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Product Info

GEM® Premium Wood Shavings
GEM® Premium Wood Shavings

GEM® Premium Wood Shavings

GEM® Premier White Shavings are a mix of approximately 80% kiln-dried (kd) Western Hemlock and 20% kd Douglas Fir.  And no, the Western Hemlock tree is not related to the poisonous hemlock plant!  The Western Hemlock is a coniferous softwood (evergreen) tree that is a predominant species in the forests of western Washington, Oregon and British Columbia. 

Western Hemlock is the preferred softwood for making high quality paper in the Northwest, and it also makes a superior bedding material. What makes Western Hemlock so good for bedding is that it contains no phenols! Phenols are what we think of as “pitch” or resin.

  • The shavings will absorb more fluids than other woods.
  • The shavings are essentially a hypoallergenic bedding material (phenols are the main culprit of   allergic reactions by animals to bedding).
  • The shavings will break down into compost approximately 5 times faster than pine or other wood shavings. Thus, soiled western hemlock shavings make an excellent soil amendment material.