Natural Wonder
Story: Tamarisk McNalty Stephens
We’re seeing it everywhere: the integration of sustainable handmadepieces into interior environments. It’s anenduring trend that’s here to stay. Read on to discover two major reasons why.
Social Responsibility
Increasing globalization has led to an unprecedented level of consumer choice, but globalization is also leading to an increasing degree of consumer awareness. Customers are more and more interested in not just what they buy, but also how, why and where the goods and services have been produced. Companies (both big and small) who want to remain relevant and competitive in today’s marketplace not only consider the general welfare of people and the planet, but also have these principles built into their core brand identity (think environmentally-minded production, living wages and working conditions where employees can thrive).
Enter social responsibility, an ethical framework that focuses on maximizing profits while having a beneficial impact on society and the environment. It’s all about creating a better world to live in, not only for today, but for our children and future generations.
And one of the primary tenets of social responsibility is sustainability.
What does sustainability mean? It’s about meeting the needs of today without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. A sustainable life cycle of a product is often referred to as “cradle to cradle” (C2C), wherein production techniques mimic nature and are efficient and essentially waste-free. This framework forms a closed loop, wherein all materials and byproducts can be reused. Opposite to C2C is “cradle to grave,” which is an unsustainable life cycle and a linear model, wherein waste is the outcome and the item ends up in landfill.
Human Touch
In our hyper-connected, technology-driven world with so much time spent in front of a screen, people are searching for ways to slow down. One of these ways can be found in a return to craft, which has brought an affinity for handmade, artisanal, one-of-a-kind pieces made with natural materials, traditional techniques and time-honoured processes.
The human touch is something that cannot be replicated. Softening the machine-made into a more organic, handcrafted form has a direct effect on how things are felt and experienced, and this interaction is a fundamental part of what gives items any meaning at all.
In a 21st century world often focused on the optimization of consumption, the commodity that remains the most valuable in contemporary life is time – and time is what is required in the design, preparation and crafting of materials into handmade goods. This investment of the most valuable commodity is a reason why handmade items are so revered and sought-after.
English architect and designer Edwin Heathcote writes: “We innately respond to things which have taken care and skill to make (skill takes time to learn), whether a good meal or a beautiful chair. It is not the expense of the materials that makes us feel a connection, but rather the way in which they have been treated from the time they are conceived through the making and their subsequent history.”
Natural and sustainable elements also have a way of grounding us and connecting us with the earth and our roots. Appreciating the beauty of imperfections of natural materials such as reclaimed, recycled and sustainably-harvested woods, handmade ceramics, artisan hand-baked clay tiles, and hand-loomed rugs have a way of warming up our homes and can provide a connection with the natural world that counteracts the pervasive technology-driven world we currently inhabit.
Whether you’re purchasing a handmade item from a local artisan, or purchasing a piece made overseas that provides a woman the opportunity to support her family, every dollar you spend is a vote for the world you wish to see. OH