Vision
Our vision is to create sustainably sourced, wooden and precious metal products that will inspire those who use them.
We believe that the concept of transformation from a natural raw product into a usable and useful product is crucial to our ongoing success. By creating aesthetic and functional products that deliver this capacity for transformation, we will remain a relevant organisation.
Originality
Originality is what we are about and we care deeply about our work. We care about the woods we use, the method of manufacture and the ultimate functionality. We endeavour to provide a sustainably resourced and completely original product that will be of benefit to both the operative and the end user.
Pride and Passion
Pride and Passion are what drive us. These values define our mindset and energise our business.
To go above and beyond our customers’ expectations by providing them with unique, premium products, added value, superior service and environmental commitment. The experience delivered by sOak London is matched by our ongoing commitment to product quality and customer service, and by adherence to our mission statement.
Responsibility
We always work with sustainable woods, and wherever possible we acquire naturally fallen timbers and breathe new life into them. This is something we will always do. We strive to work in an ever-more sustainable way and strongly support like-minded charities. We do not work with plastic and you’ll never see any plastic in our packaging or products. We may fly, we train and we tube. We use vehicles to move our larger pieces. We have to travel, but with every footstep we take we make the smallest footprint possible and always leave something amazing in our wake.
Less is More
After a few decades of heightened consumerism, which gave rise to mass production of products driving both price and quality down, we are finally beginning to see a return to an appreciation of ‘less is more’. A keen eye for quality is redeveloping. Finally quality and craftsmanship are back in vogue. This is why sOak London only ever employ and collaborate with vastly experienced UK based craftspeople. We are also developing apprenticeship schemes to ensure the sustainability of these crafts and skills. We also partner with other like-minded UK based suppliers. And this ethos runs through the vein of our entire supply chain.
Our Celebration of Nature
Another strong part of our vision is not just to make use of nature – but to work alongside it, respectfully. We use responsibly sourced natural materials and give fallen trees a legacy. We aspire to create the antiques of the future and to bring nature back into our living spaces – helping to bring us closer to the natural world.
Quality Not Quantity
We are seeing rising demand for bespoke, personalised products that come with their own unique story instead of products that are mass marketed, mass produced and of sub standard quality. In this we are at the forefront – our products are exquisitely honed from the finest materials.
Due to globalisation and especially in international melting pots and hubs like London, Hong Kong and New York, the culture is neither English nor country specific, but international, encompassing a great fusion of cultures within one time and place. An appreciation, wonderment and desire to experience different cultures is huge in London and in other big cities. Working with clients and cultures from around the world we use this privileged global viewpoint to keep our finger firmly on the pulse of this ever changing industry meaning we can consult, advise, design and create for our clients with authority.
Experience Creation
In addition to quality and personalised products, there is a rising demand for experiences. People don’t just come to restaurants to eat and bars to drink. They are looking for an experience – a disruption of the norm.
In recent times, there has been an explosion of creativity, innovation and ideas. The human mind is now conditioned to seek newer, better, more outrageous ideas and concepts at a much higher frequency than ever before. ‘Been there- done that’, ‘what’s new?’. This is the driving force behind sOak London’s innovation.
This is the age of disruption – a time to seek out different ways of doing things. It’s fashionable to disrupt modern methodology in exchange for something different or groundbreaking. And often these new methods and products hark back to a more archaic and naturally sustainable era – we stand on the shoulders of giants and create forward thinking innovations with a nod to the past and a fistful of theatre. sOak London takes a lot of pride in this vision and sees itself as the disruptor of the everyday bar and restaurant industry.