We’d like to make a shout-out to one of our BFF companies here in Portland, Oregon: Plywerk! Plywerk mounts your digital photos onto beautiful, sustainable plywerk (bamboo plywood panels). The panels are a gorgeous thing on their own, with visible cross-layers of bamboo grain, and the careful application of a print truly creates a keepsake. You can upload your Facebook, Instagram, or other digital photos directly to the site, and your Plywerk print will ship to your door once it’s finished.

Plywerk... because your memories matter. from Plywerk on Vimeo.

Bamboo + photography + ethical manufacturing! How could Grove not love Plywerk? The company prides itself on sustainability and a positive business model. Bamboo is an incredibly sustainable material to work with; since it grows so quickly, it’s highly renewable. But the happy team over at Plywerk values not only sustainable materials but also a local economy working toward self-sufficiency:

“The vast majority of today's economy revolves around cheap overseas manufacturing. As a consequence, the local economy in which we all thrive is often forgotten. We pride ourselves on bucking this trend. [...] Every piece of Plywerk is handmade by real humans in Portland Oregon, our materials are sourced from local suppliers with a similar business ethos whenever possible[…]” -Plywerk.com/About

Photo credit: PLYWERK

The possibilities for your own Plywerk are as endless as your online photo galleries! The results are exciting - whether you’re documenting your solo adventures, showcasing family memories, or outdoing yourself with some remarkable office decor. Plywerk takes a photo and turns it into a substantial piece of art for treasuring, hanging, or displaying in a number of ways. And, it almost goes without saying that we are big fans of the natural look of bamboo. So are Kim Oanh Nguyen-van Zoen and Kjell van Zoen, who started Plywerk in their basement after mounting their first photo to a piece of discarded plywood.

Photo credit: PLYWERK

Check out Plywerk’s products and get your first 5x5 photo panel for just $19 at Plywerk.com! (Also, be SURE to check out the Goo Goo Gaga special at the bottom of their website.) I highly recommend following them on Instagram as well, @Plywerk.