Among The Trees is Rethinking Rubbish with the Offcut Woodworking Challenge

Sydney, Australia - Woodworkers of all scales are constantly creating a stream of waste products in the form of wood offcuts. Often these offcuts are of a considerable size and quality, but the process of creating new uses for them is not an economical process.

At Among The Trees, in addition to our reclaimed timber store and manufacturing services, we want to not only draw attention to this stream of waste products, but also their many uses and possibilities. In 2022, Among The Trees launched the first Offcut Challenge, to huge success and local involvement. A year later, and submissions are about to close for the 3rd edition of this competition.

To enter, community members of all ages and skill levels from around NSW are able to visit the store and collect a free crate of timber offcuts for their project, and then have several months to work on a project before submitting it for display in a month long exhibition and the potential to take home first prize in one of several judging categories: Creativity, Function, and a Junior Woodworker prize for entrants under-18s. There is also a People’s Choice category for which the public can vote on their favourite work.

In 2022 the competition saw over 40 submissions, including a range of entries from local high school woodworking classes as well as local beginner and experienced woodworkers. Among The Trees Manager and co-founder Sara Buchner said “it’s amazing to see what people come up with when given the limitation of working with timber offcuts, you wouldn’t believe that some of the finished projects started with things that would have gone in the bin. It goes to show that what is considered waste has so many more uses and potential”.

The exhibition for the 2023 Offcut Challenge is open to the public all through Sydney Craft Week, October 6th-15th.

This Offcut Challenge is the latest in a large program of events, markets, and community building programs hosted by Among The Trees, for more information you can visit our website. For more information on Among The Trees, visit www.amongthetrees.com.au, contact 0481358733 or talk@amongthetrees.com.au.

Among The Trees Celebrates World Environment Day by Reflecting on One Year of Saving Timber From Landfill

Sydney, Australia - On this year's World Environment Day, Among The Trees, a leading local supplier of reclaimed timber based out of Marrickville, Sydney, is reflecting on its mission to help preserve the environment while providing high-quality timber products. The company recognises that protecting the planet is not an individual's responsibility, but it is still something that everyone can contribute to.

World Environment Day, observed on June 5th, encourages individuals, organisations, and governments worldwide to take action to protect the planet. Among The Trees is proud to play its part by providing an alternative to new timber products that contribute to deforestation and waste.

Reclaimed timber has many benefits, including reducing the amount of timber waste that ends up in landfills, promoting sustainable forest management, and providing an opportunity to utilise rare and unique timber species. In addition, the appearance of reclaimed timber is increasingly sought after, as consumers look for materials that are not only more ethical but tell the story of their history across this continent and beyond.

In its first year of operation, Among The Trees saved an estimated 65 tonnes of timber from landfill, comprising of hardwoods and softwoods from Australian forests and abroad, ethically salvaged from hundreds of different sites including homes, warehouses, universities, and more. The company aims to increase that amount with the help of its customers, students of their hand tool woodworking courses, and the wider community.

"We believe that everyone can make a difference in protecting the environment, and we're proud to contribute in our own way," said Sara Buchner, Marrickville local, and one of four founders of Among The Trees. "Our products offer a sustainable option that allows our customers to build with quality timber while also helping the planet."

Among The Trees recognises that while big polluters and global corporations are responsible for the vast majority of climate and environmental damage, our everyday decisions can still play a small part in slowing this change, and encourages everyone to take action to create a more sustainable future.

For more information on Among The Trees and its mission and range of reclaimed timber products, visit www.amongthetrees.com.au, contact 0481358733 or talk@amongthetrees.com.au.