Advantages of Sungkai Wood: Why It’s a Smart Choice for Modern Furniture

When it comes to timber options, many people will think of teak as their top-of-mind choice. However, considering other modern yet cost-effective woods can also be a smart move, especially if you’re an importer looking for furniture pieces with a distinctive appearance and guaranteed market value.

With its unique aesthetic appeal, Sungkai wood is perfect for your diverse collections, which also offers your customers price alternatives. As a trusted Indonesian furniture manufacturer with reputable expertise in teak, Sungkai, and other potential woods in Indonesia, we’ll be guiding you to know more about the advantages of Sungkai wood that you can take as a retailer or wholesaler.

What Is Sungkai Wood?

Unlike teak, mahogany, or other popular timber options, Sungkai wood, the global demand of the Southeast-Asian-native timber, is relatively lower than those favored lumbers.

But for the people who recognize its value, Sungkai wood is known for its workability, affordability, and particular presence. Some even call this hidden gem wood “White Teak” for its versatile traits. Let’s take a look at the origin of Sungkai, its characteristics, and its position in the global furniture market.

Origin and characteristics of Sungkai (Peronema canescens)

Sungkai, or the scientific tree name, Peronema canescens, originates from the land of Southeast Asia, specifically Indonesia. Sungkai’s common appearance is pale yellowish-white to light brown in color with straight grain and medium texture, making it perfect for a clean but modern furniture piece.

Unlike teak, which is high in oil content and highly dense, Sungkai is relatively dry with moderate density, with a weight of 550 to 650 kg/m³, making it workable enough to any specific shape but not too light for it to be easily broken. However, these qualities also result in Sungkai being moisture-sensitive and not the best option for durability.

Why Sungkai is popular in Indonesia’s furniture industry

Originating from Indonesia, Sungkai can be found naturally on Sumatra, Java, Kalimantan, and also Sulawesi. Aside from having a common availability across Indonesian forests, Sungkai is widely used for local furniture in Indonesia for its aesthetic versatility & economic value. It’s also for Sungkai’s good resistance to tropical weather, very suitable for the Indonesian climate and humidity. 

How MPP Furniture sources Sungkai sustainably

With over 7 years of handling Sungkai-made products, MPP Furniture has chosen a sustainable approach for our wood sourcing. All products of MPP Furniture, especially Sungkai pieces, are SVLK-certified, a legal pass from the Indonesian government for any furniture export business in Indonesia.

The Key Advantages of Sungkai Wood

At a glance, Sungkai wood might look “cheap” based on its characteristics. But when it is used for furniture crafting, it serves some benefits you might not notice. With its charming qualities, Sungkai can help boost your sales, especially for furniture sets that offer an appealing design. Business-wise, you can also check other great qualities of Sungkai wood as we list below.

Elegant and natural grain pattern — ideal for minimalist design

First, we have the aesthetic allure of Sungkai that represents simplicity and brightness. From the natural look of Sungkai, it presents a subtle yet elegant appearance of a “cheap wood”. The straight pattern is also perfect to support a minimalist concept like Scandinavian or Japanese-inspired designs.

Lightweight yet strong — easy to shape and transport

Sungkai is not heavy like teak, so it’s convenient to shape, sand, and stain this timber. For an Indonesian furniture supplier like us that develops handcrafted furniture pieces, it’s proven by our craftsmen that it’s easier to join and assemble Sungkai compared to other hardwoods like teak.

This results in reducing production time, making the manufacturing process a lot more efficient. For importing businesses, it’s crucial to consider the global distribution factor; the lighter weight of Sungkai also helps you with lower transportation costs.

Smooth surface — perfect for finishing and color customization

Other notable traits from Sungkai are its fine surface, making it easier to help with protection layering. The smooth surface also results in Sungkai being receptive to various finishes, from paintings to coatings, making it suitable for any color customization of your choice.

Cost-effective alternative to teak wood

Even if Sungkai doesn’t have all the qualities of teak timber, it still offers a cheaper alternative with teak’s elegant appearance. Also, Sungkai’s faster growth cycle and greater availability make it more accessible without compromising its design value.

Eco-friendly material with a sustainable growth rate

If you also have concerns about sustainable materials, Sungkai can be your best option. Unlike teak, which grows relatively slowly, the Indonesian government has issued a strict rule on its sourcing. With Sungkai being commonly available in Indonesia, especially if you’re choosing MPP Furniture’s products, it won’t cause you worry about its illegal sourcing.

