Timeless Design + Superior Craftsmanship = Environmental Sustainability

There is a lot of talk about sustainability, and it surprises us that no one is talking about a products useful life (or the longevity of a products design and quality) as being key elements of sustainability. Most folks talk about where their materials come from or what they are being made from (i.e. rapidly renewable resources close to its source), or the ability to recycle the products’ components at the end of their useful life. We talk about these things too. But the phrase “useful life” that got us thinking.

How long are products designed to be used? If a lounge chair, table or shade is designed to be timeless, an heirloom to be passed down from generation to generation, isn’t that inherently more sustainable? Isn’t a product that wears in and not out a more sustainable product than a product that needs to be replaced in a few years? We sure think so.

We are a disposable society with aspirations of being a sustainable one. Before we can get there, we need to consider the whole perspective of the products we use, including how long they are designed to last.