Description
Provenance & Background Info (Written in 2016)
This suite is second-hand was about 15 years old when we sold it in 2016. Keep clicking on the NEWLY LISTED Category on Home Page so you don’t miss any of our new finds!
An exceptional quality leather PAIR of armchairs MADE BY HAND by highly-awarded company, Pacific Green. Pacific Green is at the top in my eyes- they offer it all and have their own original style that others wouldn’t even try to emulate. I’ve stocked Pacific Green items various times now and they’ve all drawn immediate interest from international buyers in the UK, USA and Canada.
This pair of chairs was bought into Australia by the original owners about 15 years ago direct from Fiji. To my knowledge this design has never been retailed in Australia so it’s particularly rare. When I first saw it, I didn’t hesitate. I love the Cayenne design but this is just as stunning. The boxy style is minimalist and tidy so would work well even in a smaller space. The colour of the leather is the perfect in my eyes- a great contrast to the timber slats- it’s warm and “clean-looking” but softens the bold design. In a modern minimalist designer apartment, it would look amazing but is also warm and inviting- not clinical looking like most designer furniture. This pair of chairs are HEAVY- all Pacific Green furniture is incredible in quality.
When I came across my first Pacific Green design about 5 years ago I immediately researched the Pacific Green brand more. Within 2 minutes I couldn’t wait to get the piece.
Pacific Green originated from the Post & Rail brand which started in Sydney in the 1970’s and is heralded for its construction quality. Post & Rail grew into an international brand and in the late 1980’s they did the unthinkable. With a highly successful brand they changed tack completely. With the world’s new concern with deforestation and ecological threats, Post & Rail closed and re-branded as Pacific Green. Pacific Green searched the world for a sustainable quality timber for their future furniture production- the solution? Coconut wood. In the South Pacific, they found vast abandoned plantations of coconut palm trees, which were commercially planted in the early-1900s but had reached the end of productive fruiting. The best part? Coconut wood is more resilient than virtually any timber. It thrives in areas battered by tropical cyclones.
After I’d found out that I not only did I want the suite I’d found, I wanted to start stocking new Pacific Green furniture in iNVISeDGE (which would be a first for us because we only sell pre-loved furniture). But there’s more. Pacific Green set a benchmark for modern, sustainable business in the Pacific. 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 business is owned by Fijians- the drive is still Australian- the designing arm happens here in Australia.
Pacific Green today has grown from that little furniture-making firm that started in the Rocks, Sydney back in 1973 (as Post & Rail). I am inspired and heartened they changed tack back in the late 80’s when ecological threats were barely thought of. I can write nothing critical about these chairs or Pacific Green.
If PG ever retailed this pair of armchairs in Australia they would cost about $5000. The fact this design has never been sold in Australia means they’re worth more. The quality is exceptional (all made BY HAND)- the leather- luxurious, the comfort- exceptional, looks- exceptional and investment appeal- exceptional. The Americans are going gaga over Pacific Green at the moment and paying A LOT more for it than us Aussies.
The best thing about Pacific Green is the inspiration it evokes- PG ticks every box and proves that businesses can be successful, ecologically-responsible and socially aware. These chairs have been built to last and will continue to tell stories for generations to come- Pacific Green furniture will be the antiques of tomorrow. There’s no better way to invest in your home and reduce your carbon footprint.
