Birch is a clean-looking light-coloured timber, with a uniform grain, that has been used in many iconic pieces of furniture over the years. Examples include the works of Jacobsen, Eames and Aalto. It is more often used as a laminated veneer, such plywood, than solid timber. And it tends to be restricted to indoor applications, because it is perishable and vulnerable to insect attack if left outside.

While there are many different species of commercially available birch – two principal types are Betula alleghaniensis and Betula papyrifera, known as yellow and paper birch respectively, although many other names are used – they tend to be differentiated by their country or region of origin. As a result, birch is graded according to the rate of growth, and forestry practices – and the corresponding benefits and disadvantages. It is available from sustainable and well-managed forests.

Birch bark is typically associated with indigenous handicraft, such as canoes and baskets. It is antibacterial and antifungal with excellent water-shedding properties. It is used in its natural colour, which varies according to the type of tree and time of year when it was harvested. It can be harvested without causing fatal damage, if only the outer bark is removed and the inner bark – which transports water and nutrients up the tree – remains intact.