Roy Tam High Stool

Why Timber?

Timber is ecologically head and shoulders above ALL the world's structural materials. For example, raw aluminium requires several thousand times the energy to produce compared with timber. While plastics are better, they still consumes hundreds of times, and recycled plastics uses more energy again. Which all translates to more CO2 emmissions. Not only is timber greenest, it also has a double advantage. Trees also absorb atmospheric CO2 as they grow and 'fixes' it into its wood. This carbon acts as the world's carbon sink, and is not release back into the atmosphere unless it is burnt or decomposed.

Why Fast Grown Trees?
Fast grown ash is by far the most resilient. That is why ash is used in the wings of the Spitfire. The faster it grows the stronger it is, so the best is often found in young thinnings too small for commercial sawing. Because of this, thinnings are undervalued and foresters won't normally get an income until 70-90 years after planting. "If more designs can be made from thinnings, we can earn a mid term income, and use it to manage our woodlands better." In comparison with an old tree, a fast grown thinning can absorb 30 times more CO2 in the same year, making it much more effective than a similar area of rainforest. Ash trees also seeds themselves, making ash the ideal 'renewable' tree. Roy's timber is sourced locally, mainly from the managed mixed woodlands around Melbury Estate managed by forestry expert Andy Poore.

Why is Steam Bending uniquely ecological? Is this why you don't need to Kiln Dry?
Unseasoned ash is the perfect material for steam bending. Steam bends and shapes the wood and uses a fraction of the energy required by conventional methods. In one hour's steaming, timber is curved and seasoned without conventional energy intensive kilns - so long as we do the bending in 20 seconds! Unlike laminating, our wood fibres remain intact, resulting in lighter and stronger components, and has been achieved without resorting glue.