Responsible Design

At Freedom Tree, we stand for design that is striking, unpretentious, enduring, and responsible. Being Green is no longer optional nor is it an overnight process. For us, being environmentally sustainable starts with making the right design choices, examining the whole production process, and understanding the lifecycle of a product. Can we craft a décor item out of recycled materials? Does a printing process use a minimal amount of chemicals? Will the product last a lifetime once it’s made?  

We design and make all our products in India. Global supply chains are fragile and carbon intensive. Sourcing local materials – often recycled – and working them by hand in small batches, as it has been done for generations. This is how we have always worked. In so many ways we have a long way to go on all fronts, and each product category – whether it’s furniture, textiles or ceramics, has its own challenges and particular solutions.  

All of our teakwood furniture is made using reclaimed teak. Old doors, furniture, and fittings. While modern engineered wood (ply and MDF) may not last more than a few years, teak wood can last even hundreds of years, and at the very least for several generations. With polish, care, and occasional repair.  

We also love experimenting with reclaimed elements and structures in our furniture designs. Don’t miss our Railway Shutter Cabinet made from reclaimed wood and actual railway shutters. 

Ceramics are incredibly durable as they are fired in kilns at over 1000 Degrees (C). While this makes the ceramics long-lasting (and oven and microwave safe), it is very energy intensive. Most modern processes, and particularly decal ceramics use a triple-fired process.

Our locally made ceramics undergo only one or two firings, significantly reducing the energy consumption with the same long-lasting durability.  

As a textile brand, our locally printed fabrics are often cut, stitched, and finished in-house. This often leads to excess fabric “offcuts” that would go waste during the production process. We keep finding new ways to upcycle these offcuts including making carry bags for our stores, kaantha patchwork quilts, diaries, aprons, organizers, and other fun accessories.  

In another vein, we’ve also begun to source and commission woven fabrics that are made from recycled yarns. These weaves are just as robust as newly woven fabrics, can be printed on just as easily, and feel just the same! Check out our Vengala collection of cushions and table linens, and Grapefruit solid twisted upholstery for just a few examples. From upholstery to printed cushions, we plan to slowly transition to recycled weaves completely.

Our range of home décor figurines and planters may be unique in design, but they are also crafted sustainably. Many of our planters, figurines, and décor items are made from recycled materials such as paint cans, recycled yarn and coconut husk animals. Our Found Art collection is a unique curation, with pieces that lend gravitas to any space. Each Find is reclaimed and upcycled from animist totems, architectural elements, and early industrial castings.  

We’re also proudly partnered with two inspiring organizations at the top of their sustainability game. Circulation Mission which creates décor pieces, baskets, and lighting out of recycled plastic. And Bare Necessities, a personal care brand that makes everything from lip balms to toothbrushes in the most sustainable way possible. You can find both brands in store.  

As we move into womenswear and apparel generally, we are very conscious of the perils of “fast fashion” on the environment. We’ve designed the Fiercely Feminine prints and sillouettes to be timeless and worn season after season. It is all about small scale: the prints are designed in our studio, the colors mixed by hand, the fabric printed in small batches, which is then locally stiched in Mumbai. 

The fabrics are all made from bio-degradable and plant-based materials or are pure cotton. The natural materials can compost cleanly back into the soil, unlike synthetic fibers that will not biodegrade and instead sit in landfills, leaching toxic chemicals in the soil.