Q. Are the packing materials recyclable?: A. All Maria Yee products are shipped in 100 percent recyclable corrugated cardboard cartons. The interior cardboard corners used to protect product corners and edges are also made from 100 percent recyclable corrugated cardboard.
To protect the pieces from scratches, polyethylene foam is used. This foam is recyclable only if the users have such recyclers in their area.
Q. How does the furniture stay together without nails or screws?: A. Using joinery techniques including mortise and tenon, dovetail and floating panel, expert craftsmen handcraft furniture that is fitted together so precisely that no nails or screws are needed.
Maria Yee refined traditional joinery techniques for the modern manufacturing environment to create her exclusive BreathingJoinery™ system, which she uses to handcraft solid hardwood and BambooTimbre™ furnishings.
Q. What are the advantages of furniture constructed using joinery?: A. Joinery provides unyielding strength, ensuring that furniture will not weaken, squeak or crack over time. Wood contracts or expands in response to humidity. Maria Yee's interlocking joints expand and contract with the piece - ensuring the strength is never compromised. Furniture made with nails or screws will weaken over time as the wood shifts around the hardware. In addition to its superior quality, some of Maria Yee's California contemporary designs are more striking with the clean frame structure achieved with pure joinery.
Q. Why is there a quarter-inch inch opening on the top of my solid hardwood chest?: A. The quarter-inch opening is part of a floating panel design, which allows the wood to expand and contract with the atmospheric moisture without damaging the panel or breaking the frame. Floating panel design is not needed with BambooTimbre pieces.
Q. What is BambooTimbre™?: A. Using a proprietary process, bamboo culms, or stalks, are flattened, layered and bonded together in defined patterns to create solid boards as thick as 8 inches.
Q. What type of adhesives do you use to bond the BambooTimbre boards?: A. The adhesives meet worldwide industry standards for indoor air quality. Tested against EN717-1, the stringent standards that measure formaldehyde content in wood-based panels, our BambooTimbre products' formaldehyde levels are so low they are undetectable.
Q. How is BambooTimbre different from other bamboo materials on the market?: A. BambooTimbre is created specifically for making solid bamboo furniture and large objects. Bamboo furniture typically is made with whole bamboo culms, or stalks, and is prone to insect infestation, rattling and cracking. Bamboo is also used as a decorative accessory. Sliced into thin veneers and adhered to wood pieces or other materials, this technique gives the appearance of a solid bamboo board. Maria Yee is the first designer to offer solid bamboo furnishings.
Q. What are the benefits of BambooTimbre as a home furnishing material?: A. Bamboo is one of the fastest growing renewable resources on the planet. Maria Yee creates BambooTimbre as a natural alternative to solid hardwood to help offset the effects of deforestation. BambooTimbre exceeds steel in tensile strength and is harder than red oak. It is water resistant and very durable. Maria's BreathingJoinery™ ensures the furniture will last for generations.
Q. Why wasn't bamboo like Maria's BambooTimbre used before? Why now?: A. Furniture-grade bamboo boards are expensive to make and hard to perfect. Maria spent years researching and refining the technology to create her patented BambooTimbre. It is a labor of love - the fruit of Maria's passion, spirit and hard work.
Q. Why is full grain leather considered the highest quality?: A. Full grain leather is the top layer of the hide. It is more durable and pliable than split leather - the under-layers of the hide. No corrections have been applied to remove scars or natural marks. Maria Yee uses the best U.S. and European hides. They are never stretched to cover more surface area, which weakens the leather.
Q. How does vegetable-tanned leather compare with mineral-tanned leather?: A. Vegetable tannins are extracted from tree bark and other plant materials to convert rawhide into leather. Mineral tanning typically uses chromium salts, alum and other similar elements. Vegetable tanning is kinder to the environment. Because it is a more time consuming process, it is typically used for high-end leather.
Q. What are the benefits of a water-based finish?: A. In 2009, Maria Yee introduced a new vivid, durable water-based coating. This eco-friendly finish is low in Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and contains no added formaldehyde. It is sturdier than traditional finishes, resistant to scratches and many household products (such as beverages and cleaners) but still provides a clear and rich look. It also meets the Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturer's Association (KCMA) standards - stringent guidelines that measure finish durability and performance.
Q. What kind of finish is applied to your home furnishings?: A. For our hardwood furnishings, Maria Yee uses a proprietary, multi-step process to create a finish that enriches the grain and protects the surface. Premium lacquer is used to help shield the wood from harmful elements.
Depending on the color being achieved, some BambooTimbre products undergo the same process as hardwood while others are colored through a carbonization process.
Q. How durable is the finish?: A. Our water-based lacquer finish is durable and flexible, but not indestructible. While it can withstand normal wear, it does not compare with polyurethane. Our water-based polyurethane finish is tougher and is recommended for commercial uses.
Q. What elements might ruin the finish?: A. Some chemical compounds in certain rubber pads can react with the finish and strip it. Rubber is a loose term that describes natural rubber as well as a variety of synthetics. Chemicals from rubber may migrate into the finish and either discolor or soften it, changing the physical characteristics of the finish.
Additionally, rubber is a non-breathable material and may trap moisture and affect the finish. We recommend placing felt pads on items that could scratch the surface. Hot food, alcohol and alcohol-based cleaning products, along with excessive sunlight, also are among known elements that are bad for the finish.
Q. What is your Tung oil finish?: A. Tung oil is from the seeds of the Tung tree, a deciduous tree of up to 65 feet tall. When Tung trees blossom in spring through early summer, the pure white flowers show off their red filaments and yellow anthers beautifully. Tung trees can be found throughout southern China.
We introduce our Tung oil finish in 2010. It is a proprietary formulation in pure natural Tung oil. Compared with other types of oil finishes, ours is much more durable and needs much less re-applications.
Q. Do you sell directly to the public?: A. We do not sell directly to the public. We are a lifestyle design company specializing in home furnishings that are handmade using pure joinery. We work with retailers, architects and design professionals to serve the consumers.
Q. Which trade shows does Maria Yee, Inc. attend?: A. Maria Yee attends the fall and spring High Point Market in High Point, North Carolina. New pieces and collections are shown at the company's private showroom, located at 118 East Kivett Drive in High Point, NC. Maria Yee also attends the Hospitality Design Exposition & Conference in the spring in Las Vegas, Nevada. Please see the Upcoming Events page on our website for additional information.
Q. Why don't you publish prices for your items?: A. Because we are a design company, we do not determine retail prices. Your nearest retailer can provide specific pricing information.
Q. What makes Maria Yee's furniture different from other furniture?: A. We construct home furnishings entirely in joinery in a modern production environment. Such craftsmanship is typically found only in custom made-to-order furniture. Our motto is "one customer, one unique piece at a time." We take pride in creating beautiful, heirloom-quality furnishings that are also eco-friendly. We abide by a core belief that if we take from the earth, we should give back to the earth.