THE FUTURE
These quirky unique items for the home are the result of a visionary duo who care about the future
In the backdrop of a crazy world where big business, tech firms and populist politics drives an austerity agenda, the majority will suffer the consequences whilst few reap economic reward. Surely there will become a tipping point where people will say enough is enough and try to build a better future.
In 2010 following an MA in Furniture Design Joe Earley and his wife Sarah set up a small family business with the intention of building a company that was all about more than just profit.
The original vision came after the financial crisis and followed a trip by Joe and Sarah to research global furniture production in India, Thailand and Vietnam.
They wanted to build a business with the circular economy in mind and create products that challenged the disposable and unbalanced nature of our world.
The first batch of furniture they sold was acorn tables and foot stools, which were produced out in Bulgaria with a percentage of the profits given to a British charity that worked out in the region of Berkovitsa in Bulgaria, helping to support an orphanage and an old people’s home.
It was an experiment that had some challenges with initial production. Now all their products are designed and the majority are made by themselves in their home workshop in Colchester. Their products are made out of solid oak and finished in natural oils. They are made with longevity in mind and use as much of the raw material as they can by designing products that help them to use up as much of their off cuts.
Their first big hit was their toast shaped breadboard which featured in notonthehighstreet’s Christmas catalogue in 2011.
This sparked off the focus on a range of beautiful, and in some cases fun, personalised gifts that they have since developed, including the Mad Hair Day Key Rack. They produce a small unique range of furniture with symbolic meaning, for example, their golden gate coffee table which is a reminder of the importance to build bridges and not walls.
More recently they have also started to create a limited edition series of artwork as a reaction to the political landscape of today’s world, including Mexican Standoff.
Earthome is a company driven by values, it cares about our future and would like to see more joined-up and big-picture thinking, considering the environment, our resources and people.
Collaborations like notonthehighstreet help to allow a platform for its partners who are small business owners like Earthome to gain greater exposure. As a collective we can all decide how to shape our future. With every purchase we make we all have the power to change the world in a small way. You just have to decide who is worth investing in.
