Eight ways in which re-imagining old used wood and metal as beautiful new furniture is highly transformative
transforming
“ To emphasize the magic and soul of the product. The magic of taking something old and re-imagining it as something else. It’s more about products with a soul than about the fact of the re-use of the materials. Promote this as the best collection of re-invented and re-imagined wood furniture. The passion of the designer makes something handmade very very personal”.
— Claire Pijoulat, Wanted Design, Interview 11/5/2015
“ So that, we salute what is old, what is new and what will be old again. In that sense, the inanimate has a cycle that reflects the human experience of our own life cycle. We relate to objects the way we relate to people. Emotions shift to “I love this thing.”
— Global Remains, by Michael Clinton
” We are always intrigued by the originality and ingenuity of the artisans. Their work sells precisely because of the wear and tear, rather than in spite of it.”
— Susy Smith, Country Living / Modern Rustic Magazine, United Kingdom
” Did you ever look at the rotting, pitted, splintered hardwood floor of an abandoned building and think to yourself “these would make an amazing table”? No? Well, we did!”
— Olde Good Things, New York, New York, USA
” … the fact that they’re good for the environment shouldn’t be everything, just a naturally occurring bonus … We take the craft to its highest level … designing and building furniture that exudes an elevated sense of artistry, craftsmanship, and functionality …”
— CounterEvolution, New York, New York, USA
“Gone are the days when sustainable furnishings screamed earth-friendly. Today the style statement for an eco-friendly, healthy home is all about quality furnishings with beautiful aesthetics.”
— Sustainable Furnishings Council, Edenton, North Carolina, USA
“We are frustrated at seeing an emerging category called ‘Green Design’– as if sustainability is somehow separate from good design … We believe that all design should be inherently ‘green’ … thoughtfully considering the user, the experience, the social context, and the impact of an object on the surrounding environment.”
— Inhabitat.com, El Segundo, California, USA
“Reclaimed antique wood is unrivaled in terms of its ageless beauty and charm, and is unparalleled in its architectural quality and character. We offer beautiful’old-world wood’ with rustic textures, traditional elegance and architectural strength and durability.”
— Reclaimed Design Works, Dallas, Texas, USA
“By choosing the reclaimed material, you are re-using the embodied energy that was expended when building these old factories … maximizing the life of wood that has already been harvested.”
— Revient, North Wilkesboro NC, and Bend OR
“Our furniture exudes a sense of adventure and great history! Crafting one-of-a-kind furniture pieces from the remnants of shipwrecks salvaged from the bottom of the ocean … ”
— Shipwreck Furniture, Knysna, South Africa
“Reclaimed wood has a life force that a newly cut-down tree just doesn’t have …”
— Ethan Abramson, quoted in Dan’s Papers 8/16/2013
“For artists and artisans, recycling is often more than just a worthy, environmentally friendly action. it is a source of inspiration. From metal to wood to found objects, reclaimed materials infuse new furniture … with meaning and depth”
— The Baltimore Sun, 11/22/2015
“These historical materials connect us with a narrative larger than ourselves. They remind us of past people and distant places. In a way, these materials are storytellers.”
—The Hudson Company, Brooklyn, New York, USA
“We don’t create. We let the historical woods speak to us in silence … Then we bring their ‘soul’ into the modern world… The past never dies, it keeps evolving with the present. To make a better future…”
— Mbiyen, East Java, Indonesia
“Every piece of wood has a lifetime of stories to tell; some have even witnessed the very birth of our nation and can provide glimpses of our shared heritage… Vintage wood can connect us in powerful ways to those who came before us.”
— Keystone Vintage Lumber, Lebanon, Pennsylvania, USA
“We are dedicated to giving our products a voice, telling the stories of their past and allowing you to write the next chapter of their life.”
— Storied Boards, Lake George, New York, USA
“Our mission is to restore the unseen beauty in the broken.”
