Especially if you live in the backwoods of Arkansas. When the owners of Lo Gap Woodworks decided that they were going to build their entire line of furniture environmentally friendly, they discovered that the only way to get the products they needed was to buy online.

But first, they had to get the wood. They needed wood that had not been sprayed with poisons of any kind. To get that, they would have to harvest from their own land. Since they were already practicing Silva culture (forest sustainability), this would not be a problem.

But what about glues and finishes for their Simply Pine and other lines of furniture. That was a bit more difficult. Trips to the local hardware stores offered no help. Asking them what woodworking products they carried that were non-toxic went unanswered and was often greeted with a blank stare.

The first step then was to research what was available. They visited numerous websites and forums in order to determine what others were using. Then they read hundreds of MSRP's, looking for those products that were considered non-toxic. Anything with an FDA approval was put on an even shorter list of items to consider.

Once the list of products was approved, then it was a matter of fining the right ones with the best price and ship times. In the end, everything, including all the research, paid off. Lo Gap Woodworks is now handcrafting environmentally friendly, non-toxic, green furniture in Pine and soon in Oak.

As an additional plus, Lo Gap Woodworks uses no metal in any of their handcrafted furniture, deciding instead to use the more traditional methods of doweling and tight joinery to assemble their designs.

Since their furniture is made of solid wood, customers won't find any plywood, laminates or imitation wood in any of their unique furnishings. Every design has its own character, as no two boards will ever be exactly the same; meaning that no two handcrafted pieces will be alike.

Unlike many imports, the furniture crafted at Lo Gap Woodworks is built to last and because of the commitment of its makers is the perfect addition to any green, environmentally friendly home.