A headline topic currently, and rightly so.
We need to look after this world we inhabit, it’s the only one we have.
From the very start, we have made a conscious effort to use recycled, and renewably sourced timber.
JP’s even made a habit of searching specifically for trees which have been felled due to disease, and buys slabs for when we need them. (More on that another time.)
We apply the same approach to our packaging. It might not look particularly eco-friendly, but the reality is more complex.
It’s an ongoing search for the right options.
We need a number of materials to properly protect our products on the way to you.
This includes protection for the edges and corners, top and bottom sides, and an outer layer to hold it all together, and provide some weather resistance.
Currently this is foam, bubble wrap, cardboard and packaging wrap.
The foam protectors are made using 80% recycled materials. These can be reused, but obviously to a limited extent by most customers. They can be recycled at specific recycling centres.
The bubble wrap we use is made from 30% recycled materials, but is fully recyclable, and at most conventional recycling facilities.
Our cardboard is made from 100% recycled materials, can be recycled, and will degrade in under a year.
The packaging wrap is made from 80% recycled materials. Again this can be recycled commercially, but these facilities aren’t readily available to most customers.
We’ve experimented with different material options, but these are the best solutions we have available right now. This has changed before, and will likely change again. There are degradable plastic options, but their true ecological credentials are still up for debate.
Corn-based solutions exist, but these aren’t high enough quality for us yet.
Our furniture travels by land and air depending on their destination, and needs to remain in the same beautiful condition in which it leaves the workshop in. If damaged in transit, and needs to be replaced, this uses more energy and raw materials, which also has environmental impact.
For transportation, we use DHL’s Go Green service, which has significantly less impact on the environment than other services available. We also upgrade to their Climate Neutral shipping, which means the carbons used in transport are compensated through recognised climate projects.
Can we improve?
Most certainly yes.
We’re working on it.
