If only they'd thought of this before we destroyed the planet

Looking for a hardwood with old growth forest quality, but without all the soul-piercing guilt associated with felling a thousand-year-old tree?

Ferndale, Washington-based EverTech's got just what you need, fella.

It’s called Alowood, and I think I like it.

While the marketing rep I spoke to wouldn't tell me exactly how it's done (ancient corporate secret), EverTech has figured out a way to give fast-growing softwoods the same look, feel, quality, beauty, and machinability as hardwoods. Take Southern Yellow Pine, vacuum out all the moisture and air, then inject textile industry dyes and some sort of miraculous cornstarch-based additive. Presto--red oak. And it’s all formaldehyde free.

Alowood costs less than the hardwoods it mimics—between $1.50 and $7 per board foot, depending on the species, color and hardness you want. Alowood is both FSC-certified and it's the only hardwood product approved by GreenGuard's Indoor Air Quality certification program.

So while the mystery additive remains just that, we're guessing it's pretty green.

Further reading: How to buy environmentally friendly flooring