Olive

There is nothing quite like olive wood for turning your home into a conversation piece. A symbol of victory, strength and peace, the olive tree’s beauty is referenced in countless ancient texts including the Bible (Hosea 14:6). The olive tree’s cultivation began more than 7,000 years ago. Valued for its fruit and oil, and for the unique attributes of its wood, it is cherished as the one of the hardest densest and most durable of all woods with superior resistance to damage from the abuse and moisture that threaten most common wood flooring.

Due to the size of the trees and quality of the soil, Italy is considered to be the premiere source of high quality olive wood for flooring, and the only source of olive wood we use.

Olive trees were sacred to many cultures including that of the ancient Romans. According to old texts, abuse of some olive groves was strictly punished. The trees used for Tuscany Olive Wood flooring are no less protected now. In Italy, the premiere source of high quality, farm-grown olive wood, the law allows harvesting only when a tree’s production of fruit and oil begins to wane. Harvesting is often done simply by pruning the tree to stimulate new growth, not by cutting it down. Italian olive trees are even monitored through satellite imagery by a special agency dedicated to the task. Every tree is registered. Every log is documented and tracked.

As a result of this protection and the longevity of these nearly “immortal” trees, most trees are not touched until they are between 350 years and 700 years old. This means that each tree has been cared for by generations of olive farmers, and that every plank comes from a tree that lived through some or all of the Renaissance.

It is also important to note that many families of farmers depend on these trees, including the sale of wood, for their livelihood. We hope to help these farmers earn additional income to support their families and communities by working with them to create a product line that fully utilizes all the olive wood harvested each year.

LEED MRc4- Pre Consumer Recycled Material Statement

Tuscany Olive Wood flooring is Agriculturally Salvaged and qualifies for MR credit material under the “pre-consumer” recycled material category. Agriculturally Salvaged material is recognized as an environmentally preferable product in LEED for Homes in LEED v4.

Olivewood is an exotic wood that is native to Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. It has a sentimental and religious significance to several cultures and religions. The wood is hard and strong, and has fantastic working characteristics, making it a favorite for wood turning and carving. What makes this hardwood so unique is the extraordinary grain pattern of each individual piece, as well as the distinctive and inviting fragrance that it gives off. It even becomes darker, richer, and more beautiful in color as it ages! It has long been a favorite for religious, historical, and artistic artifacts. It finishes very smoothly, to a high polish.