Sustainability
On the Square Emporium is committed to protecting our community, our customers, and our planet. We're committed to minimising our impact on the world around us, and we place the environment at the heart of our business. We assess the sustainability of our products based on the raw materials used to create them and the process by which they are made.
We consciously work with sustainable and natural materials, with a focus on traditional methods of production.
Our Values
Refurbish
We do not follow fashion but have our own sense of individual style. Our aim is to provide timeless products for the home, and we believe antique, vintage and sustainable products are both best for the environment AND stylish.
Our journals are made with recycled cotton paper and covered with off-cuts from upholstery projects. We reuse by-products to recreate upcycled furniture and reuse leather from upholstery projects.
We also help customers get a longer lifespan from their furniture where we can: reupholstering, fixing, patching and polishing.
Handmade & Artisan
Many of our products involve traditional craftsmanship such as carpentry, metal work, and pottery making. Much of this work is fifty-plus years old, with skills and details that are not used today, so by stocking them we help preserve those pieces.
On our own creations and those by other craftspeople, salvage materials and handcrafts are also used. These artisan methods of production are naturally more sustainable.
Waste Reduction
This is inherent in our business. 80% of our products are diverted from going to landfill. The remaining 20% are sustainably made, sourced, or high-end antiques.
Our packaging for shipping items is not yet as environmentally considerate as we want it to be. We're committed to minimising the use of all new plastics and cardboard, and we currently reuse all cardboard, plastic bags, and bubble wrap as much as we can, recycling what can't be reused.
Another element of waste reduction is product hire. We reduce the need to buy new by offering clients the opportunity to hire and return after use.
Circular Design
OTSE and ReFound work with local clients, designers, and prop-makers to find interesting ways to reuse products. We have created refurbished and upcycled projects for our commercial and home clients for kitchens, dining areas, and gardens. We are also the go-to place for many vintage-style props, sets, and event spaces.
A further way that we facilitate circular design is by creating one-of-a-kind pieces of furniture and lighting that have personality and are inherently sustainable. We creatively repurpose and restore pieces for contemporary use, making limited-edition products.
Fair Wages & Living Wages
A fair wage is an equitable, freely negotiated and mutually agreed wage, and presumes the payment of at least a local living wage.
A local living wage is a remuneration received for a standard working week by a worker in a particular place, sufficient to afford a decent standard of living for the worker and their family. Elements of a decent standard of living include food, water, housing, education, healthcare, transport, clothing, and other essential needs, including provision for unexpected events.
Fair Trade
We support developing countries by careful curation of hand-selected accessories that add to our collection but also provide a living for those less fortunate. Organisations that produce Fair Trade products maximise the use of raw materials from sustainably managed sources in their ranges, buying locally when possible.
When we purchase new products for our store, we maintain our sustainable ethos by seeking out Fair Trade and eco-friendly products. We give priority to buying products made from raw materials that originate from sustainably managed sources and have the least overall impact on the environment. The 'ReFound Sustainable Style' arm of the Emporium specialises in these product lines.
Our Challenges, Goals and Ambitions
OTSE aims to be an authentic, transparent brand. It's important to us to inform and involve our suppliers and customers in our sustainable goals. We hope that by sharing information with you, it will allow you to make a more informed choice on the products that we sell.
Our company ethos is to reuse and repurpose rather than to buy new, and with 95% of our stock preloved, we endeavour to find new homes to reduce the number of products going to landfill.
- Complying with all relevant environmental regulations and legislation.
- Promoting resource efficiency by reducing energy, water, and raw material use.
- Supporting our local community, including local schools, charities, and projects.
- Promoting waste minimisation within the company by reusing material, recycling, and reducing single-use products.
- Sourcing products from environmentally friendly suppliers to reduce the impact of our supply chain.