We are not sustainable.
To be a truly sustainable company, we would need to interact with the natural world in a way that protects, preserves, and regenerates the ecosystems and resources we depend on indefinitely. To be truly sustainable environmentally means we operate within the limits of the Earth’s systems without degrading them over time.
And we may never be.
But that doesn’t mean we stop trying.
At Taylor Guitars, we’ve made real progress. We’ve rethought how we build, where we source, and how to avoid waste. But we haven’t “arrived” — and we probably never will. That’s not defeatism. That’s the truth about what sustainability really is: not a finish line, but a direction. A commitment. A willingness to do better today than we did yesterday.
When Bob Taylor and Kurt Listug started Taylor Guitars in 1974, they weren’t necessarily thinking about sustainability. Back then, few people were. The concept hadn’t yet made its way into boardrooms, headlines, or mission statements. Sourcing wood meant driving to the local lumber yard, not flying across the world to walk through remote forests. It was simpler — and dangerously shortsighted. Trees were seen as inventory, not ecosystems. The question wasn’t should we cut this down? – it was how fast can we turn it into something.
Today, we know better.
Our industry — like so many others — relies on fragile ecosystems, complex global supply chains, and finite natural resources. The guitars we build come from forests that are disappearing, from ecosystems that demand more from us than just responsible sourcing. The truth is, sustainability is no longer a noble goal — it’s the bare minimum.
We don’t claim perfection. We claim responsibility.
That’s why we’re rethinking how we build, what we build with, and what legacy we leave behind. Here’s how we’re confronting the reality of what it takes to make guitars in a world running out of time.
Sourcing With Eyes Wide Open
A Taylor guitar contains wood from as many as five different tree species. That’s not just a supply chain — it’s a global footprint. From Honduras to India to Cameroon, we travel to the source not just to inspect quality, but to confront the impact of our own demand. It’s uncomfortable work. That’s the point.
We’ve learned that “sustainable sourcing” isn’t always what it seems. So we build real relationships with our suppliers, invest in their communities, and make long-term commitments that go beyond the transactional. Because you can’t solve global issues from a factory floor — or a boardroom.
Restore What We’ve Taken
Forests aren’t just resources — they’re history, culture, and future all in one. So we’ve shifted our mindset: from extraction to restoration.
We’re planting thousands of ebony trees in Cameroon through The Ebony Project. In Hawaii, we co-founded Siglo Tonewoods to bring native koa forests back to life. And in California, we’re helping give new purpose to felled urban trees that would otherwise be chipped or burned. This work doesn’t fit neatly into a press release — and that’s why it matters.
Make Less Waste — and More Meaning
In the early days, efficiency was about saving money. Now it’s about saving material, energy, and natural resources.
We redesigned our necks to get more wood from fewer trees. We embraced variegated ebony that used to be left to rot because it didn’t look “perfect” — even though it sounds the same. We’ve turned scrap wood into slides, hangers, and cutting boards. Not because it’s trendy, but because wasting trees to chase an aesthetic isn’t a tradition worth preserving.
Even our finishes have changed — cleaner formulas, smarter applications, fewer emissions. Because every step in the process leaves a mark. We’re choosing to make ours lighter.
Sustainability is a journey, not a destination.
We’re proud of what we’ve done. But pride isn’t the point. The question isn’t whether sustainability is attainable. The question is whether we’re willing to do the uncomfortable, costly, necessary work to keep creating in a world that’s already overdrawn.
So don’t applaud us. Hold us accountable.
And ask every company — not just ours — what they’re really doing to deserve your trust.
