Wooden Fashion Design 101

Several of our clients have voiced a strong desire to learn more about the various types of wood we use to craft our accessories. We have taken the time to highlight our most featured Wood grains we use to craft Wooden Element products. Please enjoy the read.

Our sources (references) are also listed for further reading/as a future resource.

Type of Wood: Sandalwood.

Scientific Name: Santalum Album.

Region : S. album, commonly known as Indian Sandalwood, is a dry deciduous forest species native to China, India, Indonesia, Australia, and the Philippines.

Description: This small tropical tree grows to 20m high with red wood and a variety of dark colors of bark (dark brown, reddish and dark grey). Because it is strong and durable, S. album is mostly harvested for its timber. Sandalwood heartwood, which is close-grained, is used for fine furniture and carving. The heartwood and roots also contain ‘sandal oil’ which is valued for use in perfumes, incense, cosmetics, soaps, and medicines. The bark contains tannin, which is used for dye.

Wooden Element Featured Products: Wrist Watches (Ladies and Men’s).  

https://forestlegality.org/risk-tool/species/sandalwood

 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandalwood

 https://www.britannica.com/plant/sandalwood

Type of Wood: Black Walnut.

Scientific Name: Juglans nigra.

Region: Eastern United States.

Description: 100-120 ft (30-37 m) tall, 2-3 ft (.6-1 m) trunk diameter. Heartwood can range from a lighter pale brown to a dark chocolate brown with darker brown streaks. Color can sometimes have a grey, purple, or reddish cast. Sapwood is pale yellow-gray to nearly white. Figured grain patterns such as curl, crotch, and burl are also seen. Grain is usually straight, but can be irregular. Has a medium texture and moderate natural luster. It is commonly used to make furniture, cabinetry, interior paneling, veneer, turned items, and other small novelties.

Wooden Element Featured Product(s): Sunglasses, Handbags, Watches(Ladies and Men’s), Wallets and Bow Ties.

 https://www.wood-database.com/black-walnut/

Type of Wood: Tineo Wood

Scientific Name: Weinmannia trichosperma.

Region: Chile and Argentina. 

Description: Tree size ranges from 65-100 ft (20-30 m) tall, 2-3 ft (.6-1.0 m) trunk diameter. The Heartwood colors vary from pink, red, or orangish brown. Contrasting dark brown to black veins sometimes present. Sapwood is a pale yellowish brown, usually demarcated from the heartwood. The grain is straight, with a uniform medium texture and good natural luster. Common uses include Veneer, furniture, interior millwork, and decorative ornaments. 

Wooden Element Featured Product(s): Handbags.

 https://www.wood-database.com/?s=Tineo+Wood

Type of Wood: Ebonywood (Gaboon, and Macassar).

Scientific Name: Diospyros crassiflora and Diospyros celebica.

Region: Equatorial West Africa and Southeast Asia.

Description (Gaboon): Tree Size ranges from 50-60 ft (15-18 m) tall, 2-3 ft (.6-1 m) trunk diameter. Heartwood is usually jet-black, with little to no variation or visible grain. Occasionally dark brown or grayish-brown streaks may be present. Grain is usually straight but can also be interlocked. Fine even texture with very high natural luster. Commonly used to make small/ornamental items, such as piano keys, musical instrument parts, pool cues, carvings, and other small specialty items.

Description (Macassar): Tree size ranges from 50-65 ft (15-20m) tall, 1.5 ft (.4 m) trunk diameter. The heartwood has dramatic striped character. It features a yellow to reddish brown body with darker brown or black stripes. The sharply demarcated sapwood is pale gold color. Like Gaboon Ebonywood, it is commonly for Veneers, high-end cabinetry, billiard cues, musical instruments, and other small high end specialty items.

Wooden Element Featured Product(s): Sunglasses, Glasses, Wallets and Handbags.

 https://www.wood-database.com/gaboon-ebony/ 

https://www.wood-database.com/macassar-ebony/

Type of Wood: Kevazingo (Bubinga).

Scientific Name: Guibourtia spp. (G. demeusei, G. pellegriniana, G. tessmannii)

Region: Equatorial Africa.

Description: Tree size ranges from 130-150 ft (40-45 m) tall, 3-6 ft (1-2 m) trunk diameter. Its heartwood ranges from a pinkish red to a darker reddish brown with darker purple or black streaks. Sapwood is a pale straw color and is clearly demarcated from the heartwood. Bubinga is very frequently seen with a variety of figure, including: pommele, flamed, waterfall, quilted, mottled, etc. Its grain is straight to interlocked. Has a uniform fine to medium texture and moderate natural luster. It is often used for Veneers, inlays, fine furniture, cabinetry, turnings, tabletops, and other specialty projects. 

