Wood Use, Sustainability and the Environment

Sustainability has become a crucial factor for many businesses and their clients and at House of Hobson I make it a key consideration in all of the projects I take on and in the materials involved. I don’t use tropical hardwoods or indeed any endangered species. Wherever possible, and in the vast majority of pieces, I will use FSC & PEFC certified timber. I most commonly use prime FSC Oak, which comes from Northern Europe, reducing the mileage the timber has travelled. I favour European birch plywood for carcassing.

Pieces of furniture made at House of Hobson are made in prime hardwoods and built to last a lifetime. Commissioning from me is an investment in furniture that endures, as opposed to cheaply manufactured furniture that is thrown away. In that regard, it is a sustainable purchase, buying less and higher quality.

At the workshop I try to minimise waste. I’m currently considering uses for the wood chip/sawdust (along the lines of long-drop toilets, animal bedding, making briquettes to burn). Reasonably sized off-cuts are normally consigned to the wood burner, but i’m exploring the idea of a small accessories range that can make use of the oddly shaped bits of hardwood that are often left over.