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Home Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

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FAQ

About the furniture collection

What type of furniture does Akiba produce?

Akiba’s collection features live edge tables as well as contemporary indoor and outdoor furniture and fixtures that transform any space into a beautiful lifestyle reflection of elegance, integrity, and sustainability. You can explore our site to see the full range of our offering.

‘Live edge’ or ‘natural edge’ is a style of furniture where the furniture designer or craftsperson incorporates the natural edge of the wood into the design of the piece. Special techniques and methods are needed to craft the wood into different furniture types.

‘‘Live edge’ is typically a contemporary style that shows the natural beauty and rawness of the wood.

You can buy our furniture on this eCommerce site today, or you can visit our showrooms in:

Nkok - GSEZ, Gabon;
Miami (FL), USA [Opening end of 2022];
Libreville, Gabon [Opening end of 2022].

Yes. We will work with you and/or your design professional on your design concept, from a sketch of doodle stage till execution. We will perform for you the design and technical feasibility study, sourcing of material, prototyping, costing and final production, packaging and logistics, till the delivery location of your choice.

Akiba offers a collection of unique elegant furniture, designed by our in-house design team as well as renowned Gabonese, African and International contemporary designers.

From the careful selection of exotic noble wood species to its transformation, and design, skilled and passionate local talent creates the ultimate standard in wood furniture.

Delivery available only within Gabon at the moment. Deliveries within Libreville, Akanda or Owendo are free of charge.

We offer you a one-year warranty on every single item purchased.

Akiba’s collection is created from the incredible variety of wood species found within Gabon’s old growth rainforests. The wood selected derives from Gabon’s unique ecosystem that offers endemic and noble wood species, many of which are durable yet versatile, and resistant to termites and other insects. They range in colour from reddish-brown to golden yellow, pinkish orange and dark brown, and in texture allowing Akiba to cover the full range of furniture and fixtures. Click here to find out more about our wood essences: https://akibafurniture.com/pages/woods-of-gabon

Once you have placed your order on our website, you will be able to track your delivery online. Should you have any queries please contact customercare@akibafurniture.com

As stated by the UAE Law, the return of any incorrect product will be free of charge (the equivalent cost will be reimbursed to the client), while if the return applies to products that were corresponding to the order and have been delivered intact, the return will not be possible. Products damaged by detergents / additives, or products damaged by the client for malpractice will not be replaced or refunded. A copy of the delivery note will need to be placed inside the return packing box. The risks of transport for the return of the product (or products) are on the client.

As stated by the UAE Law, the return of any damaged product will be free of charge (the equivalent cost will be reimbursed to the client). A copy of the delivery note will need to be placed inside the return packing box. The risks of transport for the return of the product (or products) are on the client.

We currently have our main showroom in Nkok, Gabon. A flagship store will be inaugurated end of 2022 in Libreville, Gabon as well as a showroom in Fort Lauderdale / Miami (FL), US in November 2022.

About the brand

What does the name mean?

Our brand name, Akiba, means ‘thank you’ in the language of the Fang people of Gabon and Central Africa. This expression of gratitude goes to the heart of our products. We recognise and pay tribute to the forests and trees that provide the inspiration for our furniture. We appreciate the skills of the carpenters who see the potential in each tree, and transform, treat, and design it using advanced techniques and traditional artistic sensibilities to create unique and elegant pieces that showcase the warmth and natural beauty of wood. Akiba’s unique approach is underpinned by sincere appreciation for the materials used, the people who make each masterpiece, and the creative processes that bring them to life.

Our furniture is inspired, conceptualized, and created deep in the heart of central Africa (Gabon). Akiba is a brand that is rooted in Africa both physically and spiritually – our values of respect, elegance, integrity, and sustainability are the same values espoused by the communities that live side by side Gabon’s rainforests.

Akiba is a pioneering African brand founded on the respect that Gabon has for its forests and defined by its elegance, integrity, and sustainability. Drawing inspiration from the unique natural beauty of Gabon’s tropical forests, Akiba is a premium wood furniture brand ushering in a new era of ethically sourced and conservation-led forestry.

Environmental & Ethical sourcing

How is the wood selected and from where?

The wood used in Akiba’s products are exclusively from Gabon. They are consolidated in Nkok (22km northwest of the capital city Libreville) and manufactured in the Gabon Special Economic Zone (GSEZ).

Our trees are harvested in a way that causes minimal damage to the surrounding trees and vegetation. They are then transported on roads which have been carefully routed and narrowly constructed to create minimal disturbance to the forest. Selective felling also promotes new growth in the forest as it allows sunlight to penetrate the dense forest canopy, enabling smaller tree species and other vegetation to grow more quickly and boosting carbon sequestration. Find out more about sustainable forestry here

By working closely together with our communities, Akiba has learnt of the profound respect and connection the Gabonese people have to their forests. It has informed our aspirations to foster sustainable and inclusive growth within the communities we operate in. Plans to upskill local talent further with a Training Academy and supporting local educational intuitions form part of the Akiba ‘way’.

In addition, all of the wood used in Akiba’s products are exclusively from Gabon and manufactured in the Gabon Special Economic Zone (GSEZ). GSEZ is a Public-Private Partnership between Arise Integrated Industrial Platforms (ARISE IIP) and the Gabonese Republic. GSEZ is one of the country’s largest employers and a provider of training opportunities for the Gabonese youth.

Within GSEZ, 8,000 direct and 10,000 indirect jobs have been created for the Gabonese people, all of which are supported by high international standards on health and safety, and environmental sustainability.

The Tracer initiative was spearheaded by the Gabon Special Economic Zone (GSEZ) and managed by the Forêt Ressources Management (FRM) group and Brainforest – a Gabonese non-governmental organization (NGO).

The Tracer initiative is important because it creates a rigorous accountability mechanism to ensure that all Akiba’s sourced woods adhere to the Gabonese Forestry Code, which is one of the most robust in the world. It ensures that Akiba trees are harvested on a 20-year rotating basis, that only mature trees at a certain diameter and height are selected, and that all Akiba’s furniture is sourced and processed in the country of origin.

Purchase & Shipping

How and where can I buy furniture?

You can buy our furniture on this eCommerce site today by sending us an enquiry, or you can visit our showrooms.
Get details here
Our showrooms are in:

Nkok - GSEZ, Gabon (functional with opening hours Monday to Saturday between 10am-5pm)

Miami (FL), USA [opening November 2022)

Libreville , Gabon [Opening end of 2022]

We currently have our main functional showroom in Nkok, Gabon. A flagship store will be inaugurated end of 2022 in Libreville, Gabon as well as a showroom in Fort Lauderdale (Miami - FL) in United States in November 2022.

Once you have submitted an enquiry on our website, you will be able to track your order through our delivery partner's website online. Should you have any queries please contact customercare@akibafurniture.com. Facility of tracking delivery on our website will be activated soon.

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