San Francisco, CA – Smith & Fong Co., manufacturer of Plyboo® bamboo and DuraPalm® palm architectural plywood and flooring, today issued a statement to its customers and members of the architecture, design and green-building industries, which reiterated the company’s longstanding commitment to toxin-free manufacturing and low-or-no-VOC interior finishes, according to Smith & Fong founder Dan Smith.

The statement was delivered on the heels of recent media exposure of formaldehyde-laced Chinese-made laminate flooring imported by a large, US-based discount-flooring chain.

“Environmental health is one of the cornerstones upon which Smith & Fong built its business 26 years ago,” Smith said. “Our products are third-party tested to meet the stringent environmental requirements of California’s Section 01350 specification protocols, which not only take into account formaldehyde, but 35 additional chemical compounds used in manufactured goods.”

Over the past decade, Smith & Fong has painstakingly tested its entire product range to ensure that it meets all California and federal emissions standards. In 2008 the company began adopting soy resins for its core bamboo plywood and flooring products. Its Plyboo bamboo flooring is FloorScore-certified, a process that requires on-site factory inspections, rigorous documentation procedures and, again, California Section 01350 testing.

Smith & Fong’s bamboo flooring and panels can contribute toward three different USGBC LEED credits (MR 6 Rapidly Renewable Materials; MR 7 Certified Wood EQ 4.4 Low-Emitting Materials, Composite Wood). All Smith & Fong bamboo panel products meet CARB 2 emissions standards, can be specified 100% FSC-certified bamboo/urea formaldehyde-free (Declare®-certified), and Class C fire-resistant (Class B available custom order).

Founded in 1989 and headquartered in San Francisco, Smith & Fong Co. was the first U.S. company to manufacture bamboo flooring for sale in North America, offering its initial product under the brand name Plyboo® in 1993. In 1996 the firm began producing bamboo plywood, followed by coconut palm flooring and plywood products in 2000. Today, the company’s product range is distributed and sold throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, Europe and the Middle East. Smith & Fong is committed to sustainability through innovation. For information call 866-835-9859 or visit http://plyboo.com.