Sustainability & Our Materials

Sustainability is one of the main reasons customers choose wooden products over plastic, so it matters that the claims behind it are accurate. This page sets out exactly what our products are made from, how they are finished and packed, and what happens to them at the end of their life — in plain terms, without overstating anything. I'm Pete, and I make every order myself in our workshop in Buckley, North Wales.

Made to order, made in North Wales

Every item is laser-engraved to order in our own workshop in Buckley, Flintshire. Nothing is mass-produced and we hold no surplus stock, so we don't overproduce or send unsold goods to landfill. Offcuts and sawdust from production are recycled locally at our council recycling facility in Buckley rather than thrown away.

Our materials — sustainability, longevity and engraving quality

FSC-certified Moso bamboo

Our bamboo products are made from Moso bamboo supplied by a manufacturer that holds FSC Chain-of-Custody certification (certificate RINA-COC-001256). Bamboo is a fast-growing, rapidly renewable grass and a genuinely strong choice for anyone replacing plastic. We now offer bamboo in two thicknesses: our original 3mm range, and a newer 5mm premium range — 3mm copes outdoors when tied securely against a solid structure (never drilled and bolted, which risks splitting it), while 5mm is the more robust choice generally, including for hanging designs and drilled fixings. Currently available on door hangers and keyrings, with more planned. To be precise about certification: the bamboo material is FSC-certified at source through our supplier. Cherry Grove Craft is not itself an FSC certificate holder, so we don't apply the FSC logo to finished products — we simply use certified bamboo and are clear about where the certification sits.

FSC-certified oak veneered MDF

Most of our signs, badges and keyrings are made from 4mm oak veneered MDF, supplied by a UK manufacturer (Laserply, Daisymoon Designs Ltd). This is a real oak veneer over an engineered wood core. It gives a consistent, warm finish and engraves crisply. The oak veneer MDF is FSC-certified at source through our supplier's FSC Chain of Custody certification (meeting standards FSC-STD-40-004 and FSC-STD-50-001), so the wood is responsibly sourced. As with our bamboo, Cherry Grove Craft is not itself an FSC certificate holder, so we don't apply the FSC logo to finished products — we use certified material and are clear about where the certification sits. We describe it accurately as oak veneered MDF, not solid oak, so you know exactly what you are buying. One important limitation: it cannot tolerate damp or wet conditions, indoors or out, so it is not suitable for bathrooms, steamy kitchens, or any outdoor use.

Solid oak and birch plywood

A small number of freestanding products — our "Block" range — are made from solid oak. We also use birch plywood for certain products. Both are named as such wherever they are used.

Verify our certifications yourself

Don't take our word for it — FSC certificates are publicly searchable, and checking one takes under two minutes. Search either of our suppliers' certificates against FSC's public database to confirm the organisation, scope and expiry date directly.

Finishes and glues

Where a finish is applied, we use Danish oil (Furniture Clinic), a penetrating oil finish, on oak products. Bamboo is left with its natural surface as standard and is not oiled by us — bamboo can be oiled, and a UV-protective bamboo oil or sealer will slow (though not prevent) outdoor discolouration if you want to maintain a 5mm bamboo piece yourself, but this isn't a finishing service we offer. Any assembly is done with a water-based, solvent-free wood glue (Titebond). We do not use spray lacquers or solvent-based coatings. Read more about Danish oil's food safety, specifically for coasters and keyrings.

Plastic-free packaging

Orders are packed plastic-free: cardboard boxes or mailers, paper tape, and tissue paper for padding. The only components that are not paper, wood or metal are the fixings on some name badges — pin and clip fittings — and the magnets on magnetic badges, which are metal. Where we supply lanyards, they are recycled rPET lanyards made from recycled plastic bottles, with a metal clip; these are recycled rather than plastic-free, and we say so.

Recycling and end of life

Different materials have honest, different end-of-life routes, and we would rather explain that than make a blanket claim:

• Solid oak, birch plywood and bamboo are natural timber and grass — they can be reused, and they biodegrade.
• Oak veneered MDF has a resin-bonded core, so it is not kerbside-recyclable or compostable. It is best kept and reused, or taken to a wood-recycling facility that accepts engineered board (such as our local one in Buckley).
• Metal split rings, pins and magnets can be recycled with household metals.
• Recycled rPET lanyards can be recycled again where textile or rPET recycling is available.

