Sustainability
Like many we have been thinking more about where things come from, how they are made, and how they are disposed of. It is often difficult to see the whole supply chain, the conditions for workers, and end of life disposal and we want to be as transparent as possible in our business.
‘Sustainable furniture making’ might mean as little as using wood as it is a ‘renewable resource’ but we think it has to be much broader and deeper than that. We find Kate Raworth’s model of Doughnut Economics helpful for thinking about sustainability. Her model has two rings and looks like a doughnut. The inner ring represents the basic needs of people to keep them healthy and happy including housing, work, education, healthcare, community, air, water and energy. The outer ring represents the need of the planet, and human demand must not exceed certain limits, to prevent damage to atmosphere, oceans, soil, bio-diversity and natural resources. There is a sweet spot between the two rings where people have what they need without damaging the earth. At the moment there are many people who do not have enough to meet their basic needs and we are damaging the planet by over-consumption of limited resources and generating too much pollutants and waste.
As a micro-business we are thinking about what we can do to thrive in the sweet spot in the short, medium and long-term. At a basic level we transform local hardwood trees into treasured furniture but it can be useful to analyse the steps.
Our team
We are lucky to have a small team of dedicated people who derive job satisfaction from exceptional hand made furniture. Individual makers are responsible for whole projects where possible (for better job satisfaction and learning) and frequent discussion about the best way to do things leads to highly skilled makers and greater efficiency, helping to make our furniture as affordable as possible. We pay above the Living Wage, have provided occupational health checks and have improved the working environment through investing in the best machinery.
Our material
Generating most materials generates carbon emissions and other pollutants. However wood is grown by trees and our local timber has required minimal energy to extract and get to our workshop. It is also renewable and sometimes even regenerative. We work with a variety of sustainable Scottish hard-woods. We sometimes start with a standing tree and we source oak from our collectively owned, local bluebell wood where we fell and mill as part of a sustainable woodland management plan, designed to increase bio-diversity and the overall health of the woodland. Carefully managing our woodland, and felling a few carefully selected trees improves the health and resilience of the remaining trees, and wider woodland. This timber would normally be considered firewood grade but we have elevated this humble material through our innovative design and craftsmanship. We also use Perthshire grown oak, ash and cherry felled and milled on a micro-scale by other Scottish tree surgeons and saw-millers. The process is skilled and time-consuming but is part of good custody of our precious native woodland resource. Having a continuous local supply of timber underpins our business.
It has really helped develop our furniture making process to be very close to the felling and milling. It has stimulated experimentation in the richly coloured, small section, characterful oak and has influenced our design. Angus works with local tree surgeons and saw-millers to prepare the tree as efficiently as possible for our unique combination of furniture making processes. This reduces transport miles, supports highly skilled local people, and celebrates our local timber and woodland.
We are licensees of the Scottish Working Woods Label.
The Scottish Working Woods Label benefits both the environment and the local communities in the following ways:
“The label supports local growing, harvesting, processing and production which in turn mitigates climate change and supports local economy and employment.
The label endorses the value of local biodiversity, character and identity in the woodland resource.
The visible ‘chain of custody’ from raw material to finished product brings producers, customers and communities into a meaningful relationship with each other and with Scottish woodlands.
The label supports and promotes the value of traditions in the areas of woodland management, craftsmanship and use of resources, encouraging the development and retention of the associated skills.”
Trees absorb carbon from the atmosphere as they grow and wood is composed of about 50% carbon. Using wood in furniture or buildings stores or locks in this carbon until the wood is destroyed by burning or decomposition.
Our process and craftsmanship
Our furniture making is a relatively slow and considered process but we are as efficient and effective as possible to keep the price as low as possible for our customers. We specialise in steam-bending which allows us to use air-dried oak and ash. Steaming for an hour effectively dries the wood to the correct humidity for fine furniture making and may be more efficient than the usual kiln drying for weeks or months (for most furniture grade wood). Bending with steam also means we can achieve interesting curves and shapes with much less waste than if cut from solid. We use harvested rain water for steam bending. We use traditional cabinetmaking and green wood-work techniques for jointing, rather than faster screws, as we believe it is ‘better’: it is more effective, will be longer lasting, and is more beautiful. We have developed innovative ways to simplify construction, and we harness the inherent strength in woods long fibres. Most of our work is commissioned and made to order, so there is no waste due to over-production, and our making process is always evolving to become more efficient. There is an art to our furniture making that includes frequent discussions about the ‘best way’ at all stages including: selecting timber, machining, joint-work, construction and finishing and we are proud that we are Winner of Best Sustainable Product at Decroex 2020 and have been selected four times for The Wood Awards Best Bespoke Furniture design (for Unstable Stool, Y Writing Desk, Spring Benches and Sculptural Fishing Platforms).
Our Waste
We intend our furniture to be treasured for decades or even centuries, and it has been designed and made so that it is long-lasting, and can be repaired, up-cycled or recycled as required. At the very end of life it is totally recyclable and ultimately bio-degradable so there is no waste. This demonstrates ‘circular economy’: keep a resource in use as long as possible and think about disposal from the outset rather than at the end. Contrast this with the ‘linear economy’ in mass-produced furniture: make fast, using cheap industrial materials, for a short life-span of use, and take no responsibility for disposal.
We are always happy to assist in the unlikely event that our furniture needs to be repaired and we provide advice on care and maintenance.
Our wood waste is recycled or burnt for fuel. Our sawdust is made into briquettes. Our heating at home is totally based on wood.
Our Finish
Our furniture is finished with natural oils. This is durable and easy to maintain, repair and refinish. It is not damaging to human health or the environment unlike the frequently used alternative : lacquer.
Packaging
We have improved our packaging so that smaller items are sent in totally compostable packaging, and we use recycled and up cycled blankets for van transport as much as possible.
Travel and delivery.
Smaller furniture items are delivered by Parcelforce and larger items are delivered by us and our trusted partner by van. Of our team of six, two walk to work, one e-bikes, two car share and one drives.
Energy
Our workshop heating is gas to comply with our insurers stipulations. Our electricity is 100% renewable from Octopus.
Carbon Footprint
As it can be useful for people to compare businesses by looking at the amount of carbon they generate as measured by an external measuring tool we signed up with ‘Compare Your Footprint’ in April 2021. It is time-consuming and difficult but we have finally got to a stage where we can publish a reports with the help of Bluepatch and their Let’s Do Net Zero programme - in May 2023.