The Environmental Investigation Agency and its Indonesian partner Telapak, which are calling for a boycott on all merbau wood products until its legality can be proved, claimed four months ago that much of the merbau sold by flooring manufacturers had been illegally logged in the Papua province of Indonesia.
As a result many UK and US retailers removed products from sale but, according to the EIA, Junckers, Tarkett and Kährs refused to follow suit.
“These companies are clearly more concerned with supplying the demands of consumers for cheap and fashionable flooring than they are with keeping their hands free of contraband wood,” said Sam Lawson, EIA senior forest campaigner.
A spokesperson for Junckers said the company only co-operates with suppliers who have satisfactory documentation and are committed to promoting sustainable forest management.
And a Kährs spokesperson said the company’s very firm policy is to source material from responsible resources and that it did not knowingly purchase from sources which break rules or regulations or are in conflict with national environmental interest.
Tarkett was not available for comment at the time of going to press.
