With manufacturing in our DNA, our product range and manufacturing capabilities have been growing over the last 30+ years. Which means – our energy usage has also been growing.
What started as a professional passion project in a small warehouse has become a business that employs 30 craftspeople. We’re proud to be supporting the future of design and manufacturing in Australia. But we also want to ensure our operations are working with—not against—the environment.
In 2017, we installed solar panels on the roof of our Fitzroy showroom. Partially, this was to offset the operating costs of existing air conditioning units in the building (which used to be a bank!). But there was also always an intention to be operating more sustainably, long-term.
‘Even before there was a well-publicised energy crisis, we wanted to make products using less energy,’ explains our Founding Director Gordon Tait. ‘So there’s a lot of feel-good factor in this for us. We also knew there would be a return on investment after about 5 years,’ he continues. ‘For us, the long-term game plan is for our operations to be powered by the sun’.
Following the solar installation on our showroom roof, we also installed solar on the Thomastown factory roof 5.5 years ago. Starting with 100 panels, which produced around 12-15 kWh/day, we doubled the capacity about 18 months ago. Currently, 200 panels bump our solar input up to about 25-40 kWh/day.
In the summer months, we’re harnessing enough solar to power around half of all our needs, with some going back to the grid. Of course, the winter months in Melbourne are not as bountiful when it comes to solar, but we happily take what we can get!
So far, we’ve harnessed solar power equivalent to:
– 549,377km in a car
– 3,510 trees
– 136.9 tonnes of C02
With results like these, we believe our investment into solar is an investment into a better future for us all. And, we’re happy to think our furniture—all the Jak and Jils, the Billys and Swings—is solar-powered. Literally, there’s a bit of sunshine in everything we make.
Our solar journey started many years ago, and will continue into the future. ‘We actually installed solar in our previous factory too, in Thornbury,’ Gordon shares. ‘In 2013, we installed panels that were producing about 6-8 kW/day. You can’t really move solar panels to a new location, because they’re specific to the site and system. So when we left Thornbury, we left the panels there for the new tenant and installed new ones at Thomastown.’
Whilst we’ve significantly increased our solar energy potential over the last 12 years, we’re also fine-tuning broader sustainable measures. Recently, we’ve been working with sustainability consultants Hip V. Hype to develop an ESG Framework to inform our next chapter. And we’ll be sharing the outcomes of this process with our current milestones and future goals soon.
Thanks for supporting us on our sustainable journey.
Current Sustainability Statement
As we look ahead to the warmer months, Tait has curated 11 of our most popular three-piece settings to help you enjoy a life outside. From Friday 8 August to Saturday 30 August, select two chairs and a table, and have it delivered in 4-6 weeks.
Read More
Inspired by the undulating forms of rockpools, this upholstered collection embraces smaller footprint living. Its compact dimensions, welcoming curves, and textural details have emerged in creative collaboration between Tait and Adam Goodrum.
Like its namesake, Rockpool can adapt, renew and regenerate over time – purpose designed for refurbishing, and for the great outdoors. Suited to courtyards, backyards, verandahs, balconies and rooftops – it also slides effortlessly into interior and commercial spaces.
Read More
Spice up winter with exciting new fabrics and finishes, ready for specifying now. Presenting our new ‘fired’ stainless steel, an elegant porcelain, and high-performance fabrics to fuel your creativity over the winter months.
Read More
Upholstery can be a challenging material for outdoor furniture, given the tough conditions it needs to withstand. We hear from Creative Director Susan Tait on the evolution of outdoor fabrics in the Tait collection.
Read More
During MDW visitors to our showroom caught a glimpse of our newest collection. The official launch is not till a bit later in the year, but here’s a sneak peek for you now.
Read More
Good things come in small packages – help spread the word about Australia’s humble remedy for food security, biodiversity and climate challenges.
Read More