For quite some time, the exotic hardwood flooring market in the United States was all but completely dominated by Brazilian Cherry. More recently, exotic species from around the globe have made their way into the exotic flooring market, including Bamboo, Padauk, and Australian Cypress, to name a few. Despite the introduction of these new species, a majority of the exotic flooring installations in homes nationwide nationwide still consist of .



Why is this? There are a variety of factors keeping at the top of the heap:

1. The supply is very consistent. Channels of importation and distribution are long established and the specie is prevalent. As these channels are formed and mills in South America are well established, the risk factor for companies is greatly lessened when importing Brazilian Cherry in comparison to taking a chance on a new mill exporting a lesser known exotic specie.

2. Additionally, consistent supply means that vendors need not worry about a shortage that could adversely impact their sales.

3. Finally, the American public is familiar with and has embraced Brazilian Cherry floors as durable, stable, and beautiful floors that have passed the test of time. With other, newer species, there is always the potential that they will not perform as well in service as Brazilian Cherry does. Fears include an unforeseen lack of dimensional stability, acute lack of durability, or shoddy craftsmanship by an unproven mill.

The introduction of variety is something that should always be welcome in any market, and the influx of new exotic species into the United States will have manifold great effects, from generating jobs in all countries concerned to providing consumers with a greater array of options for their home. That said, it will probably be some time before another exotic specie reaches the level of popularity and prevalence as Brazilian Cherry has in the U.S.