This weeks Wednesday Night Project takes an unusual format. Instead of providing inspiration for the forthcoming weekend I thought I would let you know what I’m working on at the moment and hopefully provide you with some inspiration too.

I’m currently working on producing a few of my rugs purely from recycled howies fabrics. If you aren’t familiar with howies then why not visit them here and learn more.
About howies

our beliefs

A higher quality product will invariably last longer. It will keep on performing as it was designed to for longer before it finally needs replacing. And so over its lifespan it will have consumed less valuable resources than an inferior product that will have been replaced many times.
That's why we make the best quality products that we know how. Because ultimately the best thing we can do for the environment is to make our stuff last a real long time.

Functionality

We believe in making products that serve a purpose and that stand the test of time. We avoid the fashions of the day and just ensure our products are as functional and as simple as possible.
'That which has the greatest use, possesses the greatest beauty'.

Our Purpose

Why are we in business? For us it is not as simple to make a profit. Like any company we require a profit to stay in business. But it is not the reason we are in business. The thing that has not changed from day one is the desire to make people think about the world we live in. This is, and always will be, why we are in business.

Earth Tax

We pledge to give 1% of our turnover or 10% of pre-tax profits (whichever is greater) to grass-root environmental and social projects. To find out more about our donations, please visit the website. It is only a small amount but as our company grows we will be able to give more. Which gives us a nice reason to want to grow.

Fun

We are trying to get the balance right between work and play. Whenever a real nice day comes along, it'd be a shame to waste it. So if you phone up and no-one answers, don't worry. We are out there doing what we love. So leave a message and we'll get back to you in a while.

The rocking chair test

Every product we make has passed the 'rocking chair test'. This is something we use to guide us along the path we are taking. So when we are old and grey and sitting in our rocking chairs, we can look back on the company we created with a smile. That's why we go to the trouble of using the best quality materials to make sure our clothing lasts longer. The longer our products last the less impact they will have on the environment, and the bigger our smile will be.

Why not order yourself a copy of the fabulous howies catalogue here?

OK so back to the rugs below I include various pictures of WIPs (Works in Progress) for your eyes to feast upon. As many of you will know I’m passionate about recycling and I would say up cycling but that concept just grates. I like make do and mend, I love the idea that everything has a possibility of a new life beyond our restricted beliefs of faddy consumerism. Don’t throw it away, don’t bin it and don’t jam up our land with landfill.
Look at things differently, see the possibilities, go create. Repair, reuse, donate don’t dump. So why would you put all you old clothes and fabrics in the bin ? when you could create enduring, and I believe, beautiful pieces that are functional and good to look at, just like my rugs. I’m pleased to be working with howies fabrics and it’s brings further reinforcement to the howies ethos and range of howies Hand-Me-Down.
We live in times of limited resources but unlimited desire to consume them. The answer though is real simple: to consume less as a consumer; to make a better designed product as a manufacturer.
Going forward we will have to take more responsibility for our consumption. The manufacturer and the consumer will both have to share that responsibility.
We live in interesting times.
From where we stand as a manufacturer, a product that keeps working for longer uses less-resources in the end. The key ingredients to this are quality and good design.
To make something well, you know, the best you can do, means going that extra mile. Every stitch, every zip, every little feature considered. The weakest points made strong. Then, and only then, can we say that we have fully understood the responsibility of making something.
This product is guaranteed for a minimum of 10 years from the date of original purchase. The chances are it will last a good deal longer than that. So now you have to decide whom you’d like to hand this product down to? Err??