Sustainable materials and processes.
For a brand that makes outdoor furniture, sustainability is not a marketing headline but the nature of the work: our products live inside nature, under sun and rain. At Gardenist we treat sustainability not as a single certificate but as the sum of decisions spread across a product's entire life cycle - from which tree is felled to how a worn cushion is renewed ten years on.
Material selection comes first. We source teak and other hardwoods exclusively from certified, sustainably managed forests. Our aluminium frames are highly recyclable, and powder coating all but eliminates the volatile organic compounds of solvent-based paints. In outdoor fabrics, longevity is the most important environmental property: the fabric that refuses to age is the fabric that produces the least waste.
Our biggest sustainability claim, however, is the products themselves. Short-lived, seasonal furniture is ultimately waste, however recyclable. We design for repairability: cushion covers can be renewed, rope surfaces rewoven, frames repainted; fixings are standard and spare parts remain available years later. We want a Gardenist piece to go to maintenance, not to landfill - our care guide and support team are that principle in daily practice.
In production we reduce waste at the source: cutting plans minimise offcuts, wood waste heats the workshop, and packaging prioritises recycled and recyclable materials. Manufacturing in a single facility removes intermediate transport and shrinks our carbon footprint. We choose suppliers by the same measures - a supply chain is only as sustainable as its weakest link.
None of this is a destination; it is a journey in progress. We review our material, energy and waste data every year and update our targets. Furniture made for living with nature must be made with respect for it.