Product Care

MANGO WOOD

– Vases, Candleholders, Plates, and Bowls

How to care for your Mango Wood (download PDF)

In parts of Asia, the mango tree is a symbol of good fortune, well being, and privilege. Known for their tasty mango fruit, the exotic trees are cut down and replanted every 12 to 15 years. This ensures the cycle is sustained so there is no harm to the environment and the trees produce the best fruit. In the past, the cut wood was just burned, however, it is now used to make many beautiful mango wood vases, mango wood candleholders, mango wood plates, mango wood bowls, mango wood furniture and other accessories, thereby creating jobs for talented rural artisans in Thailand who rely on the income for their families.

Practical and elegant, our one-of-a-kind handcarved wood pieces incorporate traditional Southeast Asian craftsmanship with contemporary style. Skilled artisans fashion each piece of wood into a beautiful and unique, fine folk art treasure for you and others to enjoy for years to come. Due to their handmade and natural features, there will be variation to the grain, finish, size and thickness of each item. The differences in the natural wood grain and the subtle variations of colouring give real wood its warmth and richness. Small "imperfections" add to the character & uniqueness of your individual piece. Hence, colour variances, knots, small pitted areas, mineral streaks and other marks of nature are normal and simply guarantee you have purchased a genuine piece of ALL THINGS ASIAN fine folk art.

Although our Mango AccentsTM wood products are kiln dried, carefully treated and put through a meticulous two-tiered quality control process, they do require some care.

Regular application of Pledge will enhance and help maintain its beauty.

WARNING- Wood is a natural product. Overexposure to direct sunlight adversely effects fine wood furniture and accessories, resulting in sun bleaching and cracking. Direct sunlight can cause darker finishes to lighten and sometimes cause lighter finishes to darken. For this reason, try to avoid placing your wood in direct sunlight and rearrange or rotate accessories from time to time to prevent "spot" bleaching. Some bleaching can occur under both incandescent and fluorescent lighting.

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Vases

To keep your mango wood vases looking beautiful we recommend Pledge. Simply wipe the vase whenever it appears a bit dull to maintain its decorative elegance.

When maintained the vase will look especially beautiful, highlighting the grain and texture of the mango wood.

WARNING: VASES ARE NOT WATERPROOF SO A GLASS OR PLASTIC INSERT SHOULD BE USED FOR FRESH FLOWERS.

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Candleholders

To keep your mango wood candleholders looking beautiful we recommend Pledge.  Simply wipe the vase whenever it appears a bit dull to maintain its decorative elegance.

When maintained the vase will look especially beautiful, highlighting the grain and texture of the mango wood.

WARNING: BURNING CANDLES SHOULD NOT BE LEFT UNATTENDED.

Plates and Bowls

To keep your mango wood plates and bowls looking beautiful we recommend Pledge.  Simply wipe the vase whenever it appears a bit dull to maintain its decorative elegance.

When maintained the bowls and plates will look especially beautiful, highlighting the grain and texture of the mango wood.

Pieces that are used for food should be cleaned after each use. The best method is to wipe the surface with warm soapy water, rinse immediately, and then dry with a smooth, tea towel or paper towel.

WARNING: WOOD BOWLS & PLATES ARE NOT WATERPROOF NOR FOOD SAFE SO ONLY USE WITH DRY FOOD SUCH AS FRUIT UNLESS THE SURFACE IS LINED.

Here are some tips to ensure you will enjoy your Mango Accents™ for years to come

* Use a humidifier in the winter months or in dry conditions.
* Avoid placing your mango wood in front of radiators, heating vents or fireplaces.
* Avoid direct sunlight or close window shutters/curtains during intense sunlight hours.
* Treat your mango wood pieces regularly.  We recommend Pledge.

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Minor Repair or Touch-Up Solutions

Should your mango wood product become scratched or if there is a small, unstained area visible, you can cover it up quickly and effectively. Most hardware stores carry Minwax "stain markers" or "touch-up pens" intended for this very purpose. These felt-tipped markers are available in numerous stains/colors. The table below provides you with the matching colors for ALL THINGS ASIAN’s mango wood vases, candleholders, plates and bowls:

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How to care for your Mango Wood (download PDF)

TEAK WOOD

 – Tables, Chairs, Photo Frames and Boxes

The beauty of teak is two-fold: natural elegance combined with incredible durability. Teak is one of the world's most durable and solid grained woods, as it reacts to nature’s elements better than any other wood. It is for this reason that teakwood has endured well over 150 years as the first timber of choice in marine applications and shipbuilding. No other wood can claim to possess the qualities of teak.

