Protecting Earth's Most Precious Resources

Lamin-Art has long been known for the sophisticated and exotic look of its Premium Wood Prints collection of decorative laminates. We are proud to offer beautiful replicas of natural resources specifically chosen by our design director to provide alternatives to endangered or unattainable wood species, as well as more common woods, which are at once beautiful and environmentally friendly.
 
Lamin-Art's Premium Wood Prints collection includes interpretations of near 50 domestic and exotic species that are true to the wood's actual appearance in the wild. All of these are manufactured using both decorative and kraft papers that are sourced from third-party certified, responsibly managed forests. They include the rare Koa, Rosewood, Ebony, Mahogany, Teak, Wengé, Zebrawood, as well as a host of more prevalent species such as Oak, Maple, Cherry and Walnut.

For example, Lamin-Art's 3037-Vintage Rosewood is a reproduction of Brazilian Rosewood, which used to be desirable in high-end classical guitars and fine furniture. Yet, it is now an endangered species and also does not have many straight trees that produce high-quality lumber. If the few straight-growing trees that do exist were harvested, it would be extremely detrimental to the species. On the other hand, this realistic-looking laminate reproduction can offer the same refined, high-end look without added cost to the environment, or to your project's budget.
 
The use of Lamin-Art high-pressure laminate also has advantages over the use of real wood veneers as it offers greater surface durability, therefore a longer life than most real wood surfaces, and promotes healthy indoor environments through GREENGUARD certification. When applied to CARB-compliant substrates with no added formaldehyde using GREENGUARD certified adhesives, Lamin-Art HPL greatly reduces the amount of VOC released in the air compared to conventional wood finishing techniques.
To view Lamin-Art's extensive collection of Premium Wood Prints or to request samples, visit our website, or call 1-800-323-7624.

Economic Stimulus May Spur Construction in New Markets

New economic realities are forcing Architecture and Design industry leaders to explore new market segments in 2009.  The recently released "2009 ACE Industry Outlook: Strategy and Insight for Design & Construction Firms" survey conducted by ZweigWhite indicates that healthcare still holds the top spot in its ranking of promising market segments.  However, perennial top markets such as the higher education, K-12 schools, and office sectors have fallen off the list altogether.  They've been replaced with markets that look to prosper most from government investment resulting from newly enacted economic stimulus legislation.  That means markets such as government/municipal construction, transportation including airports, and green building should see growth in the coming year and beyond.  Funds that had been allocated for the construction of new K-12 schools were stripped from the final legislation.  The ZweigWhite study polls industry leaders in the architecture, engineering, and environmental consulting industries and identifies key trends that will affect these businesses throughout the year. 

Top Colors for 2009 Reflecting Cautious Optimism

Comfortable and comforting colors will dominate the palette in 2009, according to the Color Marketing Group's (CMG) annual forecast.  CMG predicts that color trends will be significantly influenced by our concern for the economy and optimism for the future, resulting in a palette that reflects colors that are familiar and make us happy.   Purple is the "it" color for 2009; a familiar blend of red and blue heavily influenced by the 2008 U.S. election.  Complex neutrals such as grey and grayed-out browns as well as stark, pure white will play an important role in commercial spaces, representing a return to classical and methodical business practices.  And bright, vivid yellows will pop as the "hot" accent color in 2009 to provide a burst of energy to help us revitalize the economy.

Look for many of these fashionable hues on your Lamin-Art wall rack later this year when we introduce the largest expansion of our Pearlescence Solid Color line ever.  For a sneak peak at this exciting introduction, come see us at Global Shop in Las Vegas, March 23-25. We'll be exhibiting in booth #2646.  See the rest of our 2009 Trade Show Schedule here.

Enabling Green: Tip #5

Everyday household cleaners are made up of chemicals that can contribute to poor indoor air quality.  Plus they're expensive.  Why not save the money, and go green at the same time, by adding these basic items to your grocery list and making your own homemade cleaning alternatives.

Lemons have powerful antibacterial and antiseptic qualities.  Their acidic nature works great at dissolving soap scum and hard water deposits.  Lemon juice can clean, deodorize, and bleach away stains on a wooden cutting board.  And if you add 1 half cup of lemon juice to a cup of olive oil, you can make an eco-friendly furniture polish.

White distilled vinegar is an excellent cleaning alternative for people experiencing harsh reactions to store-bought cleaning products.  Add a couple of tablespoons to a spray bottle filled with water to create an inexpensive window cleaner.  The same combination, perhaps with the addition of your favorite essential oil to remove the vinegar smell, can be used as an all-purpose cleaner that can be used on stoves, appliances, and countertops, among others.

Baking Soda is an abrasive cleaner that is excellent at dissolving dirt, mildew, grease and even wax.  It acts as a natural deodorizer.  Sprinkle some on your carpet, wait 15 minutes and then vacuum instead of using stronger smelling carpet deodorizers.  To avoid clogged sink drains, pour ½ cup of baking soda down weekly and rinse through with hot water.  Add some Borax to your shopping list and mix tablespoons with 1 ½ tablespoons of baking soda to make an inexpensive automatic dishwasher detergent.