Short answer: FSC and PEFC are labels for responsible forest management. They help with origin questions, but do not replace the technical choice (EN 350, ground contact, fasteners). For reliable info on tropical hardwood and sustainability, combine label, species name and merchant advice. Start: tropical hardwood sustainability.
What FSC and PEFC do
They provide a framework for legal and responsible forest management, with chain-of-custody. Useful if you need demonstrable purchasing or a specification asks for it.
What they do not do
- They do not say whether okan beats tali for your terrace.
- They do not guarantee lifespan with poor details (standing water, wrong screws).
- They do not make “tropical hardwood” automatically right for a simple fence - Douglas is often smarter there.
Put EN 350 beside them
Durability class (EN 350) covers resistance to decay. Class-1 timber in a bad detail still underperforms. See ground contact and classes.
Questions you may ask
- Which exact species do you supply?
- Which documentation or label info belongs to this batch?
- May this go in ground contact / waterline?
- Which fasteners do you recommend?
Our species: okan, azobé, tali, cumaru. Shop: hardwood.
Frequently asked questions
Is FSC better than PEFC?
Both are recognised systems for sustainable forest management. What matters is whether the label fits your batch and whether the application is right - not which logo “wins”.
Must all tropical hardwood be certified?
Not every batch is labelled the same way. Always ask what belongs to your order. Use labels as one reliability signal alongside species name and advice.
Where do I find reliable info besides labels?
In EN 350 guidance and a merchant that names applications - summarised on our tropical hardwood and sustainability page.