Bath Bespoke: Committed to Sustainability since 2009
Posted by Bath Bespoke on 1 December 2022
Since the very first day that Bath Bespoke’s workshop doors opened back in 2009, two passions have driven and influenced the work that we do: our love for bespoke design and artisan craftsmanship, and our desire to work with natural materials in a low impact way.
We all recognise that our planet is reaching a very real crisis point right now. Yet at Bath Bespoke, we believe that businesses can, and should, make a positive impact on our world.
For almost fifteen years now, we’ve been committed to sustainability – and our passion for doing business in the right way has only increased with time.
Selective use of sustainable materials
Operating responsibly and reducing the environmental impact of our furniture begins with our approach to procurement and materials.
We only work with FSC or PEFC certified wood. We avoid high formaldehyde panel products and melamines – these use lots of chemicals and petrol to make and often can’t be recycled. We have avoided the popular West African hardwoods for a decade now as we’re not convinced about their traceability. We only work with suppliers who share our values and approach to business.
Being committed to these principles not only provides our customers with the reassurance that they are working with an ethical producer – it also seeps into the quality and uniqueness of the work we produce. Avoiding chemicals also means low emissivity in our clients homes which we believe contributes to healthier living environments. A melamine faced chipboard IKEA wardrobe for example, can’t be recycled and emits VOCs. Cheap, yes, but bad for you and the planet – we think so.
Proudly based at Hartley Farm
Multi award-winning Hartley Farm in Winsley near Bath has been our home for over a decade now – and we couldn’t be happier to be here. It’s much more than just a location for us; the Bath Bespoke team feels deeply connected to the land and the site, having helped design and build the farm shop years ago as well as the stunning new farm cafe too.
All these years on, it remains a joy for our team to leave the hustle and bustle of their busy daily lives behind and arrive at such a lovely rural location for work each day; it’s truly inspirational, and there’s an honesty and integrity to the site that’s really rooted in the seasons.
Hartley Farm shares our vision for sustainability and is the perfect base for us to live and breathe our eco values.
Our whole workshop is powered by solar panels (when it’s not completely overcast), and we also give all of our wood shavings to a local farmer who collects from us weekly to use as bedding for his livestock.
Minimising our environmental impact
Sustainability runs throughout our production processes; all of the finishes and glues that we use are either water- or plant-based. We make a concerted effort to send as little to landfill as possible – carefully selecting products with minimum plastic packaging or containers. We especially love that all of our workshop’s heating is generated by wood offcuts from furniture and joinery production.
Yet we know that we can do more – and we want to do more. Right now, we are in the process of getting set to invest in a local tree planting and habitat creation project with very big ambitions; we’re really excited about the possibilities for that.
We’ve always believed in taking a sustainable approach to our furniture and joinery and operating in as environmentally-friendly fashion as possible.
At Bath Bespoke, we are proud to be part of a movement of businesses that believe in doing things differently with both people and our planet always in mind.