At The Fifth Design, every piece is hand-poured, hand-finished and hand-engraved at our Sunshine Coast studio. That craft is the foundation of how we think about sustainability. Slow work, local materials, longevity over disposability.

Locally sourced Camphor Laurel timber.

Camphor Laurel is a beautiful hardwood with deep grain and rich tonal variation. It is also a declared weed species in Queensland and New South Wales. Working with it actively contributes to controlling its spread.

We source from Australian suppliers who reclaim and mill the timber locally. Every piece we design and produce is part of a slow, considered process so the timber we use goes the longest possible distance.

Resin, honestly.

Resin is not a natural material, and we will not pretend otherwise. We use a high-quality epoxy system specifically suited to fine-art and homeware applications. Each piece is cured fully before leaving the studio.

We mix the exact amount of resin we need for each pour. No batch is mixed bigger than what it needs to be, so there is no leftover waste at the end of a pour.

Our mixing tools are reused over and over again. A single stirring rod can be used a hundred times. The same brushes, cups and rods stay in rotation in the studio rather than getting thrown out.

Where there is room to improve, we are looking. We continue to research lower-impact resin systems as the industry develops.

Studio waste, by the numbers.

Our actual waste output at the warehouse is minimal. Despite producing hundreds of pieces a week, our studio runs on a standard household-size bin. That is a direct result of the slow, considered way we mix, pour and finish.

Considered packaging.

• Outer mailers. Kraft cardboard, recyclable through standard kerbside recycling in Australia.
• Gift boxes. Rigid kraft with The Fifth Design wordmark. Recyclable and designed to be re-used.
• Internal padding. Shredded kraft paper instead of plastic foam.
• Ribbon. Cream cotton, biodegradable.
• Gift cards. Printed on FSC-certified card stock.

Made to last, not to replace.

A serving board that lasts twenty years is more sustainable than one that lasts twelve months. We focus on materials, finishes and joinery that hold up, and we offer a free product care guide so each piece can stay beautiful for as long as possible.

Read our product care guide to keep your piece in its best condition.

Where we still want to do better.

• Move to 100% renewable-powered studio operations
• Continue testing bio-based resin alternatives as they become viable for fine homewares
• Offer a take-back program so customers can return unloved pieces for re-finishing or recycling

We will keep updating this page as we make progress. If you have a question or a suggestion for us, please send it to customersupport@thefifthdesign.com.au.