Most wooden furniture is made in factories. Trees are cut into boards, which are shaped and assembled into chairs, tables, and other pieces. But in Derbyshire, England, Gavin and Alice Munro are taking a completely different approach. The owners of Full Grown use a method called “tree shaping” to grow furniture from living trees.
The process begins by planting young trees and allowing them to grow for about five years. The trees are then cut back to their stumps to encourage new shoots. This method is called coppicing. The new branches are trained around custom-built metal frames and gradually bent into the shape of chairs, tables, and other furniture. The branches are also grafted, or joined together, allowing them to grow into one solid structure. Once a piece has fully grown, it is harvested and left to dry for about a year. Finally, it is sanded and polished into a smooth, functional piece of furniture. The Munros mainly work with willow, but they also grow furniture from oak, ash, cherry, and apple trees.
Tree-grown furniture takes years to make, but it is very environmentally friendly. Full Grown estimates that its process uses only about 25 percent of the energy needed to produce a wooden chair in a typical factory. Also, no heavy machinery is needed — just sunlight, soil, water, and time. An added bonus? The "Furniture Field" serves as a sanctuary for birds and local wildlife.
Tree shaping is not a new idea. Ancient Greeks, Egyptians, and Chinese used similar methods to create practical and decorative structures. But the Munros, who founded Full Grown in 2006, have taken the idea in a new direction by using the technique to grow functional furniture on a larger scale.
Not surprisingly, Full Grown's unusual creations have attracted attention around the world. Because each piece is unique, the furniture is considered a work of art. It has been displayed in museums and exhibitions in Europe, Asia, and the United States. Several museums have even bought pieces for their permanent collections.
Gavin and Alice next hope to share what they have learned with others through the Full Grown Academy. Scheduled to launch soon, the online courses hope to inspire a new generation to create sustainable, long-lasting furniture.
Resources: fullgrown.co.uk, Wired.com, Wikipedia.org, BBC.co.uk
