The Rope

We use a soft high performance polyester marine braid because it is strong, good looking and won't rot or go mouldy.

Canvas

On our standard swings we use a 100% acrylic canvas because it is rotproof. It has a 5-year manufacturers guarantee from fading, which is the best we can find. It is also very easy care.

          RED       BLUE          GREEN

Wood

The choice of timber has to fulfil the criteria of being naturally weather durable to avoid chemical treatment with the pollution that can come with that. It also has to come from a planted or sustainable source so we are not part of the depletion of indigenous forests anywhere in the world. We have so far used macrocarpa a timber introduced to New Zealand by the European farmer who used it as shelterbelts. We are now moving into using an ecotimber called vitex (wood maintenance) from the Solomon Islands. Ecoforestry Programme is a project started by Greenpeace, Solomon Islands Development Trust (SIDT), Isabel Sustainable Forestry Management Project (ISFMP), Komuniboli Training Centre and NZ Imported Tropical Timber Group (ITTG).

"Its the perfect win win situation" says Greenpeace Forests Campaigner, Grant Rosoman. "New Zealanders get Greenpeace endorsed timber for floors, decks and furniture to substitute the current destructively logged timbers. Solomon Island villagers earn a real income and protect their forest at the same time." Ecotimber has emerged as one answer to the rampant destruction caused by industrial logging. Villagers in Solomon Islands, the stewards of their ancestral forests, have been searching for an alternative path - they desperately want an income from their forests to pay school and health fees, build new houses, and buy everyday things we take for granted. Ecotimber gives them a cash return 40 times greater than if they allowed logging."

We believe that support from the industry and the consumer for this sort of projects will speed up the process towards a sustainable use of a beautiful renewable natural resource. "USE not abuse", is a good motto we think.

We also use Matai (Prumnopitys taxifolia), a native and endemic tree to NZ. The Matai we use is salvaged timber from around Tokaroa where they logged the natives and planted pine trees in the early seventies. At the time they left a lot of logs that was thought of as not valuable. Now when the first lot of pines are being harvested these native logs are being salvaged.

Paint

The non-toxic acrylic water bound paint and the lacquer we use comply with DIN EN 71 part 3 standard for toxicity and DIN 53160 for sweat and saliva resistance.

Care

Fabric: When used in permanent outdoor situations the canvas should be hosed regularly to remove dust, bird droppings, etc. and other solid particles.

Water borne stains such as coffee, tea, red wines, etc. should be treated first by rinsing in cold water. If this is not sufficient, the canvas may be washed with mild solution of soap (not detergent) in lukewarm water (max 38C, 100F) and rinsed thoroughly.

Stubborn soiling may require treatment with a non-chlorine bleach.

Wood: All timber goes naturally grey when exposed to the weather. If you wish to slow down the process of the timber going grey, oil often with any outdoor oil.

There are products on the market that will restore wood that has gone grey to its original colour if you want to.