— Beyt by 2B Design, Beirut, Lebanon, and Cambridge MA
“I have been designing and constructing new furniture with the aim of lavishing attention on once discarded, broken and over-looked objects. … and to make the unwanted wanted again.”
— Rupert Blanchard, London, England
“Well it begins with compassion for neglected furniture, broken ones in particular. So I collect them and promise to make them well, even better than they were before. And I promise to give them away only to those who appreciate their former life as their new role in this world.”
— Amir Raveh, Nagarya …. Tel Aviv, Israel
“We transform ‘forgotten history’ into a new creation with a new function …. We see beauty in the old mills and buildings slated for demolition … We are committed to bringing new life to reclaimed materials by transforming them into creative and inspired new products.”
— Evolutia Warehouse, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
“We hope that our pieces will continue to develop their histories as modern artifacts in the lives and environments of our customers.”
—District Mills, Los Angeles, CA
“What is more, we felt wrapped in the fabric of the place, part of its materiality and memory, but at the same moment adding to its continued historic existence.”
— States of Decay, by D. Barter and D. Marbaix
“We honor each building’s past even as the resources within them move into the future. With our help, scarce and beautiful materials help to restore other buildings with histories of their own, and even become the backdrop for new stories extending generations into the future…”
— Reclaimed Enterprises, Omaha, Nebraska
“…After we reclaim a piece of wood, we transform it into something amazing and give it a chance to be part of your personal story. We use old-world craftsmanship and artistry to celebrate aged wood’s past and prepare it for a dignified future.”
— Keystone Vintage Lumber, Lebanon, Pennsylvania, USA
“The bottom line: Reclaimed wood is as “green” as it gets. The greenest building is the one already built … By choosing reclaimed materials, not only will you be pleased with an immense amount of character, uniqueness, and beauty, but you will be helping to save our precious natural wood resources and preventing new landfills … “
— Revient, North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, and Bend, Oregon, USA
“Salvaged or reclaimed wood protects our environment, because when it is recovered from its original use and repurposed it not only saves trees but also uses only a fraction of the energy and natural resources during production as its first growth counterpart.”
— Viva Terra, Madison, Virginia, USA
“Wood is 100% made by solar power and it sequesters carbon.
It is, in a way, the ‘holy grail’; of sustainable materials.”
— Meyer Wells, Seattle, Washington, USA
“The current collective goals of society and industry must be to work towards responsible and sustainable … Our responsibility as stewards of the land extends well beyond the life of a product. Consideration must be given to the materials used; are they recycled, can they be recycled, or are they biodegradable? … We use nontoxic glues, waterbased finishes (no VOC) and low VOC lacquers …”
— Verde Design Studio, Chicago, Illinois, USA
“Achieving economic growth and sustainable development requires that we urgently reduce our ecological footprint by changing the way we produce and consume goods and resources … Encouraging industries, businesses, and consumers to recycle and reduce waste … is an important target to achieve this goal, and … shift us towards a more resource efficient economy.”
— Sustainable Development Goals 2030, United Nations Development Programme — Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
“‘Green Desire’ occurs when consumers actually crave products that are sustainable and responsible. This natural demand could ultimately drive the cultural shift necessary to align consumer desires with what is good for the environment.”
— Sustainable Development Goals 2030, United Nations Development Programme— MIO, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
“Recycling of antique wood is labor intensive and creates many jobs… the demolition of an old factory — de-mailing, sorting, stacking, and hauling the salvaged parts takes a lot of hard work… keeping a lot of folks busy and productive. Even working with this beautiful wood is labor intensive and requires special skills.”
— Revient, North Wilkesboro NC and Bend ORn
“Achieving economic growth and sustainable development requires that we urgently reduce our ecological footprint by changing the way we produce and consume goods and resources … Encouraging industries, businesses, and consumers to recycle and reduce waste … is an important target to achieve this goal, and … shift us towards a more resource efficient economy.”
— Sustainable Development Goals 2030, United Nations Development Programme — Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
