Description

(This description was written in late 2017. The full suite sold for $4195 within hours of being listed. The listing price above is FOR JUST THE SOFA ONLY. I’m finding it harder and harder to get Pacific Green stock these days and values for Pacific Green are on their way up. Virtually every piece of furniture I’ve sold in the last 17 years (Pacific Green or otherwise) is worth more or the same as when I sold it- this suite is no exception.)

RETAIL VALUE NEW- full suite- about $9 000. This suite is second-hand and about 20 YEARS OLD.

Provenance and Background Info

In my eyes Pacific Green is one of the most inspiring brands in the world. It’s an Australian brand with humble beginnings starting back in the early 1970’s. Today in 2018, nearly 50 years on, Pacific Green is one of the most coveted furniture brands not only in Australia but the world. Pacific Green items in the US often sell for DOUBLE what they sell for here. I’ve been dealing in pre-loved furniture for 17 years- it takes a lot for anything to stand out to me these days but Pacific Green without a doubt does. I specialise in finding items found in Australia- I don’t go overseas and fill up containers to bring here. We have so much inspiring stuff here in Australia there’s no need to. In my years in this business I think Pacific Green is the best furniture brand to ever come out of Australia. Tessa and FLER come close (but Tessa/FLER items tended to mimic what was done overseas at the time). Pacific Green does its own thing- their designs are distinctive, interesting, earthy, creative and certainly have “wow factor”. But stunning design is a small part of the appeal. The quality is EXCEPTIONAL. The CRAFTSMANSHIP BY HAND is exceptional. The ethos of Pacific Green is exceptional.

Put one of these chairs next to a Parker lounge chair from the 1960’s and there’s NO comparison. These chairs are HEAVY and been built to last forever. Not just one generation. If they’re looked after with some sense I see no reason why this suite won’t last forever. These chairs have a steel sub-structure so they’re solidly built and the eye for construction detail is not what I’ve ever come across before. You want a really strong furniture investment? Pacific Green is it in my eyes. And at this price I doubt Pacific Green can even make the suite for this.

Pacific Green uses coconut timber for the manufacture of all their furniture. Coconut wood is more resilient than virtually any timber- it thrives in areas battered by tropical cyclones. PG use abandoned plantations of coconut palms in the South Pacific that were commercially planted in the early-1900’s but reached the end of productive fruiting. Instead of going to waste Pacific Green makes use of this valuable sustainable resource.

But the best part in my eyes is that Pacific Green have set a benchmark for modern, sustainable business for other businesses to follow. In the late 1980’s land was leased, not bought, to respect indigenous ownership. Their factory was built in consultation with the surrounding villages and employed only local people. Business and skills training programmes were established. The majority of the company is OWNED BY FIJIANS- the drive of the business is still Australian- the designing arm happens here in Australia.

I am inspired and heartened that a small Australian business changed tack the way they did back in the late-1980’s when ecological threats and socially-conscious business was barely ever thought of.

Right … I must talk about the actual suite on offer here. (Sorry for such a long-winded affair but the Pacific Green story needs to be told.) I don’t think this design is produced anymore. I vaguely remember it on their website a few years ago but I can’t find it anymore. It has the labels underneath each chair that Pacific Green used about 15-20 years ago- the design and construction is unmistakeable anyway. This design is harder to get making it even more desirable. You can also see the durability of the construction from the photos- the meticulous eye for detail. It’s obvious this suite not just slapped together any old how. Pacific Green is not a flash in the pan- they’ve been around over 40 years- they earned their reputation long ago for furniture craftsmanship of the highest quality. This furniture is HAND-CRAFTED- a dying art but one that needs to be nurtured. You can see from the photos that PG have also considered the comfort. They’re great chairs to curl up in and find your own comfort (they’re a BIG size). There’s a great mix of softness AND support and the angles are all spot-on for sitting in.

I love finding exciting furniture. Furniture like this is the reason I do this job. Pacific Green ignites inspiration- they tick every box and prove that businesses can be successful, ecologically-responsible and socially-aware. Their furniture has been built to last and will continue to tell stories well after you and I are gone- just like Post & Rail furniture already has. Pacific Green will become the antiques of tomorrow. There’s no better way to invest in your home and reduce landfill.