Wooden Element Featured Product(s): Wallets and Handbags.

 https://www.wood-database.com/bubinga/

 Type of Wood: Zebrawood (Zebrano)

Scientific Name: Microberlinia brazzavillensis

Region: West Africa

Description:  Tree size ranges from65-130 ft (20-40 m) tall, 4-5 ft (1.2-1.5 m) trunk diameter. The heartwood is a light brown or cream color with dark blackish brown streaks vaguely resembling a zebra’s stripes. Depending on whether the wood is flatsawn or quartersawn, the stripes can be either chaotic and wavy (flatsawn), or somewhat uniform (quartersawn). The grain has a fairly coarse texture and open pores. Grain is usually wavy or interlocked. Zebrawood is frequently quartersawn and used as veneer. Other uses include: tool handles, furniture, boatbuilding, and skis.

Wooden Element Featured Product(s): Watches (Ladies and Men’s), Sunglasses and Wallets.

 https://www.wood-database.com/zebrawood/

Type of Wood: Birch (Yellow Birch)

Scientific Name: Betula alleghaniensis

Region: North America (Northeast)

Description: The size ranges from 65-100 ft (20-30 m) tall, 2-3 ft (.6-1.0 m) trunk diameter. Its heartwood tends to be a light reddish brown, with nearly white sapwood. Occasionally figured pieces are available with a wide, shallow curl similar to the curl found in Cherry. There is virtually no color distinction between annual growth rings, giving Birch a somewhat dull, uniform appearance. Grain is generally straight or slightly wavy, with a fine, even texture. Low natural luster. Common uses include Plywood, boxes, crates, turned objects, interior trim, and other small specialty wood items.

Wooden Element Featured Product(s): Gift Boxes and Handbags. 

 https://www.wood-database.com/yellow-birch/

Type of Wood: Bamboo

Scientific Name: Phyllostachys and Bambusa genera

Region: South Asia

Description: Some of the largest bamboos can be up to 50-100 ft (15-30 m) tall, with a 3-6 in (10-20 cm) diameter. Bamboo generally a uniform and pale yellow to almost white. Being a monocot in the grass family, bamboo does not have any sapwood/heartwood or growth rings. Texture is very uniform, and ranges from medium to fine depending on density. Bamboo that has been split and processed into lumber will have intermittent variations in the fiber at each node on the stem. Bamboo is commonly used as Veneer, paper, flooring, fishing rods, ladders, scaffolding, musical instruments (flutes/woodwinds/chimes), furniture, window blinds, carving, turned items, and small novelty items.

Wooden Element Featured Product(s): Sunglasses, Sunglass Cases, Bow Tie Cases. We also use Bamboo for our display cases. 

https://www.wood-database.com/bamboo/

Type of Wood: Oak (Red Oak)

Scientific Name: Quercus rubra

Region: North America

Description: These trees range between 80-115 ft (25-35 m) tall, 3-6 ft (1-2 m) trunk diameterThe heartwood is a light to medium brown, commonly with a reddish cast. Nearly white to light brown sapwood is not always sharply demarcated from the heartwood. Grain is straight, with a coarse, uneven texture. The pores are so large and open that it is said that a person can blow into one end of the wood, and air will come out the other end: provided that the grain runs straight enough.

Wooden Element Featured Product(s): Beard Combs, Cuff Links and Bow Ties.

 https://www.wood-database.com/red-oak/

Type of Wood: Rosewood (Indian).

Scientific Name: Dalbergia latifolia.

Region: Sri Lanka, India and Indonesia. 

Description: Tree size ranges from 100 ft (30 m) tall, 2-4 ft (.6-1.2 m) trunk diameter. The heartwood of East Indian Rosewood can vary from a golden brown to a deep purplish brown, with darker brown streaks. The wood darkens with age, usually becoming a deep brown. The grain has a medium texture and fairly small pores. The grain is usually narrowly interlocked. Common uses include fine furniture, musical instruments, veneer, turned, and other specialty wood objects.

Wooden Element Featured Product(s): Sunglasses, Wallets and Handbags.

 https://www.wood-database.com/east-indian-rosewood/

Type of Wood: Maple

Scientific Name: Acer macrophyllum

Region: North America (Pacific)

Description: The sapwood of maple lumber is most commonly used rather than its heartwood. Sapwood color ranges from almost white, to a light golden or reddish brown, while the heartwood is a darker reddish brown. Silver Maple can also be seen with curly or quilted grain patterns. Grain is generally straight, but may be wavy. Has a fine, even texture. Common uses include veneer, paper (pulpwood), boxes, crates/pallets, musical instruments, turned objects, and other small specialty wood items.

Wooden Element Featured Product(s): Watches and Sunglasses. 

https://www.wood-database.com/bigleaf-maple/