Sustainability in Housing - When Things Have a Deeper Meaning

Things shape our surroundings, express ourselves, create stories, and have symbolism. In all products - tables, chairs, cushions, and small decorations - we try to find something deeper. Sometimes it can be the shape of the product, sometimes the material from which the product is made, and other times the conditions under which the product was manufactured. Isn't it an amazing thought when you know that your wardrobe or shelf is made from wood that has existed here in some form for decades? Wasn't there a typewriter on the drawer of your wardrobe, on which telegrams for family abroad were typed? Probably not on the drawer. But it is quite possible that some of its parts were a table 40 years ago, on which that typewriter seriously stood.

For some, the idea may be somewhat frightening. Why use pieces of material from someone else? What quality can the given material have when it has so many stories behind it? A lot! It is only halfway through its lifespan. So why throw it away to a recycling center and instead extract more wood to make a completely new cheap cabinet that will stop being interesting to you in 10 years or fall apart? 

"We are not so rich that we can afford to buy cheap things."

How simple and ironic it is... Quality items with quality design last for decades, perhaps even generations. Let's compare a quality rustic wardrobe made of solid wood, which can last up to 60, maybe 70 years. Next to that, let's compare cheap, low-quality wardrobes, which we will have to replace at least 4 times over the lifespan of the rustic wardrobe due to their low quality.

"Not only does the production of new cheap cabinets consume many times more material, but mainly over the course of 60 years it will be many times more expensive! Before we even start examining the impacts on nature, let’s recognize the first step towards sustainability - focusing on quality items that last." 

There's always something more to it.

At the moment when we are sure that someone has put effort into creating a particular piece of furniture and it is well-made, it is appropriate to start being interested in its origin. Besides the fact that pieces made from recycled materials hide an interesting history, it is necessary to know under what conditions the given dresser, table, or armchair was produced. The term sustainable furniture can encompass a wide range of things. However, when selecting sustainable furniture and home accessories, we focus on two main criteria - the impact on nature, how the workers involved in the production of the given product were treated, and under what conditions they work. 

We have a stamp for that.

Selected products from our offer contain a FSC certificate. If the product meets strict FSC criteria, this information is stated in the product card of the respective item. The FSC certificate guarantees that the wood used for production has been sourced from post-recycling or from FSC-certified forests, where the principles of sustainability are upheld. 

The main mission of FSC is to promote environmentally responsible, socially beneficial, and economically viable management of the world's forests.

A safe bet

In this regard, our collaboration with Raw Materials has proven to be very successful. In our offer, you will find a very wide range of their products. Chairs, cabinets, shelves, and coat racks, but also sustainable lights or flower pots. The strength of the Raw Materials brand is not only quality design but above all consideration for people and our planet. So if you are looking for a dresser or a table that your grandchildren will be able to use without any problems, browse through the selected categories and consider whether one of the beautiful pieces from Raw Materials would be a great decoration for your home as well. It is an investment that will pay off several times over after many decades. 

And if you are not a hundred percent sure what Raw Materials products actually look like, stop by our concept store in Prague in Žižkov, Husitská 143/51, where we have several pieces not only on display but we also regularly use them ourselves. Maybe some of them will captivate you so much that you simply won't leave without them. :)