A Conversation with The Original Tree Swing

Bill Pine, founder of The Original Tree Swing, tells terrain why he started the company and how they keep things green.

terrain: Tell us more about the beginnings of The Original Tree Swing.

Bill: To be honest I was unemployed and looking to go back to school in the Fall of 2009. One of my transcripts did not arrive in time and I was forced to wait until the next term.  Needing something to do, my girlfriend challenged me to develop 5 wooden toys and launch a new business in two weeks.  Two weeks later, The Original Tree Swing was born.

terrain: Where do you source the materials for your products?

Bill: I wanted my new business to have as little negative impact on our environment as possible, so we found a wood supplier that reclaimed urban timbers (wood that had been taken down due to weather, construction, or disease) and turned it in to lumber.  This source of wood, though great for the environment, is extremely difficult to maintain a constant supply.  From early on I began planning how to build the infrastructure needed to get these reclaimed timbers ourselves and just this June we put our first load in our new drying kiln.

terrain: Where is your family's favorite nook of nature?

Bill: There is a small wood in Chestnut Ridge, NY that is part of the Sunbridge College campus.  We spent a summer there while my girlfriend worked on her master's degree.  The kids and I played and explored all summer.  It is a most magical place.