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The RE-CASK promotional video.

As the first window of funding comes to an end, we’re taking a look back through our achievements, discoveries and progress in moving towards a more low carbon future.

With our whisky barrel project, RE-CASK, we’ve been able to work our way through approximately 80 oak barrels since the beginning, preventing around 4 tonnes of CO₂ from entering our atmosphere.

Since early 2020, we’ve developed four pilot product ranges and several innovative processing techniques, which have unlocked a whole World of potential for bringing these oak barrels into the circular economy. We’ve spoken to a whole range of people, including businesses, organisations, designers, architects and more, in order to gain valuable insights on how these products could be put into practice, and how we can fine tune them. We also began investigating the impact of the pandemic, and how this has altered what our customers – new and existing – may need, and how these products could help to create innovative solutions.

Along with a wide-ranging portfolio of products, including outdoor furniture, cladding, play equipment and fencing, our unique Grading and Parallel Processing techniques are some of our proudest achievements.

With a highly unusual curved trapezoid shape the staves are notoriously challenging to work with. Combined with the laborious selection process of choosing staves of a specific width, it’s easy to see why little has been done with whisky barrels. For example, a customer or project may specify 40 staves at 120mm. Without our Graded Staves, this might involve breaking down 40 barrels to obtain those 40 staves. And this process would have to be carried out every time, for each and every project and customer. But by having a stock of these categorised staves, this process is now so much more efficient.

Our Parallel Processing technique has been designed to tackle the curved trapezoid shape. By transforming the profile of the staves more towards a rectangular shape, we’ve been able to successfully apply the staves to several of the RE-CASK product ranges. It essentially allows each of the staves to sit precisely alongside one another within their final configuration, and it has also opened up so much potential for those looking to create for themselves. Architects, interior designers and furniture designers for example, now have a material which is far more manageable and useable.

Inspiration: the PD3 Design Space by Richard Shed Studio

Using our Grading and Parallel Processing, it’s the fencing and screens is where there seems to be lots of unusual and practical applications. With the correct fixtures, they could be used as social distancing measures, both indoors and outdoors, as partitions for home offices, moveable and static dividers in commercial spaces like offices and meeting rooms; in bars, restaurants, and even schools; as bin stores, garden partitions and fencing, and so much more. Creatively, they could be used to build bespoke 2 storey sculptural pieces like the one above by Richard Shed Studio, utilising the variety of stave configurations we offer. The opportunities are the limits of your imagination.

Outdoor Play Equipment – Climbing Blocks

Our other ranges also saw positive developments. The outdoor play equipment was put to the test by the children at Milton Community Garden, part of the North Glasgow Community Food Initiative. As a result we’ve been able to make adaptations to improve the safety and longevity of the products even more. See them in action here!

The Checkerboard Cladding within an interior space

Our cladding range was expanded to include some more unusual and creative options, and some of our outdoor furniture pieces were featured in the RE-CASK promotional video above. After several inquiries we’re excited to see on which streets and outdoor spaces the furniture will end up, and the spaces in which our unique cladding will feature! You’ll see below our bench designed in collaboration with Sustrans as part of their Pocket Places project, which you can read more about here.

Although it’s the end of the first stage of the project, we’re very excited to see how RE-CASK will evolve and become part of the GWR portfolio. These oak casks have so much potential, in not only helping us move towards a lower carbon future, but also allowing GWR to continue providing valuable training and employment opportunities to those in the Glasgow area.

It’s good-bye for now from the RE-CASK team, but not from the project. Head to the RE-CASK project page to view the digital catalogues, and please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us if you’d like to chat about any of the product ranges.

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No longer useful in the whisky making process, the opportunity to think differently about how to maximise the value of these end of life oak whisky barrels was something we couldn’t pass on.

Supported by Zero Waste Scotland, we have begun the process of preventing countless tonnes of CO2 from entering our atmosphere. By repurposing just 20 casks we could prevent approximately one tonne of CO2 from entering our atmosphere. Imagine what we could save with processing some of those 250,000 each year.

