Design is not just about form; it is a process that integrates technology, function and the aesthetic into a single thought. At ALNO, this process has evolved further with the increased awareness of environmental concerns, as well as a new appreciation for our natural resources and the impact that manufacturing has on the world around us. From the very beginning in 1927, Albert Nothdurft, the founder of ALNO, was conscious of the impact on the environment and the effect of limited and dwindling resources. Now, as then, ALNO has taken the next step forward in product design by leading the industry in a renaissance of high-design and global responsibility.

For over 80 years, ALNO has led the industry in "green" manufacturing, long before it became fashionable. For over 20 years, ALNO has been using non-toxic paints and lacquers, free from heavy metals and low in emissions. ALNO products are manufactured using recycled and regenerated wood from certified resources as well as the continued use of non-toxic laminates, aluminum, glass and technical veneers. ALNO only uses lumber, veneers and wood panels from fully managed and sustainable forests.

The factory itself is a living statement in sustainability with its Zero Waste resource management system, whereby all waste is either reconstituted into new materials or used as fuel to heat the factory, saving 3 million liters of heating oil each year. As the first to implement such standards, the ALNO factory is hailed as a role model of Green manufacturing by the German government.

On the global stage, ALNO is recognized for its unparalleled production quality and is unequaled on the forefront of green kitchen technology. New technologies set the standards for efficiency in production and quality control. However, this has not made ALNO complacent; they believe that they can always improve themselves and for this very reason ALNO, her factories and products are continually evolving, so that they might sustain and push forward the industry standard.

Consistently shunning wasteful habits of mainstream manufacturing, ALNO has given thoughtful consideration to the future. Those manufacturers, who utilize materials and techniques without a thought to the impact on the world around them, must now make choices out of necessity and consequence. ALNO believes that everyone has a global obligation to protect the environment and to secure our natural resources now and for generations to come. ALNO -- green by choice -- green by design.