Frouma
Basic information
Project Title
Full project title
Category
Project Description
Design furniture that comes from the sea.
The wood we use to elaborate Frouma pieces comes from galician estuaries “bateas”. But, what is a “batea”?
It is a floating nursery compound by a wooden framework from where the mussel’s ropes hang.
After 25 years, Frouma gets the wood back from the sea to give it a total new use: be turned into a design furniture.
Discover our forest’s authenticity blended with the strength and nature from the sea.
It’s history, it’s sea, it’s Frouma
Geographical Scope
Project Region
Urban or rural issues
Physical or other transformations
EU Programme or fund
Which funds
Description of the project
Summary
Frouma designs and produces quality wooden furniture.
We rescue wood from Galician “bateas” after more than 25 years producing mussels and we transform it into design furniture. Over the years, this wood acquires an unique and authentic nature and the reuse of the “batea’s” wood was recognized by Wood Circus Project as a good circular economy practice. https://woodcircus.eu/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/17-Fearmaga-WoodCircus-p1.pdf
It's capital for us to revalue quality craftsmanship, transmitting the value of authenticity, of well done work and demonstrate the importance of time in the face of current immediate consumption.
Besides, we add the innovative component that we integrate into our furniture such as IoT devices, turning on through digital assistants such as Google Home or Amazon Alexa or Qi chargers, among others, which represents a great differential value, greatly improving the accessibility of our furniture.
Parallelly, to reinforce our commitment to sustainability, we invest a percentage of the price of the product in programs and initiatives towards repopulating the native Galician forest, thus giving back to the land what belongs to it.
Key objectives for sustainability
Frouma provides a second life to the wood that has been producing mussels for more than 25 years in the sea, transforming this wood into a unique and authentic design furniture full of history. We avoid cutting down wood for the production of our furniture in addition to planting a native tree for each piece manufactured. This way we generate a positive impact on the environment.
Frouma is: -felled trees +planted trees.
In addition, all our furniture pieces are finished with Rubio Monocoat natural oils certified with the European Eurofins Indoor Comfort Gold guarantee.
They are completely free of VOCs (volatile organic compounds) in order to not alter the feel nor the texture of the wood.
Reduce. Re-use. Recycle.
Key objectives for aesthetics and quality
Quality and well-done craftsmanship are intrinsic to each Frouma piece. Each handmade product is much more than a piece: It is tradition, time, effort, dedication and creativity.
Each handmade piece tells a story. Due to it, mass production cannot imbue each product with a true essence.
Frouma is heading towards simple and timeless furniture lines. Functionality and aesthetics should always go hand in hand.
Manufacturing our pieces by hand, we produce unique and exclusive furniture. So, we can design each piece according to the specific needs of each user.
Key objectives for inclusion
By incorporating technological innovation into our furniture, we greatly improve the accessibility of our pieces.
We involve citizens and our users with initiatives to repopulate the native Galician forest, planting a tree for each manufactured product.
Results in relation to category
By using wood that has been cut 25 years ago we drastically reduce both CO2 emissions and the amount of water consumed, as well as the m3 of felled wood needed to manufacture our furniture, since this is practically zero. In addition, by planting a tree for each product manufactured, we generate a positive impact on our environment.
How Citizens benefit
We generate a belonging feeling, involving users in the designing and manufacturing furniture process, as well as involving entities, associations and citizens in social initiatives and repopulation of the native forest.
Physical or other transformations
Innovative character
Our business concept is a total innovation, we do not need to cut down any tree to produce our furniture. Besides, the “batea” wood is submerged and in contact with the waters of the Atlantic Ocean for more than 25 years, which gives it unique features. In addition to having a long history behind and its aged and unique nature, the saltpeter impregnates the wood over all these years, which provides protection against the attack of wood pathogens and xylophages.
Learning transferred to other parties
Just as Frouma uses “batea” wood from the Galician estuaries to manufacture its furniture, wood from other uses and locations can be reused, such as wood from train tracks, for example, and reinvesting part of the product price or a percentage of the profits in actions to repopulate native forests or other social initiatives.
We firmly believe that we have to completely change our business models and our consumption maelstrom towards a more environmental, fair and ethical model based on these principles.
Frouma is the best evidence that this is possible.
