At Bill Shores Frames and Gallery, we take the concept of “conservation framing” a step further than our competitors. In 2000, we began to ask questions about the source of the wooden mouldings we purchased. We quickly discovered that many of the top -selling frames were made of Ramin wood from the rain forests of Southeast Asia. http://www.pictureframingmagazine.com/pdfs/Tips/AUG04_Ramin.pdf That’s when we began seeking mouldings that were made from trees that were responsibly grown and harvested.
Fortunately, during the last decade, the framing industry has become much more “eco conscious” and there are many more options available that have less negative impact on the environment. We maintain a variety of “eco – friendly ” moulding samples that include bamboo as well as sustainable woods.
We also recycle everything we can - paper, card board packaging, glass, plastic and aluminum - even old picture frames when the client doesn’t want them. Those are made available to the public during our semi-annual sidewalk sales. Mat scraps are given to local art teachers to be used in the classroom.
In 2007, we moved the business to the first LEED Certified shopping center in the state. We occupy a building that is energy-efficient in a facility that received the Gold award from the U.S. Green Building Council in 2009.
And we also work with several artists who used recycled materials in their work. Anything from furniture, to picture frames, to jewelry and sculptures out of recycled materials can be found in the gallery.