Sustainable Materials
We are very passionate about sustainability in design. We believe a sustainable product is a balance between:
- The choice of low-impact material (its durability and responsible extraction/sourcing)
- Responsible manufacturing of the product
- Longevity of timeless design.
- High quality craftsmanship for the product's vitality.
A product must be beautiful, well designed, create minimal waste, created from responsible materials and made so well it lasts a life time.
We know that it is impossible to be 100% sustainable and ethical but we do as much as we can.
Birch wood (WISA)
Birch wood from well managed forests is seen as a sustainable resource. Birch trees grow in abundance so the management and processing doesn't affect the biodiversity of the forest. For every 1 tree that WISA fells for plywood, they plant another 4.
The manufacturing of plywood uses less energy than plastic and metal, and every part of the tree is utilised. Any small offcuts can be reused and recycled, used as a heat source or fed back into plywood production.
We source European birch plywood from a local company who are committed to improving sustainable forest management and responsible trading. They offer a comprehensive Chain of Custody system and FCS/PEFC approval to ensure transparency when sourcing their timber products.
The Eco plywood we use consists of recycled fibres and birch wood from well managed forests. It is made with extremely low phenol glue.
Hard woods
For other wooden pieces, we use salvaged hardwoods that usually have a very interesting provenance.
Natured based hard wax oil
All products are finished with a natural hard wax oil called Treatex.
Stainless Steel
The stainless steel liner inside each vessel is made using 80% recycled scrap metal and is also recyclable.
Lighting Components
All brass lamp components are made by a family run foundry in Birmingham UK. The cables are from an Italian company and are ROHS and CE certified.
Eco Silver
It's not well known but mining for metal is one of the most destructive in the craft industry. It's responsible for 10 per cent of world energy, arsenic emissions, cyanide and mercury poisoning, child labour and human rights abuses, as well as vast landscape damage!
Eco silver (which is supplied by a company called Cookson Gold ) is still Sterling Silver but made by recycling the vast amount of previously mined silver and therefore reducing the need for extracting new metals.
Eco silver is:
- 100% recycled
- 100% traceable
- 100% audited
- Certificate of authenticity
Our offcuts and waste
From the moment a product idea is conceived, we purposefully design it so we produce very little waste and plan innovative uses for the offcuts. It's an important process of the design from the beginning and shouldn't be an afterthought. The off-cuts from the corners of the lamps we turn into earrings, key rings and magnets. Surplus offcuts we donate to youth projects and other charities that would like to use them in creative art projects. The bulk of the saw dust is compressed into domestic fuel 'briquettes' and the dust I create in my studio I'm collecting to launch an eco-resin coaster, candle stick holder and table placemat range.
Packaging
All product packaging and promotion is recycled, reused and recyclable. Everything is biodegradable including the tape.
Our leaflets and cards are printed locally by Jam Jar Prints, our packaging boxes are made by local business Rendac Packaging.
local independent suppliers (where possible) for any necessary components that we cannot make in house.