Sustainability
Needle Rock is dedicated to reducing waste and conserving resources through thoughtful craftsmanship and sustainable practices. By revitalizing materials and embracing eco-friendly innovations, we aim to create furniture that respects both tradition and the planet.
Reducing waste: Upholstering extends the life of existing furniture, keeping items out of landfill and reducing waste, aligning to the circular economy model.
Minimising resources: Vintage and antique furniture was built to last and repair is generally possible.
Energy efficiency: Manufacturing mass-produced new furniture often involves energy-intensive processes. Repair is typically difficult, or not cost-effective.
Local craftsmanship: Upholstery is undertaken by local artisans, supporting small businesses, the local economy and minimises emissions associated with shipping from overseas.
Heritage preservation: Refurbishing older furniture preserves our past and maintains the historical and sentimental value of heirloom pieces.
Individual design: Upholstery allows for unique and stylish designs, customised on a personal basis.
Eco-friendly fabrics: Suppliers are bringing more sustainable fabrics into the marketplace.
A sustainable alternative to foam
For customers not wanting to travel along the expensive traditional upholstery route, we offer ‘Ultraflex’, a sustainable alternative to foam. This product is made from recycled single-use plastic bottles and provides excellent durability, comfort and resilience. Currently available in depths up to 4cm, this does not fully replace foam in all uses, but it is a very good start. It is fully recyclable, aligning with cradle-to-cradle design principles.
This is how we embrace sustainability at Needle Rock!
When a piece of upholstered furniture comes into the workshop, we first remove the existing fabric. For most antique and vintage furniture, the existing padding will also need to be removed, as it is dusty, saggy and no longer fit for purpose. This process exposes the frame and springs and is known as ‘ripping-out’; it is essential to prepare the furniture for reupholstery, ensuring a fresh start moving forwards.
Wooden frames are inspected for loose joints or missing parts, with repair and fabrication being carried out in-house, ensuring the frame is sturdy and reliable. Coil springs are examined and re-used where possible and recycled as scrap steel if damaged or worn.
Traditional natural materials such as horsehair and ginger fibre have long been valued for their resilience and comfort. At Needle Rock, we revitalise these durable fibres by washing and drying them, enabling their re-use. Using an antique carding machine we detangle the fibres, resulting in fluffy traditional materials ready for use in traditional upholstery methods.
See some of the eco-friendly fabrics we currently stock
Another new arrival into the world of fabrics is GreenFR®, a unique and exclusive new flame-retardant (FR) coating for all fabrics. This latest FR advancement provides a safe, efficient flame-retardant coating that is both sustainable and environmentally friendly.