RE-CASK is Glasgow Wood Recycling’s latest research and development strand which investigates innovative new products and processes for these oak barrels. As we aim for a more circular economy, these processing techniques are our way of moving closer towards that goal. The objective is to incorporate several of these products and processes into the GWR portfolio, and continue to explore options for these wonderful oak staves.

The project officially began back in August with Katie Falco working on product development, and John Kingston working on fabrication and innovation. Following an in-depth study into the feasibility of the barrels, Glasgow Wood Recycling saw an amazing opportunity in the market to create something more from these casks.

However, RE-CASK is not the first time either of them have worked with reclaimed whisky barrels. Back in 2018, Glasgow Wood Recycling were approached by Chivas Regal to upgrade their reception space utilising whisky barrels. It was this project which set the foundations and sparked ideas for where else these staves could be applied.

Utilising all this invaluable knowledge and understanding, Katie and John embarked on a dismantling the casks and began working on how they could reconfigure the now oak staves into something more useful. Beginning with a small range of cladding and panels, they continued to develop the range further, into outdoor play equipment, a range of screens and fencing and an outdoor bench commissioned by Sustrans which has recently been installed.

Creating innovative processing and categorisation techniques along the way, the team have also been in touch with wood workers in the USA, and also over in Edinburgh at Edinburgh Napier to hopefully discover other applications, processing methods and possible collaborations.

Lucy Watkins joined recently in early October to work on designing the sub-brand for GWR and to identify individuals and companies who would be interested in these products. As a way to meet legal requirements and reduce carbon footprints, to bring unique character to gardens, bars and outdoor spaces, or for those simply looking for climate conscious options, our goal is to provide sustainable solutions to those looking for them. The precarious times we live in mean we need to be highly adaptable and versatile.

At present we have a very unique range of screens and fencing, which besides being used as an alternative to standard fencing, could also become outdoor partitions for events, markets and bars featuring castors to allow for easy manoeuvrability, or be taken into office or home settings and be used to partition off work spaces. We also have a range of outdoor play equipment, cladding and several pieces of bespoke outdoor furniture, and we are now investigating interior accessories and furniture.

But without feedback we can’t begin the process of making these products even better. Which is why we are now asking you, our wonderful customer base, to enquire about our RE-CASK products and begin to put this wonderful material back into circulation.

If you know of any companies or individuals who may be interested in these products we’d also love for you to pass this information on. If you head to our RE-CASK projects page for more information on the project along with the catalogues.

We also know a great deal of you have been coming to buy staves for your own creations. Head to our Instagram to take a look at our RE-CASK highlights, along with all your whisky stave creations, and please keep sharing what you get up to. Stay tuned for updates!

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On the 13th March we’ll be launching 30 new products as part of our latest project. The products are a result of funding awarded by the Scottish Government and European Social Fund for Designs on Growth, our in-house design project.

The products combine recycled materials and innovative design to create inclusive volunteer experiences for the varying levels of ability in our workshop. On display will be a new range of children’s outdoor play products and additions to existing home and garden range.

“Our design project has worked closely with a wide range of our customers but they will probably say working alongside children and teachers has been the most fun. Through this collaboration we now better understand how we can make outdoor play even more enjoyable and many of the products are the direct result of these conversations. We certainly have learned and we will go on in this vein, really listening to our customers, young and old!”

Peter Lavelle, CEO of Glasgow Wood Recycling

The Launch Day

During the day visitors will be able to drop in and tour our South Street premises, try a planter building workshop, meet staff and volunteers, learn about wood recycling and the charities work within the community. The successful launch of these products will help the charity generate a sustainable income; save wood from landfill and grow our training and volunteering programmes to support local people.

The Open Day is free to attend and open to all. View the itinerary, register to attend and book your place on a workshop or tour here.

In 2018, Glasgow Wood Recycling was awarded funding from the Scottish Government and European Social fund for ‘Designs on Growth’; an in-house design project to create 30 well designed, functional products from reclaimed wood.

Glasgow Wood Recycling is a charity and social enterprise established in 2006. We have diverted over 4000 tonnes of wood away from landfill by finding creative and socially inclusive ways to reuse this valuable natural resource. Our workshop manufactures quality indoor and garden furniture and has provided 740 volunteering opportunities and training – and a route to employment – for over 190 people.

