ShellacFinishes Royal-Lac Meets ANSI/KCMA & ASTM Standards
ShellacFinishes Royal-Lac Meets ANSI/KCMA & ASTM Standards

San Diego – ShellacFinishes announced in house test results today demonstrating that their Royal-Lac ™ line of wood finishes meets or exceeds all Finish Test performance standards in accordance with ANSI/KCMA A161.1-2012 for temperature and humidity, durability against food/beverages and long periods of exposure to detergent and water solution. The standard is set forth by the Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association (KCMA), a voluntary, non-profit trade association representing North American cabinet manufacturers and suppliers to the industry and American National Standards Institute (ANSI).

ShellacFinishes Royal-Lac Meets ANSI/KCMA & ASTM StandardsAfter extensive testing it was also determined that Royal-Lac ™conforms to the Effects of Household Chemicals requirements set forth by ASTM D1308 for durability against household chemicals, beverages, food and condiments. The standard is set forth by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM)

“Passing durability tests with flying colors, Royal-Lac ™brings enormous benefits to the finishes market. My customers can now use it with confidence on a variety of indoor applications including dining tables, chairs, and kitchen cabinets. Luthiers can rest assured that this finish will endure the abuse that musical instruments routinely suffer in a stage environment. Commercial cabinet manufactures can enjoy the lovely look and feel of shellac while being comfortable with its long-term durability,” states Vijay Velji, owner of ShellacFinishes.

Since its introduction, Royal-Lac ™ wood finish has been well received by the Woodworking and Luthier communities who value it's durability against temperature, humidity, household foods and chemicals in combination with its remarkable ease of use.

About ShellacFinishes

ShellacFinishes was established in November 2006 by longtime San Diego resident and woodworker Vijay Velji. A well-known furniture maker, French Polisher, and teacher, Vijay was frustrated with the inconsistent performance of shellac purchased from local vendors. Flakes on the retailers’ shelves were of unknown age and would sometimes form a lumpy mess when mixed with alcohol rather than dissolving into a nice homogenous mixture. Unsatisfied with the situation, Vijay took matters into his own hands and travelled halfway around the world, in search of shellac that was guaranteed fresh.

Over time, he established business and personal relationships with harvesters and manufacturers positioned to supply fresh shellac, and launched his company. Because of the tight relationships he formed early on, ShellacFinishes knows the actual date of harvest and is the only shellac vendor to put a freshness date and guarantee on every package sold.

As a passionate woodworker and frequent user of shellac, Vijay remains in tune with customer needs. Shortly after starting ShellacFinishes, he noticed that some customers were hesitant to use shellac due to concerns about durability and ease of application. Unfortunately, shellac’s rheology simply did not allow it to flow and level as easily as synthetic finishes, and it didn’t compete with synthetic finishes on durability.

Again unsatisfied, Vijay dug deeper into the chemistry of shellac seeking a way to address these limitations. After two years of R&D, his careful analysis and methodical testing paid off when ShellacFinishes introduced a new line of wood finish based on a proprietary blend of shellac and synthetic resins.

The new finish, Royal-Lac ™ remains second to none in durability and ease of application.

ShellacFinishes and its founder, Vijay Velji are pleased to offer products which empower Indian farmers with sustainable economic alternatives to deforestation of their lands for agricultural and industrial use. They are dedicated to helping preserve these precious natural resources.

Source: ShellacFinishes

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