Totem Road is committed to constantly evolving in order to tread lightly and reduce our company footprint. We encourage the conscious selection of quality natural products and do our best to give and take in equal measure.
Totem Road uses fully sustainable, FSC® certified European White Oak. Not only is oak incredibly durable and long-lasting, each piece is unique in its grain and finish. Our wood is select-logged to support regeneration, biodiversity and the protection of native fauna. Every last piece of wood is utilised in our manufacturing and as a result, we have some of the lowest wastage percentages in the industry.
We also create a range of products which use Carrara Marble - a product that comes straight from the earth, doesn’t require other resources to create it and of which there is an abundant supply. However, most importantly, Carrara Marble is timeless; exceptionally durable, as demonstrated by the centuries-old Taj Mahal and Michelangelo’s 500-year-old David statue; and if cared for, its lifespan is infinite.
The wood we use is all FSC® certified which stands for the Forest Stewardship Council®, a certification system co-founded by WWF (World Wildlife Fund). FSC® is a global forest certification system with two key components:
· Forest management
· Chain of custody
An FSC® chain of custody means that the timber comes from a forest that is responsibly managed. Trees in the certified forests are grown and harvested according to a strict set of guidelines that benefit the environment.
These guidelines include:
– Limiting the number of trees cut down
– Restricting highly hazardous pesticides
– Protecting indigenous people as well as wildlife habitats
All of the wood we use at Totem Road comes with a fully documented chain of custody of the journey from the forest to the furniture that ends up in your homes.
To find out more about FSC®, click here.
To us, sustainability means more than just responsible forest management. Totem Road has implemented a full chain of custody process with due diligence and risk assessment systems in places to ensure that all components of our supply chain comply with the relevant legislation, and more importantly Totem Road’s sustainability ethos.
Our transparent chain of custody goes beyond certifications because we take personal care of the environment and the local communities involved in our business. We work with family-owned businesses and oversee every step of the production process, regularly visiting the sources of our timber and supporting our teams.
Our commitment to sustainability is seen throughout the entire process from factory to furniture, including how our pieces arrive to your homes. Totem Road is securely packed in fully recyclable and biodegradable packaging and won’t contribute to landfill or harm the environment. It comes at a cost to us, but cheaper petrochemical-based packaging such as polystyrene, has a large manufacturing footprint, contains toxic substances and has little to no biodegradability.
We are passionate about supporting, empowering and celebrating environmental causes and in the past, have donated to Sea Shepherd, Amnesty International, Project Aware and Greening Australia initiatives. The next step in the Totem Road journey is to establish our own foundation where we can ensure funds are distributed to those who need it the most. We’re excited to share more information around this as it comes to light.
