February 2022

When looking through Facebook, Instagram or turning on the TV eco-friendly, plastic free and sustainability is everywhere.

However, what I find really confusing or even annoying, is that we are encouraged to replace one thing, for a product that is as equally damaging. For example, why should we in the UK be encouraged to purchase a bamboo serving plate, when it was produced in China and travelled almost 5000, miles, when we have locally sourced wooden alternatives. The wood was grown in the UK and the item made here. From wooden spurtles, bird boxes, chopping boards, the list is endless.

I just think that we seem to be replacing cheap plastic items from overseas, which are mass produced, with alternative mass-produced items, from overseas. During lock down and the Panama Canal blockage, we were asked to make other crafters craft accessories and items that they usually decorate, as they couldn’t get them for their over seas source. Now things are slowly getting back to normal the requests have stopped and orders of those products have completely vanished. I always wonder where makers source their base materials from. Sometimes it discourages me from buying it.

I admit, that we do use wood, that was grown in other countries, for our flowers, this is so we can show the natural colour of exotic woods, not native to the UK and which have been ethically sourced and grown.

If you have something that you would like to replace, in wood and think we could make it, just let us know. We have been asked for some unusual items, for example -A duck egg, Egg cup, a toddler plate and bowl to match, a custom-made dibber with a coin in the end and peg dolls in a different shape to represent a disability.