Environmental Policy

Yolanda Gray Antiques is committed to leading the antiques market in minimising the impact of its activities not he environment.

This means having the ability to continue providing our customers with high quality antiques and services in ways that enhance the environment.

We will ensure that every aspect of our activities is conducted in accordance with sound environmental practices.

The Key points of how to achieve this are by:Minimising the consumption of natural energy and resources, whilst consuming materials goods in moderation.

  • Activity promote recycling both internally and amongst its customers and suppliers (e.g. using recycled packaging to protect items in transit).
  • Minimise waste by evaluating operations and ensuring they are as efficient as possible, including safe disposal of waste and responsible manner.
  • Reducing emissions to levels at which adverse impacts on the environment are avoided.
  • Continually sourcing and evaluating products that have an improved performance regarding their impact on the environment.
  • By complying with environmental legislation and operating in a socially responsible manner.

Yolanda Gray Antiques aims to foster among its suppliers and customers an understanding of environmental issues in the context of its business.

Our collective task is to ensure that we continually improved the environment impact of our activities.

Sustainability of Antiques

To give you an example of sustainability of antique furniture, please read the following regarding the ubiquitous Windsor chair (this principle can be applied to other antiques):

“The chair parts were made by craftsmen who lived in the woods where the materials came from. The turnings were produced on treadle-operated hors and cart or waterways”.

Source: “Green roots – a Windsor chair turner at work in the Woods” copyright Wycombe Museum.

The Windsor chair was a utilitarian piece of furniture, designed to be heavily used; however, these chairs are still in existence to this day. This is a good example of why we bring antique furniture is environmentally friendly and sustainable to the planet. By purchasing antique furniture you are preserving the plants’ scarce natural resources; specifically forests. The majority of antique furniture was made of hardwoods, such as English oak and tropical mahogany; these are slow growing trees which take hundreds of years to grow into mature trees. Furthermore, yo are reducing the carbon footprint of a reproduction item, which today, is most likely sourced from hardwoods in tropical forests in the Far East, manufactured in a factory and then shipped to England. Finally, antique furniture was built to last, with designs that are timeless. The same can be said about architecture and materials and construction  methods used in old Georgian and Victorian buildings. It is most likely that the new furniture will end up in your local tip, either because you have fallen out of love with its contemporary design or the construction quality is poor and designed not to last. The same cannot be said for antique furniture; items can be traditionally restored and given a new lease of life to continue their use for the next generation.