How many miles has the wood in your table travelled?
The oak for the table was grown in America, then shipped to China where it was processed and turned into a table, before finally being shipped to the UK. Their table had travelled a huge distance.
I had an interesting conversation a while back with a potential client about a dining table for their luxury rental. The table they had bought had been damaged and they were looking for a replacement. What I found interesting was that their existing table, when I looked into it, had travelled around the world before reaching their kitchen.
Here is my rough, approximate estimate of the distance travelled in nautical miles, because I assume the wood travelled by cargo ship:
America to China - 10,000 nautical miles
China to UK - 11,000 nautical miles
Total - 21,000 nautical miles
Yes, the tables looked stylish on the company website, and the pricing was competitive for an oak table. But what is the cost?
In comparison the wood for our latest project has travelled just 89 miles.
Feckenham to Whitney saw mill - 59miles
Whitney saw mill to Nuthatch Creation - 30 miles
Total – 89 miles
Restoring our forests and reducing carbon emissions are part of a complex global problem, in our own small way, we aim to be part of the solution.