Woodworking is deeply ingrained in the 700-year history of Thailand. For centuries, the Northern Thai teak forests provided an unlimited source of renewable building material for everything from homes and temples to drainage pipes. Naturally, the steady decline of forested areas during the last few decades has caused the Northern Thai villagers to turn their thoughts to more eco-friendly processes and materials. Therefore, the teak used in our tables, chairs, picture frames and boxes has been recycled. Some pieces are 30 to 150 years old and served as wooden roof tiles on rural houses and barns. Recycled teak also comes from everyday items that were common in the last century – wooden carts, farm implements, and barrels. Every humble tool or piece of broken furniture has been rescued and given a new lease of life in the products ALL THINGS ASIAN brings to you. No two tables, chairs, frames or boxes are exactly alike, and each has its own unique piece of history. Today, Southeast Asia is one of the few places where teak can be purchased legally.

Both interior and exterior teak wood products can be finished in several ways – natural, oiled, sealed, and varnished. As such, there are many ways to take care them. Like any other wood, teak requires proper maintenance to retain its beauty. Providing it is done on a regular basis, taking care of your teak is relatively simple.

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Teak Tables and Chairs

Teak requires little to no care, and maintains its incredible strength and timeless elegance for decades. The amount of maintenance required depends entirely on the look you want to achieve. Whether your recycled teak furniture finds its way to the garden, patio, living room or cottage, you will enjoy the teak's gracious response to the elements. The sign of "age" in your teak furniture is actually a testament to its ability to endure whatever nature dishes out.

Small surface cracks may appear. This is a characteristic of all timbers and does not affect the strength or durability of your teak furniture. These lines in the wood may appear due to changes in seasons and humidity, and the releasing or drawing in of moisture from the air. This natural process is referred to as "checking".

Exterior Use: To begin with, it is not necessary to oil your teak furniture. Oiling is not needed to protect your furniture, as teak is impervious to the effects of snow, ice, rain, sun, heat, and cold. Oil is simply used to maintain the tones of the wood. Therefore, if you wish to maintain the color of the wood upon delivery, we recommend oiling your teak three times a year. Apply a light application using Teak Oil.

Without the use of Teak Oil, teak furniture naturally weathers to a lovely, silvery grey patina. This silvery color slowly develops and results from natural aging process and allows teak furniture to blend in well with outdoor environments. Your teak table and chairs need no treatment in this state.

Interior Use: If your teak furniture is to be used indoors and is away from a lot of natural sunlight, the wood may gradually become a darker shade of brown. A light coating of Teak Oil or Briwax is recommended to keep the furniture from soiling and will last for years without need for re-coat.

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Teak Photo Frames and Boxes

For centuries, the Northern Thai teak forests provided an unlimited source of renewable building material for everything from homes and temples to drainage pipes. Naturally, due to the steady decline of teak forested areas during the last few decades, the Northern Thai villagers turned their handcrafted artistry to more eco-friendly processes and materials. Therefore, the teak used to produce our picture frames and boxes is recycled and reclaimed. Some of our pieces are 30 to 150 years old and served as wooden roof tiles on rural houses and barns.

These charming, recycled photo frames and boxes require minimal or no care at all. Our products have been stained brown or reddish-brown, so the color will not change unless exposed to direct sunlight. Overexposure to sunlight adversely effects all wood furniture and accessories, so avoid direct sunlight or close window shutters/curtains during intense sunlight hours. Feel free to apply Teak Oil once or twice a year for cleaning, but this is not necessary, as these beautiful pieces require no maintenance at all.

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MONKEY WOOD

– Stools, Tables and Carvings

Wood carving is considered one of Thailand's finest traditions producing handicrafts that have been passed down from generation to generation. Testimony to the great artisans found throughout Southeast Asia, what you see is a presentation of traditional craftsmanship with a modern, rustic style incorporating beauty with practicality.

Monkey wood, known locally as "cham cha", is a hardwood. From a block of wood, each piece is hand carved and moulded into the shape you see, then it is painted and stained to give the piece its own personality. Each item takes anywhere from a day to a few weeks to create, and each one is unique - there will be variation to the grain, finish and size of the same design.

Our designs are individually handcrafted and the material used is natural. To care for your product use a wood stain polish or oil to bring out the grain of the wood.