What we do not claim

We think being precise is more useful than badging everything "eco". So, for the record: we are not carbon-neutral certified, we are not ourselves an FSC certificate holder (so we don't put the FSC logo on finished products), and engineered-board products are not compostable. What we can stand behind is real — FSC-certified oak veneered MDF and FSC-certified bamboo, plastic-free packaging, water-based finishes and glues, made-to-order production with no overstock, and locally recycled offcuts, all made to order in our workshop in North Wales.

Frequently asked questions

Is your bamboo FSC-certified?
Yes — our bamboo is FSC-certified Moso bamboo, certified at source through our supplier's FSC Chain-of-Custody certificate (RINA-COC-001256). We use certified bamboo but are not ourselves an FSC certificate holder, so we do not put the FSC logo on finished items.

Is your oak FSC-certified?
Yes — our oak veneered MDF is FSC-certified at source through our supplier's FSC Chain of Custody certification. As with the bamboo, we use certified material but are not ourselves an FSC certificate holder, so we don't put the FSC logo on finished items. Note that FSC certification covers responsible sourcing of the wood, not recyclability — the MDF core still has a resin binder, so it isn't compostable or kerbside-recyclable.

Can oak veneered MDF be used anywhere damp, like a bathroom?
No — it cannot tolerate damp or wet conditions at all, whether that's an outdoor application or an indoor one with steam or condensation. Choose bamboo or solid oak for anywhere moisture is a factor.

Can bamboo be used outdoors?
It depends on thickness and how it's fixed. A 3mm bamboo piece hung loosely — string through one or two holes — isn't suitable outdoors, since wind can make it swing and knock. Tied securely at several points against a solid structure, such as a gate cross beam, 3mm bamboo copes with outdoor exposure fine. Bolting or screwing isn't recommended even here — drilling through 3mm bamboo concentrates stress at the hole and can itself cause splitting. Our 5mm premium range is the more robust choice generally, including for hanging designs and drilled fixings. Either way, bamboo left outdoors will green without regular cleaning.

Can bamboo be oiled?
Yes — bamboo takes oil in the same way wood does. A UV-protective bamboo oil or sealer, reapplied roughly every 6–12 months, will slow outdoor discolouration but won't stop it entirely, and regular cleaning still matters more than the finish itself. We don't offer oiling or sealing as a service, but there's nothing stopping you treating a piece yourself if you want to.

Which of your materials lasts longest?
Slate, by a clear margin — it's chemically inert and essentially permanent. Solid oak is the most durable of our wood materials, since it can be sanded and re-oiled indefinitely rather than replaced.

Which material engraves best?
Oak veneered MDF gives the most consistent results because it has no grain to interrupt the laser. Solid oak and bamboo give a more natural, higher-contrast finish at some cost to consistency.

What's the difference between your 3mm and 5mm bamboo?
Our original 3mm bamboo is genuinely strong but can split if it's able to swing or knock against something, or if it's drilled for a bolted or screwed fixing — both introduce the kind of stress concentration this thickness is vulnerable to. Our newer 5mm premium range is thicker, more resistant to splitting generally, and the more robust choice for hanging designs, drilled fixings and rougher handling — available now on select door hangers and keyrings, including keyring sizes that weren't possible in 3mm bamboo at all. The full reasoning is in why we made a 5mm premium bamboo range.

Is your packaging plastic-free?
Yes — we pack with cardboard, paper tape and tissue paper. The only non-paper elements are functional badge fixings, magnets and recycled rPET lanyards where ordered.

Are your products plastic-free?
The wood and bamboo items themselves are. Some name badges use metal pin or clip fixings, magnetic badges use metal magnets, and lanyards are recycled plastic (rPET), so we describe those as recycled and natural materials rather than fully plastic-free.

Can your products be recycled or composted?
Solid oak, birch plywood and bamboo are natural and biodegrade. Oak veneered MDF has a resin core, so it is not compostable or kerbside-recyclable — it is best reused or taken to a wood-recycling facility. We would rather tell you that than overstate it.

What happens to your wood waste?
Offcuts and sawdust are recycled locally at our council facility in Buckley, Flintshire. Because everything is made to order, we also avoid the waste of unsold, overproduced stock.

Read more about wooden name badges as a plastic-free alternative, browse our bamboo products, or see how we make our products.