Metal Pagoda Lanterns

New stock arriving on the website soon. Had a lot of interest in these, and sold a number already. I have a couple myself, and put citronella candles in while sat outside as the evening cooled off.... Nice atmosphere, extra light and the citronella lept any mosquitos at bay!

Customers also use in their conservatories.

Should be available on the website shortly. £14.99.

Iwachu Tetsubin Japanese Teapots

Hand cast in japan, by the long established family firm of Iwachu, we currently stock 3 teapot designs from this company.

Although not cheap, the style quality and finish is superb, and arguably the finest around.

Check our selection:

http://www.thecamphortree.co.uk/japanese-tetsubin-teapots/

Making of an Iwachu teapot

Update on Reclaimed teak Items

A rectangle reclaimed teak trunk, with metal handles is currently being photographed and due on the website in a few weeks.

I also have a a rather interesting reclaimed teak mirror. Fantastic design! Should have pictures shortly, but expecting stock in September...

Reclaimed Teak Items

Always anxious to keep a clean conscience, and help the environment where we can, we came across some Teak wood items in Indonesia. You may be aware Teak is a very slow growing, and increasingly hunted tropical hardwood tree. Its numbers are not what they were... and ilegal logging is regrettably widespread in the rainforrests of south east asia.

I was pleased to find a couple of suppliers offering reclaimed teak products, basically using old recycled wood. What this actually means in reality, is taking the wood from older houses, railway sleepers, or large pieces of furniture.

I am currently looking at some interesting chunky mirrors, and some smaller boxes made from this teak - photos coming soon!

The reclaimed aspect (e.g worn, and weathered) gives the Teak a pleasant aged feel to it, which adds additional character.

Cinnamon wood products

Indonesia has long been famous for producing spices. It was for pepper, cinnamon, and nutmeg amongst others that early traders ventured to these islands looking to trade european goods in return for highly prized spices.

Cinnamon has long been a favourite of mine, and has been put to some interesting new uses. In a small factory I visited, cinnamon, coconut shell and light wood have been used to create an interesting and aromatic range of functional and unusual gifts:

Try this for a start:

Cinnamon Salt & Pepper set

Very unusual!

Flight chaos and volcanos

I have just been out to Indonesia, and despite the best efforts of the icelandic volcano, I have arrived back in the UK with some some interesting new products.... Only 2 weeks delayed!
Rather than complain, and be upset i used the time to relax, look for new product ideas, and do some clear minded thinking.

Lidi Lamps

Lidi is a Malay/Indonesian word for the tough leaf spine of a coconut palm. In South East Asia brooms are made from this materiel to sweep floors.
This fast growing and substainable material is a bi-product of the farming industry, and has been utilised to create a attractive, tactile, and unusual lamp.

As well as utilising natural materials, the lamps we sell are made by a fair trade accredited supplier. The wiring is (of course) to european standards and with british plugs sockets. Last but not least, all the glass used is recycled!


Small Oval lidi Lamp (natural)


Large Square Lidi lamp (black)

A bit about product origin

When I started this business, I didnt feel too happy with the idea of selling products that might be causing environmental problems in the areas they originate.
In the back of my mind I imagined hundred year old trees brought crashing down, in virgin rain forrests....

Is this something we should overlook?

We stock a number of products made from coconut palm. This is a tropical hardwood, grown in South East Asia. The wood comes from managed plantations, (i.e coconut farms)and provides an alternative to felling trees from rainforrests. In fact this wood until recentley has been an unwated by-product of coconut plantations, and until recently this wood was often burnt. Coconut palm is substainable, as the trees are replanted after about 70 years. With is contracsting dark flecks, against lighter core wood it is also an attractive, and unusual wood...

Have a look at these products using coconut palm from Thailand:


Wooden Expresso Cup

4-piece Salt & Pepper set

Japanese rice bowl with Lid

A long road to Launching...

Keeping an idea alive, over the course of weeks, and months is one of the most difficult things I have had to do. Espeically when others around you don't share your enthusiasm...and when the progress you make is sometimes so small.

The number of times I thought about packing in the whole idea, and going back to the world of open plan offices....
Each time I said to myself, "look how far I have come..." and continued along the path.

Well I havent got there yet...but in December 2009 My website, the source of so much effort, went live! www.thecamphortree.co.uk

the beginning....

I was sat at my PC in a Marketing Dept of a medium sized company, in a typical open plan office, thinking, there must be more to life than this?
The office party? The sycophantic team mates laughing at the boss's jokes, the self styled "crazy" guy, with his "hilarious" ties...

Within a few months I had handed in my notice, sold my house, and with my dusty backpack, I was on the other side of the world... I felt an awakening, like I had woken up and discovered real life. For the first time in years I felt fully alive. But from now on this is how I would try to live my life......

I travelled beyond Australia, New Zealand and into Asia... Malaysia, Japan, China, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, and Singapore...truly a trip of a lifetime, and a for me a life changing experience. This trip sowed seeds in my imagination, gave me time to think, relax, and see the world and my own life in a new light. That open plan office seemed so far away...like another world. and it occurred to me I might not have to return to it...

I returned to the UK 16 months later, a different person, an open mind and a set of new ideas. In my backpack were some unusual, and attractive product samples....