Philosophy
Our Company, Designs Woodcraft Ltd, is a West Sussex based family ran company specialising in bespoke handmade furniture, all built and installed using sustainable materials. The precious resource, wood, that our planet offers is abundant and renewable providing it is respected, monitored and maintained. The foundation of our Company is a fundamental appreciation of nature and a desire to work closely with the Earth’s natural resources to produce beautiful, natural products as efficiently as possible.
Our Timber use is Green by Nature
It is important to understand that using domestic hardwoods to make solid wood components for our customers is by far the most ecologically responsible method of creating an object from this natural resource. The alternative is to use metal, plastic or composites which require vast amounts of heat, power and chemicals to create. Using domestic hardwood materials promotes responsible forestry practices and reduces our carbon footprint by remaining close to the source. The vast majority of domestic hardwoods are harvested with the future health of the forest in mind. With that in mind, we don’t only just use the highest levels of chain of custody in sourcing from reputable suppliers, but we also have started milling our own timber directly off of the land we are situated within, that being the South Downs National Park.
Our Space
Our workshop is situated within a forward-thinking Private Estate; therefore, our external supplies are all sustainable and environmentally considered. Electricity is directly from Solar energy and our water supply comes from a bore hole. Within our own workshop we use our waste sawdust and offcuts to heat our workshop via a log burner, which we also use to cook and heat hot water, during use, to minimise the use of external power usage.
Our Milling – South Downs Timber Co.
We have now started producing our very own timber at source. We have decided to take this step into the supply chain, firstly to create a source for our own timber supply which has minimal travel miles, and we can clarify and confirm the source and background for our own peace of mind. Secondly, we can offer external Individuals and manufacturers timber, with details of the provenance of each piece of wood, including the exact co-ordinates of where the tree was felled. From this level of detail, coupled with strong ethical values, there is an opportunity to develop an accreditation mark that supersedes anything currently in the market. Please take a look over at southdownstimberco.co.uk
Local Environmental Practices
We supply learning spaces such as schools including; forest, Primary and secondary, colleges, hobbyist woodworkers with our waste products and offcuts also, to allow others to learn and grow without having the outlay of purchasing materials. Anything that cannot be used by these establishments is either used to heat our workshop or is used by our neighbours on the land, to bed down their animals.
Nothing in our workshop is wasted.
