Illegal timber import fine for furniture maker

British furniture company Stylecraft has been fined for breaching regulations introduced in 2013 to prohibit the importing and sale of illegally harvested timber.

The company, Stylecraft Interiors, formerly known as India Jane, was fined £5,000 for breaching regulations prohibiting the placing on the UK market of illegally harvested timber. The enforcement action was carried out by the Government’s Office for Product Safety and Standards, which enforces the timber regulations.

India Jane failed to carry out due diligence on a Bruges Sideboard imported from China in 2018 in breach of The Timber and Timber Products (Placing on the Market) Regulations 2013.

Timber supply chains are regulated to reduce deforestation and ensure harvesting practices are legal, encourage sustainable harvesting practices and support global forest governance. Businesses trading in timber and timber products must take steps to ensure that they originate from legal sources.