With our figurines and music boxes lovingly fashioned by hand, we form part of the artisan tradition of the Erzgebirge region. And with this tradition comes responsibility, as our most important raw material is timber. Every year, for example, we source around 70 cubic meters for the production of our angels, Blossom Kinder and animal figurines. Our aim is to use this local raw material conscientiously and sparingly, and to preserve the natural beauty that surrounds us. Healthy forests are essential to provide a habitat for wildlife and to mitigate the effects of climate change. At Wendt & Kühn we therefore take measures to ensure our production processes are sustainable and save resources.
Handling our raw material responsibly
We source our timber direct from sawmills in the local area, which supply us with native woods such as maple, beech, spruce and lime. This collaboration with our local sawmills has the advantage that the raw material does not have to be transported far. And this means we have already reduced emissions such as CO2 even before the timber goes into production. At the same time we are actively supporting a regional forestry sector that complies with high standards in afforestation and thus counteracts overexploitation and forest dieback.
What happens to what is left over?
We are fortunate in working with a very versatile raw material that we are able to use efficiently in producing our collection. Our angel musicians and Blossom Kinder are known for their delicate stature and their precisely crafted instruments, flowers and accessories. Because of their size and small component parts, hardly any wood is wasted during production. Firstly, small pieces of wood can be used to make delicate individual components. And then the shavings produced during turning are used in our internal heating system – as has been the practice in woodworking workshops for centuries. The traditional use of wooden shavings has become more technical over the years. When we constructed our new premises for the gluing, turning and paint shops in 1995, we included an efficient waste-to-energy-plant. Whereas in the past the wood waste had to be regularly fed in by hand, today the feed is carried out automatically via suction holes directly built into the workstations. The heat supply to the production facilities in the northern part of the company’s site can be almost completely covered by the waste-to-energy plant. In this way we also save energy in heating our workshops.
Securely packaged
For us, our commitment to sustainability does not end with production. Our figurines must be well wrapped and securely packaged before they are shipped. For this we use recycled and biodegradable materials. In this way we succeeded in 2020 in preventing the felling of 115 trees. And for this we have received a “Certificate for Sustainable Packaging” from our packaging supplier, Pregis.
Preserving much-loved treasures
Can you remember the moment you held your first figurine from our workshops in your hand? Was it perhaps a birthday present or a wedding gift? Many beautiful moments and memories are associated with our angels, Blossom Kinder and music boxes.
People often tend to throw away things that are broken and to replace them with something new. This pattern of consumption results in an ever-increasing demand for products that require more and more valuable raw materials for their production. Replacing a much-loved figurine simply because it has been damaged is practically impossible. The emotional value it carries for the owner is far too great. This is the reason why we repair and restore your treasures with much care and precision, so that you can long continue to enjoy them. This is one of the things we mean by the preservation of values, both material and idealistic. Wendt & Kühn stands for the preservation of timeless, beautiful and unique figurines.
Offering protection
What can we do to make our production processes more ecologically friendly? These and other questions are something we concern ourselves with in our “Future Workshop”. Our enthusiastic employees also discuss the topic of “sustainability” in this forum.
One outcome of these deliberations is, for example, the creation of a bee meadow. Instead of always keeping the lawn on our company premises short everywhere, we have selected certain areas where grasses and meadow flowers can grow wild. Not only does this create a wonderful sea of color, it also provides insects with the food they urgently need. For in our increasingly densely built-up areas with concrete and tarmac surfaces, and too few green spaces, bees, butterflies, beetles and other creatures struggle to find sufficient nectar.
We are delighted when the humming and buzzing starts in spring. Maybe our colorful areas of meadow will inspire you to hand back a bit of your garden to nature.