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REDDIE Embraces Reclaimed Materials
Australian furniture brand REDDIE has announced a groundbreaking shift towards sustainability: adopting 100 per cent reclaimed timber in its latest collection.
Sydney- and Indonesia-based furniture brand REDDIE has cemented its commitment to sustainable and ethical practices with the launch of a new range, Jepara, manufactured from reclaimed solid timber. “The decision to transition to 100 per cent reclaimed wood is a natural progression of our commitment to sustainability,” says the brand’s co-founder, Caroline Olah. “It’s a testament to our dedication to crafting furniture that not only meets the highest standards of quality and design but also minimises our environmental footprint.”
Olah, a former interior architect who established REDDIE with her husband Andrew in 2015 when she found it increasingly difficult to source commercial furniture that suited her needs, says the step not only further solidifies the brand’s eco credentials but also reflects its ethos. “People’s perception of reclaimed wood is that it’s rustic and ‘old’ looking, as that’s largely how it’s been used in furniture pieces to date because it is a harder material to work with. We had to create a whole new production process to be able to make more refined pieces in reclaimed wood. The Jepara range perfectly showcases the progressive skills of our team.”
The collection includes a slimline dining table available in three wood stains, with rounded edges and stainless-steel corner detailing, making it ideal for commercial applications. “Our resourceful engineers emphasised the need for metal corner details to maximise structural stability,” says Olah. “Initially met with skepticism, these details were later embraced by the team and made with polished stainless-steel offcuts from the factory floor. The result is a stunning fusion of 100 per cent recycled teak and steel.”
Other pieces include the lightweight Jepara dining chair, also in fully recycled teak, which features rounded corners and intricate joints, and is available in seven shades, including a luminous green and classic blue. The five-level Jepara shelf has more than a hint of mid-century modern about its simple, elegant structure. “Each Jepara piece has the enduring quality, clever construction and easy sophistication required to bridge large-scale commercial, high-traffic hospitality and residential contexts,” she says. They join other REDDIE creations like the Suzy stackable dining chair, whose seat and back are made from bottle tops taken from landfill, and the Bob lounge, modular lounge and day bed, whose minimal recycled teak bases support removable cushions in leather or upholstery.
With both Australian and Indonesian heritage, Olah sees the Jepara collection as embracing the best of both cultures, with the range designed here and manufactured in REDDIE’s own factory in Central Java: “It proudly merges modern Australian design with the handmade traditional craftsmanship of our talented Javanese production team.” Controlling the production process is also critical to the way REDDIE operates. “It allows us to manage the supply chain and to test and trial new materials from waste. We put every prototype to the factory floor and get everyone’s input. It’s a very community-driven process.”
The result of that deeply collaborative process is furniture that blends functionality with timeless design while pushing the envelop in terms of both sustainable practices and materiality. “By intercepting waste destined for landfills and using offcuts from our production, we reduce waste while creating uniquely characterful pieces, which are made to order,” says Olah. “Keeping production scaled directly to demand also allows us to co-create in alignment with our clients and the broader design community. Implementing such high standards internally additionally enables our pieces to be specified into leading green-starred projects.”
