Today we had the opportunity to visit the TTT Corporation factory in district 3 of Ho Chi Minh. This company styles, designs, and produces unique furniture for luxury hotels around Vietnam. These 10-15 million dollar contracts require a cooperative team to achieve a good looking final product. TTT recently put an emphasis on using sustainable materials and processes in order to receive government subsidies for their clients. My most significant observation during our factory tour was that they cut their wood from young trees. This process reduces their carbon footprint and helps old and large trees stay in the forest. We could see the wood being treated and cut in many different stations. The sheer quantity of workers was surprising, and everyone was constantly busy.

The TTT Corporation seems invested towards sustainability for mostly economic reasons. Less waste results in less money spent on materials. Also, wood from younger trees is cheaper to buy than wood from old trees. Another incentive is that the hotels receiving subsidies for sustainability tend to spend more money in their contract. I believe government incentives towards green initiatives help get the ball rolling towards a more sustainable future. Almost all of TTT’s clients are rich multinational corporations who can afford to spend more on sustainable furniture. It seems that the general Vietnamese public is not harmed by the increased prices due to sustainability requirements, only large companies are slightly harmed. The benefits to the environment by pushing government incentives outweigh the increased cost of furniture for the rich hotels.