Delivery to Essex

Covid 19 and lockdowns have made running a business so difficult over the last 18 months. We can now see a light at the end of a tunnel, but what has been amazing is the support of both local customers and visitors. We have been here for 20 years and I think this year I have seen more visitors than ever. What is also great is that they are enjoying the Shropshire experience and are spending in our local shops. All very welcome and needed to help all of us recover from this dreadful pandemic.

A lovely couple from Essex had just arrived on holiday as we were changing stock around in the shop when they came in at 7 pm. We were more than happy for them to have a look, so we chatted and they promised to come back the next day. They did come back and fell for our handmade 1920's style sofa. As it wouldn't fit into their car, we agreed delivery for when they returned home. We headed off to Essex at 5.45 yesterday morning, very little traffic and arrived three and a half hour later. They had the perfect space waiting for it and were happy for me to take photographs. 

If you are looking for a handmade sofa, then please have a look at what we can make for you. Shopping independently and with small businesses does not send us into space, but helps provides for our families. Thank you.

1920's style sofas 

1960's style sofas

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Hardwood Timber

Our 13 year old son has been talking to his Dad today about rainforests. He loves geography. At school they had been discussing the destruction of the rainforests and to plant trees for the use of palm oil. He was telling his Dad they were talking about mahogany and teak which have been cut down and how its having a huge effect on the world and global warming. He asked Dad if he used mahogany or other hardwoods. Mark sat and explained. Yes he uses mahogany, teak and rosewood, but these are hardwoods that were cut down many many years ago before anyone had even heard of global warming. Some of the hardwoods were cut down well over a hundred years ago. Mark was not ashamed of using these woods and explained that we have been reusing hardwood timber for many years. One of the reasons why it has lasted it because its hardwood, slowing growing and had been around for probably hundreds of years before it was cut down. Mark also explained that he does not feel guilty when making new sofas and chairs. The reason for this is we use hardwood beech, a timber which is specifically grown in Europe for the use in making furniture. This beech will last for probably a hundred years so rather than have cheap disposable furniture, this type of furniture is actually better for the environment. Mark also went on to explain that the UK was once covered in oak trees before we cut them all down to make ships and other things needed to expand our Empire. We are now asking some of the poorest countries not to chop down their forests when they are doing this to provide for their citizens. As we are now much more aware of what we have done to the planet over the last two hundred years, we need to help other countries, educate them and give them an alternative to clearing the rainforest. 

As our son said, we all need to do our part and he now wants me to check that our light bulbs are energy saving. I think he's on the right track but as a country and world, we all need to do our part for the sake of our children and grand children.

If you'd like to see more of our beech handmade furniture the click here

If you'd like to see more of our furniture for restoration click here 

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Environmentally friendly, sustainable living

It looks like everyone is jumping on the environmentally friendly, sustainable living band wagon. Call me cynical, but when have the big manufactures cared about anything but profit? I now see that a large national "sales ends soon" company are offering a range of sofas which are made from sustainable wood (its actually quite difficult to buy wood which isn't from a sustainable source). They don't actually say what type of wood they are using, so sustainable it may be, long lasting doesn't mean the same thing. Their springs are made from recycled steel. They are still only zig zag springs which don't last and are one of the cheapest ways of putting springs in a sofa. Fabrics are made from recycled bottles. The fabric is still plastic, and whatever fabric you use, a huge amount of energy and chemicals is used to produce these fabrics. I love the idea of recycled fabric and using plastic is better than it going into landfill.

I'm all for saving the planet as much as we can, but I do believe you have to delve further into this matter. Where is your furniture made, UK or quite often the Far East. Lets face it, its much cheaper to have sofas mass produced in countries which don't have the same employment standards as we do in the UK. These are then shipped in containers from the other side of the world. Not very environmentally friendly. I often wonder how much these workers are paid to make this type of furniture. 

Wool is a better fabric to use in my opinion. Its a natural product and will compost without harm. Many wools are made in the UK, but the wool does come from the other side of the world due to the UK not having the correct sheep to produce enough wool needed for the demand. Not as green as we would like, but it is all compromise. If you are wanting to have a more sustainable lifestyle then small things do help. Not replacing furniture every five years because you want a change. When buying replacement, do you want new or restored? If you want new, buy new which will still be around in 30 years not 10 years. Each and everyone of us have to make these decisions if we want this planet to survive, but if we all try and make small changes, these can make a difference.

Shop locally, buy quality and as Vivienne Westwood once said, "Buy less, choose well, make it last" Handmade sofas

 

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