MISH & Sustainability

MISH achieves its sustainability goals through two main mechanisms: using eco-friendly materials and waste-reducing production methods. 

First, the impact of using only responsibly sourced bamboo with eco-friendly finishes:

  1. FSC® certified bamboo: All MISH bamboo is FSC certified (the leading certification scheme for responsible forestry) which ensures products come from responsibly managed forests that provide environmental, social and economic benefits. 
  2. Rapidly renewable: The species of bamboo MISH uses, moso bamboo (aka Phyllostachys Pubescen), is one of the fastest growing plants in the world, growing up to 1 metre a day. Bamboo can be harvested in as little as 4 years, where oak, for example, is closer to 80 years.
  3. No Deforestation: Bamboo can be harvested without harming the "mother plant," as such, the plant does not die after harvesting (as with trees).
  4. Carbon Storage: Bamboo absorbs CO² from the air and keeps it stored in the fibres. Up to 1,700 kg CO² per m³ Carbon is stored in our bamboo.
  5. Long Lasting Durability: With its hardness, density and dimensional stability, bamboo can be more durable than the best quality hardwoods. Meaning the ability for a long lifespan, and reducing the need for replacement. The Brinell hardness of bamboo is about 9 kg/mm², where oak is less than 3 kg/mm².
  6. Repairable & Recyclable: Bamboo can easily be repaired or recycled as wood. Furthermore, MISH uses little to no metal fasteners or hardware, so recycling is even easier.
  7. Natural & 0% VOC Finishes: MISH only uses two types of finishing treatments on all our products: natural beeswax on our homewares, and 0% VOC hardwax oil on our furniture. This ensures we release few toxins and harmful emissions into the atmosphere.

We have also spent much time perfecting our designs and production methods to reduce waste and promote longevity. The common production waste factor for a woodworking business is generally 30% - 50%! MISH’s is estimated under 10%. 

  1. Designed to Last: MISH products are solid bamboo joined together with more solid bamboo. We do not use veneers, plastic or metal fasteners, or other methods that could compromise the strength of our furniture or deteriorate over time.
  2. Computer-Aided Design: All MISH products are visualised with CAD first, this allows us to see the breath of a project and create a plan to produce it efficiently. 
  3. CNC Milling: Incorporating traditional handcrafting with CNC milling allows us to reduce our waste further by ensuring we get the most out of a single panel of bamboo, nesting and optimising each operation. 
  4. Waste Into Product: All our wares items are created from (what many companies would call) waste material. For example, rather than cutting every serving board to the exact same size (and creating more waste), each board is dictated by the size of the off-cut it was made from. Thus no two are exactly the same.