Less than 48 hours before our Outdoor Furniture Day of Action would have targeted Pottery Barn stores in six cities, representatives of Williams-Sonoma, Pottery Barn's parent company, followed up on a letter sent to Rainforest Relief in on April 5, 2007. The letter was in response to a letter we sent in February, following up on Williams-Sonoma's sales of teak originating from Burma, uncovered by Rainforest Relief associate David Wolfberg.

A phone conversation ensued between Rainforest Relief and Williams-Sonoma during which W-S's representatives stated that they are concerned about nyatoh and are seeking alternatives. They continue to work with the Global Forest Trade Network (GFTN), brought together by the World Wildlife Fund, which seeks to move companies to the use of FSC-certified wood products.

Rainforest Relief is not in agreement with many of the methods that GFTN employs, including allowing companies to continue to source products from old growth rainforests and acting as a quasi-certifier by making statements to purchasing companies that support the continued purchase from suppliers that are not certified and who continue to source from questionable operations and producers.

The Williams-Sonoma reps would not state a date by which they will phase out the purchase of nyatoh but their statements and their commitment to continue discussions led us to cancel our plans to demonstrate in front of their stores during our Day of Action.

For more on what ensued next, see the related story, Restoration Hardware Agrees to Work with Us to Phase Out Nyatoh.