Materials

Sprout strives to be an environmentally responsible designer and manufacturer of modern furniture. We take our impact on the environment seriously and work to use smart designs that not only provides you with a quality product that can grow with your child and last generations, but also have minimal impact on our environment.

1. Safety & Non-Toxicity

Low Emissions and Off-Gassing

We want our products to be as safe as possible for children. The Baltic Birch that we source is TSCA Title VI compliant. TSCA Title VI establishes formaldehyde emission standards identical to the California Air Resources Board (CARB) which regulates the emissions of some chemicals in composite wood products such as Baltic Birch. Current regulations require emissions of formaldehyde in hardwood plywoods to be less than 0.05 parts per million (less than 0.000005%). All Baltic Birch used in Sprout products complies with or exceeds these standards. All of our materials also comply with the Lacey Act and are sustainably sourced. We use a non-VOC finish and water-based paint. The seal that we put on is also non-VOC 100% Solids UV cured finish.

Finishes

Our finished Baltic birch is prepared in the Northwestern United States using state-of-the-art UV finish facilities and processes.

Clear or Natural finish is achieved with multiple coats of a non-VOC 100% Solids UV cured finish. The finish is a UV curable epoxy acrylate topcoat made for finishing plywood.

Our Painted finishes are achieved with layers of a water based paint and sealed with a non-VOC 100% solids UV cured finish.

The paint complies with all US regulations, and creates a clean, washable surface which, when taken care of, should last for many years.

2. Natural & Sustainable Practices and Materials

Baltic Birch Plywood

Many Sprout products are made with Baltic Birch plywood.

Baltic Birch is a plywood product made of birch veneers sourced from the northeastern region of Europe around the Baltic Sea. A very strong and lightweight material, Birch plywood has been used for cabinets, skateboards, and even large aircraft (including the Spruce Goose). We use Baltic Birch because of its fantastic structural and aesthetic properties. These include:

Durability & strength
Light weight
Crack & warp-resistance due to cross-banded plies
Fewest voids of any plywood
The same material all the way through, not using weaker or softer wood in the center
A thick face veneer - same thickness as the center
Appealingly light color
Beautiful fine-grain, due to short growing season of its northern climate
Attractive, satin-like sheen
Highly decorative Ripple-figuring (occurs occasionally)

Recyclable
Sprout innovative packaging is designed to use the material where it is needed for protection and minimize material where it isn't needed. Our packaging uses primarily cardboard with little or no foam and is almost all recyclable.

Low Waste
Sprout modern furniture is designed to use resources as efficiently as possible. Early in the design process, yield is considered and products are designed to minimize scrap and waste. Parts are nested on CNC machines offering high yields to prevent excess amounts of scrap wood.

3. Durability & Quality

Reusable Furniture

A poorly designed product ends up having a greater impact on the environment because we have to buy more of it. Sprout products are meant to be well used throughout your child's life, and be passed down to the next generation. There are a few things we incorporate into our designs to make heirloom products:

Easy assembly and disassembly. You can take Sprout furniture easily apart with minimal hardware, and it can be shipped or packed compactly during a move. It also is easy to reassemble and is no less durable.
Sprout parts are interchangeable and replaceable. If you have a damaged part, there is no need to replace the entire unit. Send us a request here.
Unlike some manufacturers who may use less durable wood for interior structures, Sprout exclusively utilizes 100% Baltic birch, maple, or oak throughout all our products. Sprout does not use this practice, and uses 100% of baltic birch, maple, or oak.
Furniture that grows with your child. Our designs are made to extend as your child grows, as we know they grow fast and buying new furniture to keep up isn't ideal.

4. Easy to Clean

Care Instructions

Sprout products are durable and made for every-day use, but because they are made of natural wood with minimal chemical finishes, regular cleaning will be necessary to keep it in pristine. condition. Remember - Sprout products are not intended for outdoor use. Follow these instructions when cleaning your Sprout resourcesL

Clean painted faces using a mild cleaner. Spray cleaner on the painted surface and wipe off immediately.

Avoid all contact with oil. If wet, wipe dry immediately.

Unpainted faces can be wiped or sanded clean depending on the dirtying substance. O

nly sand the unpainted faces in line with the direction of the grain.

5. Aesthetic Appeal & Feel

FINISH
Our products come in a variety of finishes for resources that are durable and cohesive in your space.

	Finished Birch: Warm, natural wood with a clear Non-VOC UV cured resin finish.
	Raw Birch: Warm, natural, unfinished wood surface.
	Wood Grain Laminate: A surface that imitates natural wood but has superior wear resistance. Ideal when water may be present.
	Clear Melamine: A clean, clear finish on natural wood. Resists water and is more durable than paint, though not as durable as laminate.
	White Melamine: A clean, bright finish on natural wood. Resists water and is more durable than paint, though not as durable as laminate.
	White Laminate: A high-contrast surface with superior durability, cleanability, and wear resistance. Ideal when water may be present.
	Two-tone: A clean, bright painted finish that contrasts natural Birch.