The groundbreaking Designed in Bend ECO Collection joins Breedlove’s Tonewood Certified Made in Bend models and 2020’s Organic Collection of sustainably sourced instruments to complete the company’s transition to total tonewood sustainability across all price points.
Aware of the vagueness imbued in the term, Breedlove owner, Tom Bedell, clarifies; “We care about protecting the forests, we care about protecting the wildlife, and we care about protecting the indigenous populations.” He continues “If we’re not improving the world’s forests, then we’re not doing our job.” Pretty forward thinking for a guitar company.
A musical instrument business entrepreneur since his teens, Bedell purchased the company in late 2010 and launched Breedlove’s sustainability evolution – its success hinged on his ability to answer one question; “Where does our wood come from?” Moving forward, Breedlove would not only track their wood to the country of origin or a particular forest, some Breedlove instruments can be tracked to their exact tree stump. That’s right, tracking from stump to serial number – unheard of in the Musical Instrument industry.
With vision to craft all Breedlove guitars from sustainable tonewoods, 2013 saw creation of the brand’s Tonewood Certification Program for Made in Bend models, and with 2020 came the Organic Collection of sustainably sourced instruments. With 2021’s release of the ECO Collection’s revolutionary sounding entry-level guitars, all Breedlove instruments (across all price-points) are constructed from clear-cut free, sustainably harvested tonewoods. This is an industry first. Breedlove has planted a flag.
It’s an unwavering commitment to conservation, with Bedell’s travel spanning some fifteen countries, sourcing the finest sounding tonewoods and monitoring best practices. He does his due diligence. He walks the forests and follows up to ensure compliance, and if a mill won’t allow tracking, it doesn’t get his business.
He doesn’t mind the travel. Growing up in the fishing tackle business has instilled a genuine love and appreciation for, and commitment to, nature. “Part of the excitement about sustainability in the jungle is becoming intimate with the uniqueness of every tree in an ecosystem of millions and millions of life species – they just buzz. The music of the jungle is just incredible.”
Breedlove brings that incredible music to the masses in the form of exquisitely crafted, wonderful sounding, musical instruments, constructed from clear-cut free, sustainably harvested tonewoods.
Breedlove – doing the right thing, never sounded better.
