A customer called the other day to tell me that he’d purchased a few root stools that had some small cracks in them. While I mentally prepared to give an apology and search for the correct forms, the guy asked whether wood putty would be appropriate or not. We then had a quick conversation about the wood putty vs. sawdust & glue versus simply letting it be, and then I was thanked for my time. (as an aside, I don’t think I’ve ever found a conversation involving woodworking or wood worthy of being thanked, those are conversations I enjoy!) At the time, it merely seemed like a nice conversation to start my workday, but when coupled with someone who was passing through inquiring about a place where they could buy a replacement tube for a record player; it started me wondering why we’re culturally resistant to fixing the things we have? I visit this subject more often because at From the Source, we’re confronted with materials and pieces that are meant to be kept for a long time, yet we design and build full with the knowledge that over time, furniture shows its age, needs an occasional touch up, or in some cases, just to get fixed.

Mostly, though, we seem to shop for things that we know we’re not going to keep around, especially if they get nicked, cut, rip, or dent. We’re no longer taught to value and appreciate everyday longevity or to recognize the wear and tear of life as a positive. Yes, we all have that particular item that we’ve had since (insert your year here). We all keep books, leather jackets, china, and that old something or other that “what’s his face” gave us years ago. We value antiques out of sentimentalism, prestige, because of charm, and resale value. Of course, we celebrate the longevity of marriages, careers (though not as much anymore), and friendships, but they somehow seem sweeter because they’re outside the norm.

The bulk of life for us now seems to be the endless search for the new, the fresh, what’s shiny, and whatever comes next. Friendster, MySpace, Facebook, and now Twitter, all serve to hurtle us toward the increasingly immediate. Yet, the faster we move, and the newer it has to be, the more we look for a connection or a back story that used to be just part of the hum of life. J Crew used it famously in their mid-90’s catalogs, J Peterman’s famous products with back story was mocked on Seinfeld. Ikea and West Elm both use it to infuse products with stories that products just seemed to have. Now, there’s the renegade craft fairs, knitting clubs, local repair shops (like Kill Devil Hill here in Greenpoint that’ll repair your favorite pair of jeans for cheap) ReadyMade magazine, This Old House, and tons of other smaller companies like Nightwood NY in Ft. Greene and Le Grenier around the corner from us (and hopefully the crew here at From the Source), who are all trying to champion the idea that maybe, just maybe, there should be a shift toward a large scale appreciation of things that age with time, can be salvaged, or were passed down from someone’s great aunt. Hopefully, we’ll start to fix what we own more than we create empty narratives for products we know we’ll never have long enough for them to have narratives of their own.

Christmas comes early....

This rarely happens, but a container came a bit early. We cleared customs, weather was good, and sailing was smooth...

No new product development this time...no surprises from Bob & Philip's buying trips...just our old favorites and some custom orders. Still always nice to see.

"Green"

Our current economic struggles have brought to light a great many issues that were ignored over past decade or so: bad fiscal policy, deceptive bank sheets, shady credit, reckless spending; the list is long and complicated. However, one the bright spots that can be found is that we’re increasingly looking past surface for substance, and luckily this is happening in green design as well. For several years there’s been a quiet but growing sentiment that there’s been too much of a focus on flash, buzz, and quick market viability in the current sustainability movement. We see the results of that in companies that “greenwash” by continuing business as usual but promote their “greenness” by simply printing their catalogs on post-consumer paper, or doing once annual 60 Minutes telecast by candlelight to “promote awareness”. Got to start somewhere and these are fantastic small steps, to be sure, yet the more meetings and seminars you go to, the more you start to wonder; what happens when eco-friendly products aren’t hip enough to be featured in I.D. magazine and green collar jobs no longer top MSN’s “10 Hottest Employment Sectors List”. Will there be enough of a foundation, a group philosophy, and political infrastructure that can be carried through and built upon by the next generation, after Vitamin Water stops putting “Green is the New Black” on their labels?

There are a lot of signs that the foundation that was laid by the environmental movement in the 70’s(truth be told we’ve been discussing these issues since Thoreau & Morris were lamenting the advent of the steam engine destroying the landscape) is being built upon now, and there’s naturally great excitement about the new administration’s commitment to sustainability and creating green innovation. Having Green For All’s Van Jones serve as Special Adviser for Green Jobs, Enterprise, and Innovation and planting an organic garden at the White House are strides that prove that we’re moving in the right direction. However, one only needs to consider the deepening of our environmental crisis and little things like the White House garden having to be dug up because of sludge to realize that we can’t let up, we need to be more vigilant about pushing harder conversations about consumption, resources, sustainability’s relationship with economic systems, and a vision of how sustainable options would actually work as our primary sources of production.

There’s genuine concern in every sector that the green movement may not be ready for that scale. Michael Pollan, journalist who brought us The Omnivore’s Dilemma and In Defense of Food, in a recent NY Times article said that the organic food movement “…is not ready for prime time. It’s not like we have an infrastructure with legislation ready to go.” It’s a legitimate worry considering that the organic market – while growing – is merely a supplement to food production making up less than 5% of the overall market. That sort of sentiment could be carried to about every consumer and production market. Loom State is fantastic, but just got to mass market as a line at Target. Method’s and Mrs. Meyer’s are just as great, but they’re only a small part of their market as well. As From the Source is well aware, the furniture market has made many strides over the last decade, with ABC, Tucker Robbins, and others leading the way with organizations like the FSC and Sustainable Furnishings Council, but with all the successes under our belt, those who are concerned about the environment have to make sure that the movement is itself sustainable; that environmentally- conscious choices and sustainability are par for the course, not the hot new trend. If we don’t continue to push, we may just repeat the setbacks that organic agriculture suffered after the Alar scare in the early 90’s. The stakes are much too high to just be content with being popular and the latest fad. We have to make certain that the movement’s roots are deep enough to survive the winds of change. We have to make sure we can have answers to the question of what green will be when it’s no longer the new black.

Simple, and well put

While manning the showroom in Chelsea, a customer came through at about 5:30pm, and we ended up having a brief conversation about the company; what we do, and how we make our pieces. One of the things the visitor mentioned stuck with me, and I thought it's worth sharing:

"Well, wood is something living and to be respected"

So whenever a new container comes in, it's like Christmas Day here at the warehouse...



Sometimes you're completely surprised.

Sometimes you'll get about what you expected.

Sometimes you'll see something that isn't like you remember at all.



No matter what comes in though, once or twice a month we get a container chock full of items that we can't wait to explore.