Corner Block Studio was born on a corner block in Brisbane (Yuggera and Turrbal Country), Australia. It grew from the original designs, personal values and entrepreneurial energy of co-founders (and life partners) Natalie Lane and Leith Morriss; an Industrial Designer and Mechanical Engineer duo.
The studio launched in 2015 with our debut product, the Book Frame. This design upholds the values of Corner Block Studio – original, well made, and environmentally sustainable.
We choose materials that are environmentally sustainable and cruelty-free, guided by a deep admiration for our precious earth. We craft our products in Meanjin, Brisbane -making high quality homewares to be enjoyed for a lifetime.
Our workshop and studio is part of the lively Station Road Creative Precinct in Meanjin, Brisbane. Our small team design, make and send our frames from here.
We enjoy the romance of quality crafts(wo)manship; the character of wood continues to impress and endear us with it's soothing smells and charming grain patterns.
We also work with a local apparel manufacturer (a small family business like ours) who sews the straps for The Harness.
When you choose Corner Block Studio you are choosing small business, Australian made and environmentally sustainable materials.
Being thoughtful about the materials we use helps to care for our precious earth.
Australian hardwoods are exceptionally beautiful, durable, and character-filled timbers. We showcase these timbers in our work and hope you’ll admire them as much as we do. We only use recycled hardwoods, so precious old trees keep standing tall, and fallen trees stay in the forest to become homes for native animals.
Using recycled timbers is not an easy option, it’s an arduous task to reclaim old timbers from de-commissioned buildings such as bridges and old homes, and process them to a premium quality standard. We believe it’s important to protect our bushlands and forests, so we work with experienced timber mills that gather and process reclaimed wood.
Queensland Hoop Pine is a light and lovely timber that has been used as a building and furniture material in Queensland for over 140 years. It is noted as the first export from Queensland when it was trialled for ship masts. Hoop Pine is the common name for what is actually an Araucaria.
Our Hoop Pine is sourced from old plantations that are sustainably and safely managed.
We thoroughly consider our options when selecting materials – to ensure it's is in line with our values of using environmentally sustainable and ethical materials. Before adding Hoop Pine to our range, we researched the environmental certifications and visited local plantations. While surveying the plantations we noted some reduction in the diversity of creatures compared to the nearby State Forest, but also found the plantation provided habitat for many species. We saw the alternative commercial uses of the land in the neighbouring area – cattle grazing and coal mining. The net carbon dioxide intake of a hoop pine plantation is of great benefit.
We are glad to offer our range in lovely, affordable, sustainable Hoop Pine.
Our strong sash woven cord is 100% cotton, inside and out - we searched hard to find a cotton cord that does not conceal a polyester (plastic) core.
We choose cotton because it is a renewable material and will safety biodegrade at the product's end-of-life.
Our black cord is made from 100% recycled cotton - salvaged from textile and factory waste which is separated into colours and spun into cord.
We source beautiful and durable materials that are made with plants; not animals.
Our newest product, The Harness, is made from vegan leather; a unique paper material that is flexible and washable like fabric with the strength and classic beauty of leather.
This innovative material is made with FSC certified cellulose fibres (aka wood) from mixed sources (FSC is the Forestry Stewardship Council which promote responsible management of the world’s forests).
It does incorporate synthetic latex to bond the natural wood based fibers. We accepted the presence of synthetics, despite preferring to use renewable and biodegradable resources, because we will not use animal leather.
The material is Standard 100 by OEKO - TEX certified (a product safety standard which tests for harmful substances and responsible use of chemicals).
We hope you like this beautifully textured and innovative material much as we do!
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