What is The Joseph M. Stern Company?

Founded in 1915, our company has devoted all but the first few years of its existence to the sale and manufacturing of Raffia and Raffia products. In 1922, E. M. Elder, then a junior member of the firm, perfected a method of making artificial grass out of raffia sewn on burlap to be used during internment services to cover the bare earth.  This product looked so much like real grass  that before long it was adopted by the display industry who vigorously promoted it for displaying all kinds of  merchandise; sports gear and sportswear, lawn and garden equipment and supplies, fresh fruits and vegetables, fashion clothing, anything, in fact, who’s sales appeal would be enhanced by a natural, grassy, outdoor setting.

On the glamour side,  both Hollywood and Broadway were quick to see the potential of our Forevergreen Display Grass and it soon became a standard prop for stage, screen and television productions.

All through these years, we were dyeing and  packaging Raffia fiber for the handicraft trade.  At first it was just a side line but as the years went by, working with raffia became more and more popular so that today, Forget-Me-Not Raffia has became our number one product.

There have been many changes and considerable growth since 1915 but with E. M. Elder’s son Howard still at the helm and Bob’s son in law Dave Owen, the current General Manager, the company is totally committed to providing the kind of quality and service that one would expect from a three generation family business.