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mebl | Transforming Furniture was founded on the principle of sourcing wood responsibly. It saw a gap in the market for beautiful, original, high-quality furniture that is handcrafted from old, used wood and metal. mebl is a small company on a big mission. The company’s dedication to using what is typically thrown away is cutting edge. mebl is also a Member of the Sustainable Furnishings Council and has made public its corporate commitment to sustainability and transparency.
Early on, founder Michael Hirschhorn took steps to establish a corporate vision that was clear to employees and artisans involved. mebl is focused on using reclaimed wood and metal and consistently encourages furniture makers to experiment with these unusual materials. Sometimes artisans are highly receptive; other times it takes some convincing. Pointing out the availability of abundant sources of reclaimed wood in most areas has helped when recruiting furniture-makers unfamiliar with reclaimed wood.
Customers, too, want information on the price equation of new furniture made from reclaimed materials. mebl is happy to explain why it can be more expensive to use reclaimed rather than virgin wood. And why it is worth it!
Consumers often mistake furniture built of recycled or reclaimed wood for used furniture. In reality, however, mebl’s high-quality furniture is new, even though it is made from reclaimed wood or metal.
Amidst near endless options when it comes to buying furniture, mebl’s staff members have observed that customers are interested in the unique aesthetic and incredible sourcing backstory that accompanies each piece. And mebl is proud to say that, to date, it had no staff turnover. Its employees remain motivated and committed to working for a company that holds a vision that goes beyond simply selling furniture and works hard to inspire environmentally responsible change in the industry.
Each item in mebl’s showroom and website includes information unique to that piece, detailing the backstory and history of the materials used to craft it. A quote from the artisan also accompanies each piece and captures his/her philosophy on the creative process of furniture making and reimagining new designs out of old materials.
mebl greets customers at the store with a 5ft sign highlighting more than 4-dozen origins of the wood and metal used in the furniture — such as abandoned boats, junkyard cars, yardsticks, and decommissioned barges.
Reuse of resources is critical to protecting the planet. Important and beautiful work, mebl. Congratulations on your high score on the Wood Furniture Scorecard!
Thank you for taking a moment to read about the exceptionally earth-friendly work done by mebl | Transforming Furniture. We hope you will use this information to make more informed choices about your next furniture purchase.