eco made

WHY ECO MADE MATTERS

If you live in Australia, you know that during the council clean-ups, there are heaps of furniture that get thrown out. Most of that furniture is used only for a few years and ends up in landfills. That is why upcycling or making Eco well-made furniture that will last for years to come is important.

Sustainability is at the centre of all that I make at BOBINEK. I pick each product component carefully to represent the values that lie at the heart of BOBINEK. Nothing is chosen at random. I also ensure that all product components are sourced sustainably - either from a family-run business, recycled to help the environment, or purchased to support independent artists in Australia and worldwide. I try to source items locally as much as possible to support local artisans and suppliers. 

I also try to live as sustainably as possible by buying second hand first before purchasing a brand new item. I love the FB Marketplace and spend a lot of time there searching.

Transparency

Most furniture stores won't tell you how a product was made, who made it or what materials were used. I was shocked when I realized that. There are little to none information about the furniture you are bringing home. The disadvantage of this is you won't know how to properly care for your furniture, thus making it susceptible to scarring or damage.

That's why at BOBINEK, transparency is one of the core values. You'll know the materials are sourced from reputable businesses from woods to fabrics. 

Made to Order

Every piece in the Artisan ottoman range is made-to-order from Sydney and requires 2 -3 weeks for completion. Made-to-order is a more sustainable way of producing furniture because only what is ordered is made. It also ensures the quality of your purchase. We take extra care in each steps of making your furniture to provide you the highest quality.

Fabrics

Fabrics play a significant part when I am choosing materials for an upcycled piece or a brand-new Artisan piece. Below are the types of fabrics that I use.

  • REPURPOSED FROM UPCYCLED ITEMS - I reuse these when a fabric is in good condition and looks good, and I think I can reuse them. I always wash or dry clean the fabrics before using them.
  • LEFTOVERS - These are brand new fabrics that got used on past orders. Usually, one would toss them, but I keep them and use them for piping or buttons.
  • PERSONAL COLLECTION - I love fabrics and selecting new patterns and designs. So I am constantly looking for new fabrics. If I am out and about and see something I like, I usually get it. I am also given fabrics by friends or by people in the industry.
  • REMNANTS - These are discounted upholstery fabrics that large fabric houses would generally discard if they don't sell or are discontinued. Some of these fabrics have RRPs in hundreds of dollars, but I can buy these high-quality fabrics very cheap as remnants. A great place to shop is Bev's Remnant House.
  • NATURAL FABRICS WOOL, LINEN, ORGANIC COTTON - These fabrics are produced with natural fibres and are naturally biodegradable. These fabrics are generally dyed with eco-friendly, non-toxic dyes. I prefer to use these upholstery fabrics as they help reduce the usage of synthetic fibres, which pollute the environment. There are many places where you can buy natural fabrics, but Sustainable Living Fabrics is my favourite.
  • PRINT ON DEMAND - These fabrics are printed when an order comes through to a printer. Only what is required is printed. The process is much more eco-friendly than most other printing techniques. It is designed to minimize fabric and ink waste. This approach tackles excess water use for printing as it uses pigment inks. Printing what is needed reduces fabric waste and uses ethically sourced fabrics from trusted mills. By choosing print on demand, you are also supporting an artist. With every purchase, the artist gets their fair share of the money. I use fabrics from Spoonflower and Next State Print.   
      

Materials

  • Water-based mineral paints - I use FUSION paints, a 2nd generation family run business from Canada. All their paints are water-based and contain primer and sealer. Water-based paints release fewer VOCs as compared to oil-based paints and are considered better for the environment as well as people’s health. I chose Fusion because they have a beautiful story about the brand, unique colours to choose from and a great rep here in Australia.
  • Natural wax - I am using JOLIE. Jolie’s finishing wax is a natural way to protect raw wood. Same as FUSION paints, Jolie is a family run business from the US. 
     
  • Repurposed piping cords, dust covers, and trims - I reuse these when upcycling a piece or sometimes receive these from friends in the upholstery industry.
  • Foam and Dacron - I use high-density foam with a 5-year warranty. By having high-quality foam and Dacron, it will last years to come.

Wood

  • Plywood FSC certified - The FSC certified plywood comes from sustainably managed forests, protecting the environment against deforestation and illegal harvesting of wood.
  • Upcycled wood - I find pieces of wood on the street while driving or cycling on my bike. I am also given wood from my friends. When I am upcycling an ottoman, and it is in a good nick, all is good, but if a piece is rotten, I replace it. In case it's broken, I glue it back together.

Shipping and Packaging

When it comes to shipping and postage, I choose between family-run businesses FRF courier or a carbon-neutral company Sendle or ShippIt. All these companies are contributing to social and environmental responsibility. I also deliver free of charge in Sydney Eastern Suburbs free of charge on my eBike.


I use FCS boxes for packaging. To make each piece in a box safe and secure, I use box craps from a local scrapyard. All pieces are wrapped in recycled kraft paper and secured with compostable sticky tape.

For everyone whose interested to join, I will be running ottoman workshop this coming April. You will be introduced to basic upholstery techniques and furniture painting and then take home the ottoman you created! Of course, sustainability is at the heart of it and I only use eco-conscious materials.