Sustainability
A sustainable British brand
The biggest lesson that I took away from my product design studies was that our disposable culture has caused huge environmental problems, and that we are now living with the guilt of our society’s wastefulness every day.
To provide an alternative to this Love Heartwood was founded on the values outlined below. I’m committed to creating toys and homewares that connect us all with the natural world and demonstrate how we can live in harmony with nature.
My ongoing goal is to make Love Heartwood the most sustainable small business it can be. To that end, I am committed to becoming a Net Zero business by tracking our carbon footprint so that it can be managed in a mindful way.
The Love Heartwood Ecologi Forest
Together we’re growing a forest!
Every time you buy a handmade, wooden gift from Love HeartWood you’re also gifting a tree to the world.
In partnership with Ecologi we plant a tree for every purchase.
Our Eco Values
Sustainable Materials
All the wood used is from local sustainable or reclaimed sources.
This includes foraged as well as timber from merchants with sustainability credentials such as Tyler Hardwoods Ltd and Dalmann’s.
Healthy Paint & Finishes
All our stains and finishes are naturally plant-based because it’s healthier for people and the planet.
Plastic free
All products and packaging are made from naturally biodegradable materials. Postal boxes are made from recycled and recyclable carboard and sealed with paper tape. Beyond that, we avoid single use plastics completely in our workshop and office. A decision that led to us being awarded Plastic Free Champion status by Surfers Against Sewage in 2023.
Vegan Friendly
As part of our eco-friendly stance we do not use any animal products including beeswax or leather.
Low waste
As well as using reclaimed wood, where possible, production waste is reduced by making smaller items from the offcuts from the larger ones.
Wood shavings, which are our main waste product, are donated to a local primary school to use in their food composter. Love Heartwood also offers a wooden toy repair service to encourage people to reuse their toys instead of throwing them away.
Ethical
Love Heartwood is committed to operating fairly, transparently and paying a living wage to its staff. This includes only buying from ethical suppliers who pay a living wage. Love Heartwood is a member of the business organisation Ethical Reading.
Working Towards Net Zero
We have pledge to act by completing the commitment to achieve net zero by 2050, and report on your progress yearly.
Reducing Our Carbon Footprint
Suppliers are also as local as possible to keep transportation distances to a minimum. e.g. the hemp seed oil used to seal bowls and plates is produced just across the Thames in Oxfordshire. As well as this for every product sold a tree is planted.
The Love Heartwood website is hosted on a green server that runs on renewable wind power.
The sustainable Toy Story
As a toy maker it’s important to me not to follow the current linear industrial production model of take-make-waste because this model has led to the world’s current waste and pollution problems. As a sustainable british brand I want to follow nature’s example and think circularly.
Instead of designing a product only up to its point of sale, I think all the way to the end of it’s life. This is done by:
- Designing out waste and pollution
- Keeping products and materials in use as long as possible
- Regenerating natural systems