Waste Not Want Not
Minimising waste is very important to us as both a business and as individuals. We endeavour to make our business as recyclable and environmentally friendly as possible and here are some of the ways that we work towards that goal.
Reclaimed Wood
Wherever possible we use reclaimed wood in the pieces that we make. This does require extra work however we feel as though the additional time and effort is worth it. Reclaimed wood has history and character which makes each one of our pieces completely unique and of course, it is important for us to be as environmentally friendly as we can. We do appreciate that some of our customers prefer their pieces to made from new wood which we are happy to do and in these cases we always select from sustainably sourced timber. Our products are built to last a lifetime and we hope that they will be loved and passed down the generations which is the very best way to reduce waste and help the environment.
Off Cuts of Wood
When we have off cuts off wood we look to see how we can utilise them and there are various ways that we do this.. They are used for plugging, which is where a piece of wood covers a screw head, They are used to make collets for country style shelving, they are used as kindling for the fire and we are also working on ideas to turn them into a small products such as key rings which can be used for exhibition giveaways etc.
Wood Shavings
We often use industrial pallet wood and recycled wood from buildings. This characterful timber requires lots of work including planing and sanding to reveal the original beauty of the timber before we can use it to make any of our pieces. This process results in wood shavings that in most situations would be useless; however rather than throw them away, we use them as bedding for our chicken coop at home. This not only saves us money and rewards us with healthy chickens which lay delicious fresh eggs for us each day(win, win.), it also means that we don’t have to buy packaged wood shavings that often come in plastic non-recyclable wrapping and we are able to use up all of the wood with no waste at all.
Reused Horseshoes
All of the items in our Equestrian Horseshoe Collection are made from reclaimed wood and re-used horseshoes. Firstly we think there is something lovely about using horseshoes that have been worn as it gives them history and character. It is also a unique and wonderful way to recycle them. One of the services that we offer is to encourage our customers to send their own horseshoes for a truly special personalised piece that we will make for them. It such an exciting part of what we do and we feel privileged to be sent special horseshoes which we can then have the opportunity clean, polish and re-use them to make into a gift for a special occasion, a wedding or a keepsake.
Recyclable Packaging
As our items are sent out using couriers and the postal service, we need them to be protected in transit. When buying boxes and packaging materials we wanted them to be environmentally friendly and so chose boxes that are made from reinforced single wall cardboard. These are equivalent strength to double-wall boxes, but use less material. We use paper bubble wrap which is 100% recycled paper and is also 100% recyclable with biodegradable materials.
We realise that being environmentally friendly is an important aspect for our customers, however it is also just as important for us personally so whilst we may not be perfect we are doing as much as we possibly can to keep our carbon footprint as low as possible and help to protect the planet for the benefit of future generation.