SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH DESIGN
Sherwood Designs has been around for generations, with the vision to create beautiful pieces that are treasured for lifetimes. Sustainability has always been one of our top priorities. For us sustainability means so much more than just reducing our wastage and using planet-friendly materials, we consider the entire lifespan of a product. All our designs are enduring and timeless, and can be passed onto future generations. We take special care in creating pieces that are built to LAST.
Our expertise lies in creating classic designs with the highest quality materials, that have minimal impact on the planet. We take pride in sourcing from the best.
TIMBERS
All our timber is ethically sourced from plantation forests, a clean and sustainable process that has continual cycles of harvest and replanting. Our suppliers (Worldwide Timber Traders and Auspol Timber Importers) grow trees for the purpose of producing a range of wood products, and plant new seedlings as soon as they finish a harvest. This process is also one of the major carbon positive land-based activities, with trees and other wood products continuing to store carbon for long periods of time. It also prevents soil erosion, improves local water quality, and provides a habitat for native wildlife. It provides a renewable supply of wood to manufacturers, preventing native deforestation. Plantation forestry counteracts a huge amount of Australia’s carbon emissions and is a large part of the climate change solution.
We have a range of different timbers available, but tend to lean towards varieties of local Oak, Beech, Cherry, American Alder, and occasionally Pine.
DIES AND FINISHES
When it comes to finishing your piece, we consider the health of you and your family by selecting non-toxic dies, stains, and finishes that are safe enough to eat off. Where we can, we try to use natural water based wood stains. Our oil based stains preserve the quality of our timbers for as long as possible, maturing even further to create a rich depth of colour that develops with your space. From light Driftwood Grey, to dark Satin Ebony, or polished Parisian White, we have a range of colours and glosses available to suit the feel of your space. These finishes hold well with any nicks and scratches to create a piece that feels lived in and is a treasured part of your home.
A sculptural concierge desk for the Ritz Carlton (left) and our classic Sebastian Dining Chair (right), two designs that beautifully showcase our solid timber.
MADE-TO-ORDER
We only create what there is demand for, working alongside you to ensure every detail is perfect. Our design and creation process steers away from the mass produced furniture market, which often churns out cheaply made products that are not built to last. We make only enough for our clients, and any excess is used as a prototype or for product development.
While each of our pieces is made to order, we have a range of custom designs that have been prototyped and created time and time again to achieve a high level of quality without error, which reduces waste. For our more unique bespoke designs we revise our concept drawings, check our measurements several times, and regularly check in with our clients to ensure minimal iterations. Click here to view our custom designs, or get in touch for a bespoke piece.
PRODUCTION OUTPUTS
We create in our local WA workshop, overseeing all steps of the process from initial timber selections, to measuring, cutting, joining, moulding, and finishing to the final installation (read more about the Sherwood Designs process). As we only create what there is demand for, we have minimal wastage. We find a purpose for anything we don’t reuse, even milling our timber offcuts into sawdust, which our friend Bob comes to collect for his bunny and guinea pig farms.
WHILE WE PRIORITISE SELECTING THE MOST ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY MATERIALS AND PROCESSES, AT THE END OF THE DAY A TRULY SUSTAINABLE PRODUCT IS ONE THAT STANDS THE TEST OF TIME AND DOES NOT HAVE TO BE REPLACED WITHIN A FEW YEARS. CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE.