Sustainability By Design
What’s one thing all wakaNINE lighting lines have in common? An ethos for reducing environmental impact. Let’s take a look at some of the ways all our partners have embraced a love for the planet we inhabit.
There could be more plastics than fish in the ocean by 2050, unless we change our production processes and consumption habits. At wakaNINE, all of our lighting lines employ the use of sustainable materials in product offerings –either recycled or naturally sourced.
PLN Group’s HUSH lighting line reuses recycled water bottles to manufacture their noise-reducing light fixtures. Beyond the company’s own moral compass, the HUSH material is registered in the Declare database as an official contributor to a more ecologically restorative materials practice.
“The principles of Hush’s design are around acoustics, biophilia and aesthetics – all of which are just as relevant in the home as in any commercial space. In fact, the lightweight materials are ideal for a home setting – and the 65% post-consumer recycled material element will speak to consumers looking for a more eco lifestyle.”
-- Blair McKolskey CEO, PLN GROUP
Shipping
Container shipping cargo ships contribute up to 18% of global air pollutant emissions. There are countless ways to reduce the impact of shipping on our environment, but one approach is to reduce the amount of space cargo occupies on a container ship or plane. Enter: the flat-pack method.
WakaNINE’s designers utilize the flat-packing method to get products from overseas countries to minimize the carbon footprint related to transportation accordingly.
Ethics
Fair Labor Practices include comprehensive criteria that directly benefit workers, their families, and communities.
Environmental impact reduction and reusable materials are an enormous part of conserving the planet we inhabit for future generations, but the importance of ethical work practices is something that cannot be understated.
Our partners at wakaNINE understand the value of positive social impact and, in doing so, the community dynamics necessary to create a flourishing industry for those who come after us. Fair wages and upward mobility within the industry are cornerstones of our commitment to the workplace among all of our designers’ lines.
There is no better place to learn about what it takes to become a good designer or how to run a design studio than working in one. David wanted to not only produce enriching products but employ happy people, paying them fairly for their skills and allowing them to nurture themselves and their families. This attitude has proven to be a good one, with over half the workforce staying on after ten years. It is a happy place to work, a beautiful building and great little town to be located in.
-- Ben Pearce, David Trubridge Design Studio
Sustainability + The Future
wakaNINE is aware of the appetite for sustainability which shifts priorities in consumerism. We are collectively raising our consumer awareness by seeking out enduring characteristics and focusing not only on how these products benefit customers, but also how they benefit socially responsible or environmental causes.