REMAKE is AHEC’s first design collaboration in India. Involving five Indian furniture designers, the project challenges the leading designer-makers to each select three pieces from their existing furniture range and to remake them using American hardwoods. They have a choice of using American red oak, white oak, cherry, hard maple, tulipwood or hickory. AHEC provided all the lumber for the project from a stock of American hardwood species held in India, which was donated by Allegheny Wood Products at the beginning of 2020.

Despite not being able to travel to India in 2020 and 2021, AHEC was able to remotely launch this exciting new project with five inspiring furniture designer-manufacturers. The wealth of legally-harvested and sustainably-managed hardwoods that the United States has to offer is of increasing interest to India’s furniture manufacturers, as they seek to explore new materials, look for long-term alternatives to traditional furniture hardwoods and also widen their appeal to their intended markets, be they in India itself or overseas.

“We’re very excited, not only by the caliber of the designers involved in this project, but also by the fabulous pieces that we look forward to seeing in these versatile, yet less well-known American hardwood species. REMAKE explores how these designers champion a beautiful and sustainable material - American hardwood - in a market that holds tremendous potential. Whilst we do not currently have any plans to hold a physical exhibition of the finished pieces from this project, we are certainly exploring suitable opportunities in the near future. Looking ahead, we hope that this collaboration will inspire the next generation of furniture designers and help the Indian market discover the untapped potential of U.S. hardwoods,” - Roderick Wiles, AHEC Regional Director.