Although the Monkey Wood is kiln dried, the larger pieces will occasionally develop small cracks as the wood dries. These lines in the wood may appear due to changes in seasons and humidity, and the releasing or drawing in of moisture from the air. This natural process is referred to as "checking" and is part of the character and uniqueness of each piece. Checking does not affect the strength or durability; however, if the cracks are a concern, simply fill them with comparably coloured wood filler.

There are a few tips to ensure you will enjoy your Monkey Wood stools and carvings for years to come. The use a humidifier in the winter months or in dry conditions will keep your home or office at a reasonable level of humidity, which helps the wood retain its moisture. As well, avoid placing your monkey wood in front of radiators, heating vents or fireplaces.

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CHOPSTICKS

Eating with chopsticks is an ancient method developed some 5,000 years ago in China. Although forks, knives and other "piercing" utensils have been introduced over the years, there are a few reasons the chopsticks have remained the main way to eat food. It is believed that the scholar Confucius taught that since knives were weapons of death, only a "barbarian" would bring one to the table to eat. Likewise, as Buddhism spread through Asia and the beliefs of non-violence strengthened, there was little appeal for having utensils that reminded one of weaponry at such an important place as a dinner table.

Artisans hand-carve our chopsticks, bowls and rests using rosewood, mango wood, tamarind, palm and other exotic woods. Each piece is polished with beeswax to preserve and enhance the natural qualities and natural beauty of the wood. The wood used in our chopsticks comes from fast-growing trees or from government-supervised sources to ensure these resources are not depleted.

To care for your chopstick sets, never put them in the dishwasher. Simply wash with soap and water after use and dry immediately with a soft towel. You can rub them with mineral oil once a month, more or less, depending on how dry the wood appears. When you put your first application of mineral oil on your product, you will either see it soak in immediately or it will soak in over a 15-20 minute period. If it soaks in immediately and the wood is dry to the touch, it most likely requires more oil, so you should rub it down with more mineral oil. If the oil sits on the surface of the wood and does not soak in, simply wipe off the excess with a paper towel or cloth.

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MULBERRY PAPER

– Photo Albums, Scrapbooks, Stationery and other Eco Saa^TM products

Over 600 years ago in the mountains of northeast Burma, the Karen Hill-Tribe people noticed that the bark of the mulberry tree naturally peeled from the tree at the end of each rainy season. The Karen people called it "Saa" (pronounced "saw"). They discovered that "Saa" could be made into natural paper without harming the tree. So began the craft of making handmade paper and paper products without destroying or cutting down trees.

For the last hundred years, Hill-Tribe paper makers have been practicing their craft in the neighbouring mountains. They still use natural dyes and lay their paper in the sun to dry, as did their ancestors centuries ago. The bark of the mulberry tree is pounded into a mushy pulp, then it is immersed in water and naturally bleached by the sun, dyes are added, and then the pulp is put into a cloth-covered frame where water is allowed to drip away and the frame is left to dry in the sun. Upon completion of the drying process, the paper is carefully peeled away from the frame.

Using this process, the unique, natural paper is transformed into a large assortment of beautifully handcrafted photo albums, scrapbooks, guest books, notebooks, address books, letter sets, and other paper products. We hope you find our handmade ECO SAA^TM paper products as enjoyable to use as we do bringing them to you.

The mulberry tree is still abundant in Thailand. The fast growing mulberry grows wild all over the Northern forests and lowland regions, and also in neighbouring Laos and Burma. Artisans in Thailand continue to produce handmade paper and paper products using the same technique their ancestors used. The paper made in this tradition is durable and extremely versatile, and despite its light weight, very strong. The paper can be used for gift-wrapping, writing, drawing and painting, re-covering lamp shades, picture matting, wedding invitations, and makes a great accent to your scrapbook pages. They are also used by craft-makers to produce photo albums, scrapbooks, notebooks, guestbooks, journals, stationery and greeting cards, picture frames, fans and much more.

Not all mulberry paper and products found on the market are acid-free. What this means is that the paper has a neutral pH balance (7.0). For instance, photos inserted into an acid-free photo album will be better preserved than in a regular album made with chemicals. At ALL THINGS ASIAN, we pay particular attention to every aspect of quality in all of our Eco Saa^TM products. We uphold a level of quality that we take very seriously. We source, design, import and distribute our handmade, saa paper products with pride. We hope our products speak for themselves.

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