Solid Hardwood
Maria Yee ensures its hardwood products are handcrafted with the highest quality materials and its environmental principles are never compromised during the production process. Select products are handcrafted with Forest Stewardship Council-certified hardwood (Cert. no. SCS-COC-001524). All our products use plantation hardwood that is responsibly grown and selectively harvested. No species from the rapidly-diminishing tropical rain forests are used.
From Reclaimed Wood to BambooTimbre™
When Maria Yee began her business in 1988, she used reclaimed wood to craft museum-quality Ming Dynasty reproductions. After China's Cultural Revolution, many temples, buildings and other fine examples of Chinese architecture had been destroyed. She personally traversed sites looking for reclaimed wood. Upon discovering material suitable for furniture making and inspecting it for its quality, she then transported it, sometimes by donkey, to railroads where it then made its way to her workshop.
As her business grew, it became necessary to begin using plantation hardwood. Maria Yee's plantation hardwood is responsibly grown and selectively harvested. When she realized her business had prospered to the point where a significant amount of wood was being used for her furniture, she made it her mission to develop an alternative to hardwood. Today, that alternative is Maria's patented, rapidly renewable BambooTimbre™.
FSC Certified
In 2008, Maria Yee, Inc. received 100 percent, or pure Forest Stewardship Council certification on select hardwood products. To receive “FSC Pure” status, all the hardwood used in a product must come from an FSC-certified forest. The FSC label assures consumers that the materials come from forests that are managed to meet the social, economic and ecological needs of present and future generations.
Maria Yee spent years developing a chain of suppliers who would abide by the stringent guidelines imposed on those seeking to qualify for and maintain FSC certification. The FSC conducts annual reviews for all organizations seeking to maintain FSC certification. Often, companies lose certification because they fail to continue to comply with the arduous regulations. Maintaining this third-party certification is a priority for Maria Yee. The FSC stamp of approval on every Maria Yee product means that from the forest to the factory floor, strict green standards are followed to the letter.
Quality From Start to Finish
Maria Yee's hardwood products are constructed entirely in solid hardwood, including the drawer bottoms and armoire backs. Maria Yee uses a number of different species for its furnishings and ensures the hardwood chosen is appropriate for each individual design. Maria Yee operates two manufacturing campuses, which have more than one million square feet of production space. This guarantees the quality from start to finish. Furthermore, all Maria Yee pieces feature the designer's BreathingJoinery™, where the pieces are fitted so precisely that no nails or screws are needed.
Ridge Texture: The feel of California Casual Lifestyle
Maria Yee introduced our innovative ridge texture for select hardwood pieces in 2009. It is visually stunning and easy to care for. Our ridge texture has a depth and color dimension unique in home furnishings. It exudes refined luxury while offering an organic look and feel. The ridge texture helps conceal scratches and fingerprints that high-sheen surfaces often accentuate, and offers a depth and color that flat surfaces cannot provide.
Moreover, the ridge texture echoes the specific grain patterns of the timber, so each piece is unique. This texture exemplifies Maria Yee's motto of "one customer, one unique piece at a time," as the skill and judgment that go into making each piece is truly personal.