Check out our Play & Learning products in our online shop, along with many other products which were made as part of this project.

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We are now 9 months into our design project and some great progress has been made. We have launched 13 new products – including our new small product range now available on Etsy. Find below examples of our new range.

Record Player Unit

This Record Player stand has been designed and handcrafted with our media focused customers in mind. Following the success of our custom DJ mixing desks, we have designed this unit with ample storage for vinyl’s. It is also the perfect size for use with our storage crates.

Side Unit

We love the colouring from scaffolding boards featured in this side unit. This versatile unit will give your bedside a rustic chic/industrial look. Use the storage space to store your bedtime reading or insert a wooden crate to tidy away clutter.

Picture Holder

This picture holder is handmade from reclaimed scaffold boards by volunteers in our workshop. It will hold art prints, photographs, place cards, business cards, menus and more. This holder will add a natural, minimalist touch to your decor or table setting.

Tealight Holder

Made from reclaimed scaffold boards, these tealight holders have a chunky, industrial and unfinished look. Another popular product on our Etsy store!

2019 will see us design, prototype, build and launch a further 18 exciting new products.

The profits made from selling our fantastic products, all expertly made from reclaimed timber at our workshop on South Street, go straight back into the organisation to support our volunteers and trainees and the wonderful work they do.

By developing new items as well as bespoke pieces, our customers can continue to rely on us for quality wood products as well as play their own part in supporting their local community.

The Social Economy Growth Fund gave backing to 22 charity groups and community organisations across the country – with our social enterprise receiving a grant of over £100,000 to support our progression and create three new posts.

Head to our Designs on Growth project page to view the complete range of products which are now available in the online shop.

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Designs on Growth will consist of developing new, innovative products that will increase community and customer awareness and will benefit the community we are part of. A small team within Glasgow Wood Recycling will be fully focusing on these aims and objectives and will explore new materials, collaborations and industries to achieve our goals.

Glasgow Wood Recycling has a huge task in upgrading its IT for the organisation as a whole but also our new project. The Naturesave Trust has been a great help towards our IT costs by funding us with £1000.  We used this to purchase refurbished computers and have them installed, wired with internet and updated with the correct software. Having received funding from The Nature Save Trust saved the team a lot of work in trying to install the computers themselves. The professional installation of the computers also means the team has the most up to date software and can rely on their computers during this project. With a more efficient I.T system, we are confident we can help more people and divert even more wood waste from landfill.

Find more information about the Naturesave Trust here.

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Wood Unlimited is our new Big Lottery funded training programme which aims to tackle social isolation through woodwork. It’s a 6-week health and well-being themed course aimed at reducing the impact of loss, isolation and loneliness.

The scheme involves a combination of practical woodwork skills, conservation activities and community projects. It aims to support participants as they make community connections to enable continued participation in volunteering and local groups and events.

The programme will be delivered at our workshop in South Street and will include five key elements:

• Practical woodwork skills
• Personal development activities
• A community project
• Making community connections
• Individual action plans to help continued participation

At a recent conference, Cllr Susan Aitken, leader of Glasgow City Council, said:

“Loneliness can have a potentially devastating impact on our daily lives, health and wellbeing. These feelings are even linked with poor health, including high blood pressure, a weakened immune system, and an increased risk of developing dementia.”

There is also a stigma attached to loneliness with almost two-thirds of Glasgow residents surveyed saying that admitting to loneliness is difficult. It is now becoming more prevalent in younger generations as well, going against the common perception and highlighting the severity of the issue.

GWR aims to reduce the stigma of loneliness and social isolation as well as the impact, by getting people together, giving them a place to belong and supporting them to make connections in their community. We are ideally placed to provide this training as we have a proven track record of supporting volunteers and providing opportunities to marginalised groups, helping them to achieve positive outcomes.

Following on from the success of our previous training programme Making Wood Work, this is another exciting chance for our volunteers to meet new people, learn new skills and gain hands-on experience of a craft trade.

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