January 13, 2022

Smith & Fong Co. has released its 2022 Durapalm product line catalog, which features the widest array of palm products offered in the company’s history, including wall and ceiling products, panel and plywood products, flooring offerings, lumber, and veneer.

Of particular interest to designers is the North American introduction of Indian black palm, a new raw material that Smith & Fong has sourced in Asia.

“Nothing in the designer’s palette has quite the earthy elegance, touch and feel of a natural Indian black palm surface,” said founder/CEO Dan Smith. “This has been 20 years in the making, and we are very excited bring this material to the design world.”

Indian black palm possesses a striking range of grains, colors and textures rarely found in a single natural material. Sustainable, ubiquitous in India but little explored elsewhere, it offers new opportunity for creative expression.

“Centuries of imperial experience coupled with contemporary, third-party testing have shown its potential for exterior cladding, outdoor furnishings and even construction,” he said. “We strongly believe that palmwood’s day has arrived, and we are truly energized to see where design and innovation will take this beautiful material in years to come.”

Palm is a highly sustainable natural material, durable and easy to work with. The new Durapalm range is produced 100% urea-formaldehyde-free, meeting or surpassing ULEF (ultra-low emitting formaldehyde) standards under CARB ll. With palm sourced from India, Durapalm products can contribute to the USGBC’s LEED® Credit for Low-Emitting Materials.