Shining a Light on Sustainability

Our business started out because of our interest in conservation and sustainability (read more the cottage we restored here). It's not just a marketing ploy for us - with so much greenwashing today, its possible we will all get tarred with the same brush.

With all of the challenges we face from climate change, the energy crisis and the increasing cost of living we thought we might highlight what we're doing in our small way to help address these issues.

Circular Economy

We have had sustainability at the core of what we do since we started in 2016. Our timber is reclaimed ancient or storm-fallen timber so no new timber is felled in the making of our lamps. Timber stores carbon and the carbon remains locked in the wood until it is burnt, rots or decays so each lamp is its own little carbon store. We make every lamp in the hope that it will be passed on or if not that the timber will put back into circulation, reused or upcycled.

LED Bulbs are 70% More Efficient

We've been using LED bulbs in our lamps and lights for a number of years now. Modern LED bulbs are beautiful - they mimic filament bulbs in their design, but they turn on instantly (unlike old LEDS which took a while to get to full brightness). They are approx 70% more efficient that traditional tungsten halogen bulbs making them better for your pocket and the environment. Something that people often don't realise it that they stay cool to the touch so they're a great option where a light needs to be kept on for a longer time. Our bulbs achieve the highest energy rating possible for bulbs making them very efficient. Each bulb has an approximate lifespan of 30,000 hours (or 3 hours a day for 10 years) and we sell replacements at cost price. Read our bulb FAQ here.

Recycling

In 2019 we joined WEEE Ireland so our bulbs and lamps can be recycled through the WEEE Ireland scheme (although we like to think that our lamps will be passed on as heirlooms some day). You can return waste batteries, electrical and lighting equipment for free recycling at your local authority recycling centre or participating electrical retailer and they will donate LauraLynn, Ireland’s Children’s Hospice. We will also take back old lamps and reuse them as the timber only gets more beautiful with age.

Packaging

In our business, packaging is really important because we are dealing with glass so our packaging has to be strong enough to prevent breakages. Despite this, we moved to cardboard and paper packaging a number of years ago. We worked intensively with a packaging supplier to create boxes that were strong enough to stand on but environmentally friendly. We replaced bubble wrap with a paper honeycomb wrap and we work with a local packaging supplier for FSC approved cards and labels. We continue to work with suppliers to reduce or ideally remove plastic.

Shopping Local

Our business is based in Rathnew in Co. Wicklow so when you purchase from us you are purchasing from an Irish producer and reducing your carbon footprint. We know the importance of shopping locally and have been involved in the Design & Craft Council's Made Local campaign for the past few years. We make a conscious effort to shop in our local community and to use local suppliers where possible. We also offer the option to collect from our workshop for people who live locally or are in the area.

Transport

Transport is one of the biggest challenges we face both in terms of costs and the impact on the environment. We ship using UPS who have a strong commitment to sustainability. They offer a carbon offset option with their deliveries which is independently verified (Interestingly, they recently introduced e-bikes in Europe with some test sites in Dublin). Our intention is to stay abreast of this and continue to put pressure on transport partners to genuinely make change in this industry.

What Else Can we do?

We will continue to do more - if you have questions or feedback let us know - we'd love to hear what you think!