VIEW ALL BLOG POSTS
01/27/2022
Long before preserved moss is installed on a wall in your office, it lives a much different life. Let's discuss some different types of moss!
Despite its name, reindeer moss is actually a type of lichen- a composite organism comprised of algae, cyanobacteria, and various fungi species. Although that can sound scary, it is actually a common and benign life form, and can be found scattered on forest floors throughout the sub-Arctic mountains. It is spread so far and wide that it functions as the primary food source for reindeer and caribou during the winter months, hence the name "reindeer moss".
Other types of moss have similar origins. Sheet moss is found throughout the world on forest floors, where there are constant levels of moisture and shade. You have likely seen sheet moss in nature, covering rocks, fallen branches, and crawling up shaded trees. Pole moss is also found in forests, growing in small round mounds.
To create a moss wall, the moss must first be preserved properly. To begin, it is sustainably harvested from the forest floor and shipped to processing locations around the world. Alternatively, eco-friendly moss farms exist to generate and harvest moss without affecting the broader environment. The moss is cleaned, trimmed, and treated according to ecological practices. The moss is then saturated with a dye (often similar to fabric dye) and heated to preserve the moss's texture and color.
After treatment, the moss can be shipped to places like NPK! After receiving a moss shipment, our designers sort through the moss again, removing any unusable pieces for use as topdressing. Once settling on a design, we begin applying the moss by hand, piece by piece, to a backing (often felt), which is used to hold the entire piece together until it is time for installation.
Over the years, we have created some very unique moss art! Due to preserved moss's color options, the sky really is the limit when it comes to designs. Feel free to peruse our gallery of moss walls, or take a walk down memory lane with us and learn about a 2019 moss wall award.