We source all of our teak garden furniture from Indonesia and the wood it is made from is supplied through the Indonesian government owned company Perum Perhutani or just “Perhutani” as it is sometimes known. Perhutani employs around 30,000 people to help control the 2,500,000 hectares of wood plantations on the island of Java. The plantations were originally setup in the 1800’s when Indonesia was known as the Dutch East Indies and specifically when under the control of the Dutch Governor General Daendels who was sent to Java to rid the island of the English army.

The photo shows a relativly new perhutani teak plantation with row after row of new teak saplings planted after the previous crop was cut down. The trees can always easily be recognised by the very large green leaves that grow even when the tree is still very small . I have seen several websites claiming that the local population use the leaves as sandpaper and I have asked literally hundreds of Indonesians about this so called  tradition. Every person has given one of two reactions, either a sly smile and snigger or a very loud bout of what can only be described as belly laughter (where the person laughs so loud the whole body shakes and wobbles!). It does sound quaint but I am afraid to say I have to spoil the myth and tell you that Indonesians get their sandpaper from the same place they buy their electric sanders, the local DIY store!