Producing furniture using locally sourced wood has not only helped the Wood Craft Centre stop rubberwood import but also made furniture more affordable to consumers. The centre, which earlier used rubberwood, has been utilizing domestic timber for furniture production since 2020. At the centre’s recent furniture exhibition, locally made pieces were found to be 20 per cent cheaper than the market price of rubberwood furniture.
Natural Resources Development Corporation’s Wood Craft Centre uses hemlock, blue pine and spruce timber to make the furniture.
According to the corporation, the transition to locally sourced timber has helped reduce Bhutan’s reliance on foreign wood imports.
“When we import wood, millions of our foreign currency are spent. To stop this, we need to stop importing. By utilizing our resources and enhancing our skills, we can potentially open up opportunities for exporting our products,” said Namgay Wangchuk, the GM of the Mineral Resource Division, NRDCL.
The corporation also said that more Bhutanese are now experiencing the quality and durability of Bhutanese wood, recognizing its potential to meet international standards
“This event was held to showcase the expertise and talent of the Bhutanese woodworking industry. The key takeaway is that we are no longer using rubberwood for our furniture, and have pivoted to local timber, making use of our country’s resources,” said Rigay Dorji, an Assistant Production and Sales Manager at NRDCL.
“After stopping imports of rubberwood, we’ve had the opportunity to use local timbers. The prices of products made from these local woods are far more reasonable compared to those made from rubberwood,” said Tshewang, an Assistant Designer at NRDCL.
The corporation hopes its effort to reduce imports and enhance local production help realize a self-sufficient furniture industry.
Deki Lhazom