Comparison: Sungkai Wood vs. Teak Wood

For a deeper context value, let’s compare Sungkai and teak, which might help broaden your business radar.

Differences in texture, color, and hardness

Teak is known for its golden-brown hue, very stiff and dense, feels oily due to its high oil content, but is very expensive in pricing; it’s perfect for customers who want to invest in durability and are willing to splurge some cash.

On the other hand, Sungkai is in a lighter shade of brown, less hard and oily, but has a finer texture and is a lot more affordable, making it the perfect choice for customers who prioritize customizability in color & finishings that match their design appeal.

When to choose Sungkai instead of teak

If your business has a demand for cost-effective furniture pieces that still have an outstanding visual signature, you might consider buying Sungkai furniture products. It is also the best option if you have a specific customer niche that wants budget-friendly minimalist pieces.

Why both materials complement MPP’s design flexibility

Confused about what materials are perfect for your project? We choose to blend the prized lumber with Sungkai that excels in versatility, offering our clients design flexibility for exceptional furniture pieces.

This also allows us to bring you aesthetic preferences, but with alternative budget considerations. With our impeccable craftsmanship expertise, we believe that we can deliver on such demand.

How MPP Furniture Maximizes the Potential of Sungkai Wood

Being an expert in exporting high-quality furniture from Indonesia’s finest teak, we are well aware of Sungkai’s potential in the global market. Here is the process of making the “regular Indonesian-native teak” into “export-worthy furniture collections”.

Proper kiln drying and machining process

Since Sungkai is highly sensitive to moisture, it’s very important to do proper drying. MPP Furniture always kiln-dries Sungkai below 12% before production. This step is from our best practices; if not dried properly, this will result in quick cracking, especially if it’s going to be exported into more humid locations.

Protective finishing for long-lasting durability

From our best practices, MPP Furniture uses water-based or polyurethane coatings that help prevent moisture buildup and extend its durability to 1-2 years of usage, only if you put Sungkai products in a considerate outdoor space like patios or balconies.

Skilled craftsmanship ensuring premium results

More than 200 craftsmen join our in-house production house, contributing their best skills for every Sungkai piece. With our excellence in craftsmanship, we not only offer high-quality, sustainable Sungkai wood but also provide a handcrafted artisan touch that enhances product value to your customers.

Ideal Applications for Sungkai Wood Furniture

With these excellent qualities, you wonder what the best space is suitable for Sungkai pieces? Take a look at our guide here.

Indoor furniture for modern and minimalist spaces

With its moderate durability, Sungkai is the best craft to decorate your indoor settings, especially those with a light-toned, minimalist concept. See our Madinta Chair, for example. Combined with our best craftsmanship, the chair gives off a clean, modern vibe, yet is comfortable at the same time.

Custom projects and OEM designs

Leveraging Sungkai’s excellent workability, the wood is also your solid bet for projects that need more freedom in design flexibility. At MPP Furniture, we’re open for private label/ODM/OEM requests and free product development, bringing authenticity to your business.

Blending Sungkai with other materials (rattan, metal, or fabric)

Sungkai’s lighter visual also makes it a perfect material to mix. Whether it’s fabric, metal, or even rattan, their presence will accentuate Sungkai’s modern look, bringing more attractive choices in the market. Take a look at our Bonita Folding Chair that represents organic warmth.

Ready to Partner with Reliable, Leading Indonesian Sungkai Manufacturer?

With over 2 decades of experience in furniture manufacturing and over 7 years of producing Sungkai pieces, MPP Furniture is ready to present you with the best Sungkai crafts that are responsibly sourced from Indonesian forests. We also offer ODM/OEM or private label production with free product development, bringing you authenticity for your business.

Our client satisfaction rate of 99% and complaint ratio of 0.56% prove that our strict quality control brings the best service for our clients in Australia, Spain, Dubai, the United States, and many more. No worries with the global logistics matters, our responsive communication & export-ready documentation give you a hassle-free shipment and smooth transactions.

The combination of our customizability in design, expertise in handcrafted Sungkai collections, and detailed QC of each production makes MPP Furniture your most reliable partner for long-term growth. Schedule a free consultation with us and see how we can help your business.