Sustainability is at the heart of husband and wife team SinCa Design’s Connecticut furniture studio. Maria Camarena and Dave Sinaguglia plant ten trees for every piece they make to give back to the planet – so far over 250 through a partnership with non-profit One Tree Planted.

“What excites me the most is to think that the more we grow as a business, the more trees are planted. And that this is just one of the actions we take to be a business that restore instead of one that destroys,” said Maria.

And that’s only one way they minimize their brand’s environmental impact. The main material SinCa uses is certified green wood that’s sustainably harvested from a local mill near their studio. They then air-dry the slabs of wood for two to three years before putting it to use. The process takes longer than kiln drying, but also reduces carbon emissions.

Two Geometric Side Tables – Arco and Torre – are SinCa’s most recent designs created by Maria. She came up with them by extracting the most basic of shapes, leaving aside the details and complications of fabrication to focus on the lines that highlight the colors of the air-dried walnut wood.

SinCa uses every part of the tree in their work, even gluing together scraps to create designs that adapt to the remnants. This mindset is responsible for their one-of-a-kind Señoritas drink stands. They, like every other piece from the wood shop, are finished with plant-based oil and wax finishes.

But it doesn’t stop there. Their process isn’t over until the sawdust is composted for use as fertilizer, full circle. New trees can use the nutrients and the amount of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere are reduced.

Ash Señorita Drink Stand

Walnut Señorita Drink Stand

Detail of Walnut Señorita Drink Stand

White Oak Señorita Drink Stand

Detail of White Oak Señorita Drink Stand

To learn more about the latest from SinCa Design, visit sincadesign.com.

Kelly Beall is senior editor at Design Milk. The Pittsburgh-based graphic designer and writer has had a deep love of art and design for as long as she can remember, and enjoys sharing her finds with others. When undistracted by great art and design, she can be found making a mess in the kitchen, consuming as much information as possible, or on the couch with her three pets. Find her @designcrush on social.

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