The Bark House received the Leadership Award in Sustainable Manufacturing from the North Carolina Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NCMEP) today. The award was presented by NC Commerce Secretary John Skvarla, NCMEP Director Phil Mintz, and EDPNC Global business Services VP John Loyack at the Sheraton Four Seasons in Greensboro to company co-founders, Marty and Chris McCurry.
NCMEP provides manufacturing extension services that enhance the productivity, innovative capacity and technological performance of US-based manufacturing firms. The Sustainable Manufacturing Award board reviews evidence of outstanding sustainable practices related to production processes, product design, and product life cycle. Participants described results of sustainable efforts including measureable environmental or energy savings for this annual event.
The Bark House connects people to nature through regenerative design in the built environment. The company is the first to manufacture wall coverings from recycled tree bark. The product and its processes were intentionally designed to be regenerative across the sustainability triad.
Because people spend an average of 90% of their time in buildings, the built environment has profound influence on population health and social capital. Moreover, the built environment dominates humanity’s impact on nature. The choices we make today about the products we put in buildings will long out live us. This is a part of our collective legacy and the reason The Bark House is diligent in sharing with others what nature taught them.
The Bark House earned the distinction as manufacturing the world’s first Cradle to Cradle Certified PLATINUM™ products. The certification is for Exterior Poplar Bark Wall Coverings and verifies healthy materials, clean energy and carbon management, water stewardship, recycled and recyclability and social fairness. This year, they also received their 10th B Corp ‘Best for the World Award’. The certification measures community involvement, worker engagement and environmental impacts. The foundation of The Bark House was built in 1990, looking to nature to set the standard for the products that are made and the processes used to make them. The Bark House’s products currently extend to all 50 states and 10 countries.
“We are honored to accept this award for Leadership in Sustainable Manufacturing in our native state.” Chris McCurry