Sustainability First
Sustainability
We take great pride in pushing the sustainability of our products as far as possible, while also recognizing there’s always more to do. After working for larger corporations where terms like sustainability and CSR are often used as buzzwords, we realized that we could be drastically different in our approach. We aim to offer you real insights into our decision-making process and we strive to be as transparent as possible in how we source our materials and produce our products.
Our Sustainability Philosophy
- We are committed to producing our products in Europe, or not at all. Whenever possible, we prioritize production at our own factory in Hälsingland to maintain better control over every aspect of sustainability.
- Locally sourced materials are always preferable, both for quality and to minimize shipping distances.
- We are willing to invest in more sustainable materials and processes, but it must make economic sense for both us as a company and for our customers.
- We design high-quality products with replaceable parts whenever possible, ensuring long-lasting use.
- Our aesthetics aims to be timeless to ensure that our products never feel visually outdated.
- We do not engage in “greenwashing.” We strive to be transparent about both what we are doing and what we’re not yet able to achieve in terms of sustainability.
"While Ulf and I aren’t related by blood, we run Woxna with the heart and values of a family-owned company. Not having external shareholders demanding profits at all costs means we can stay true to our values and core beliefs, allowing us to prioritize sustainability and operate in a socially responsible way that benefits both our community and the environment."
- Elma Delic, Co-founder and CEO Woxna
We Call it “Thoughtful Sourcing”
Sourcing the parts and materials for a product is always a balancing act. You have to weigh quality, functionality, cost, manufacturability, sustainability, and much more. This project was no different. It took us countless hours of thought, testing, and headaches to create products that are as brilliant as we first envisioned, and that we can manufacture with a clear conscience. Below follows an overview of the materials and production processes we use, along with the reasoning behind some of the choices we’ve made.
Carbon steel parts
Material origin: Germany
Production: Sweden
The high carbon steel for our blades and handle interiors is sourced as sheet metal from Germany. We produce the parts at our Swedish factory in Edsbyn and in the end we apply an oxidation treatment to prevent rust and enhance durability.
Stainless steel blades
Material origin: Sweden
Production: Sweden
Our stainless steel is produced in Sweden and the blades are produced at our Swedish factory in Edsbyn.
Walnut and oak handles
Material origin: The USA
Production: Sweden
We source our walnut and oak wood from the U.S., choosing it for its high quality at a reasonable cost. The handles are milled in Sweden by a small supplier who buys FSC certified wood. They do not however have the correct process in place to be able to sell it on to us as FSC certified so right now we don’t have FSC certified handles but we feel secure in knowing that it is responsibly sourced.
Leather details
Material origin: Sweden
Production: Sweden
Our leather comes from a renowned Swedish manufacturer using vegetable-tanned leather from local cattle. Sweden’s strict animal welfare laws ensure the animals are well cared for and that a lot less antibiotics is used compared to many other places. The hides are vegetable-tanned in Sweden and the process is free of harmful chemicals and metals like chromium.
Buttons and Screws
Material origin: China
Production: China
Our screws and stainless steel buttons are custom-made in China. We have chosen a supplier that can deliver with high-quality goods and work with small quantities - something that was very challenging for us to find as a small start up.
Packaging
Material origin: Sweden
Production: Sweden
Our product packaging is made from cardboard, sourced and produced in Sweden. We evaluated a lot of different designs and materials but ended up choosing this one since it enabled us to ship it as flat packs from our supplier to our production unit, saving us a lot of volume in the transport.
Labels and printed material
Material origin: Sweden
Production: Sweden
Our labels and print materials are sourced locally to reduce shipping distances and we use responsibly sourced paper.