While the need for sustainable products never went away, it did take a step back during the Covid-19 pandemic. As things are slowly going back to normal, demand for eco-friendly items is picking up again.
Buxton Hanley’s focus has always been on sustainable brands and it has recently added another one to its stable.
Lifestyle brand The Joinery is a women-owned, sustainable and ethical product design, production and manufacturing brand based in South Africa. Its focus is on finding solutions to environmental and community issues through design.
“The Joinery embodies everything we believe in,” says Caryn Hanley, managing director of Buxton Hanley.
“Sustainability is about balancing people, the planet and profit and very few companies have been able to make such a difference on so many levels.
Sisters Natalie and Kim Ellis were both living in London when their intense concern over the issue of plastic waste and desire to make a difference fuelled them to find a solution through sustainable textile innovation.
Returning to the country of their birth, the sisters approached local fibre recyclers who helped them on their journey to conceptualising a felt fabric made from recycled plastic bottles. All of the plastic bottles that go into The Joinery’s recycled fabric are collected from around South Africa.
“We are on half a million plastic bottles saved from landfills and our oceans to date and are on a journey to reach one million in the near future,” says Kim.
“We are committed to empowering people and our planet,” adds Natalie. “We believe in being kind to our planet and fair to our people, one plastic bottle at a time.”
The Joinery’s name is based on its founding principles of collaborating with communities, artisans, designers and businesses to create products that promote sustainability.
“Our makers are able to support their families and improve their communities and it is this that drives us to support local and why we do what we do. We are committed to creating more employment and to supporting these talented women and artisans,” says Kim.
Product ranges include luxury tote bags, homeware and office collections, leisure and travel accessories to product packaging for retail, corporate and various travel industries.
“To find luxury products of this quality that have been sustainably produced is a challenge,” says Hanley.
“We believe that this range fills a big gap in the market and are excited to be representing a business that is visibly and measurably making a difference to people’s lives on a daily basis. We are looking forward to being part of their journey towards reaching that 1 million bottle mark and beyond.”
