Our Materials

Environmentally Friendly and Sustainable

Phyllidae displays use only top-quality, ecologically responsible materials.

Aren't you killing these creatures to make your displays? And isn't that wrong?
I'm not personally killing them, no, but it's true that most are not dying peaceful natural deaths, in their beds, surrounded by friends and family. To assuage your guilt, however, know that in purchasing these insects you're actually helping the survival of the rainforest. While we'd like to think that land set aside for conservation in developing countries is an Eden of frolicking animals who've never seen the face of man, the sad truth is that most laws protecting these lands are not enforced, animals are being poached for food and profit, swaths are being cut down for family farms, and many areas are still being clear-cut.

It's not hard to understand why. People who live in these undeveloped areas have little means of survival except through what the forest offers. Rather than attempting to collect rain in a sieve by policing these territories, it's much more effective to encourage native peoples to preserve the land by promoting a more symbiotic relationship. Hence, insect collection and farming. In several countries, most notably Papua New Guinea, government-sponsored programs purchase butterflies that are either collected in the forest or reared from caterpillars, providing regular income for native peoples in areas with sky-high unemployment rates. Knowing that their livelihood is directly tied to the health of the forest, denizens are much less likely to cause it harm. By regulating the insect trade, government programs ensure that only populous species are being collected.

Although to our Western eyes these insects look rare and exotic, all insects used by Phyllidae are very common.

What about your veneers? Surely those come from the rainforest?
Actually, the "Macassar Ebony" (note the quotes) used in several of my displays is really Ayous, a plentiful, fast-growing (sustainable) tree found in Cameroon and the Gold Coast, that's been dyed to resemble ebony (a dead ringer, in my opinion). The Zebrawood and Zelkowa (Keiki) veneers are made with scrap wood left over when lumber is processed - wood that's normally thrown away - and then bound with natural resin, in a process that is both ecologically friendly and 100% natural.

Where do you get your papers?
Our marbled papers are created by hand by individuals, a couple of them belonging to families known for generations as master marblers. Our backing paper is also handmade: It's a 100% kozo, long-fiber paper created in Saitama prefecture, Japan.