Meet the founders of The Value of Things - Julia and Sonja. This small, sustainably friendly brand is very new to the scene, Julia and Sonja only started it last September. Their designs are simplistic and effortless and needless to say their products could fit in any kitchen! Their aesthetic is inspiring and their products are a way of showing how easy sustainability can be; kitchenware being something to start with. For now, you can buy the products on Etsy (click the button below). In this interview we delve into the startup of the brand, how their products are completely eco-friendly as well as some tips to become a sustainable being.

Tell us a bit about your background story? How did it all begin?

The Value of Things is a very young project, we started working on the idea in September 2020. It was rather born out of a lucky coincidence rather than a big plan. Sonja and I spent the summer holidays together on the Island of Crete and one day we passed a sign saying “traditional Olive Wood Workshop”. As we both love discovering local traditions when traveling we decided to stop by the workshop. We were warmly welcomed by Dinos and his wife Eleni who showed us around their farm & the workshop that they inherited from Dinos’ father. We ended up staying for a couple of hours, drinking coffee and talking about life and the challenges of having a business during a global pandemic. 

 We bought a couple of beautiful handmade pieces for ourselves and on the way back to our airbnb we got into a very long and excited conversation about what things create true value for us and that we will enjoy owning for a long time. The idea for TVoT was born.

It appears to be a small business led by both of you; do you plan on expanding it?

 For now The Value of Things is a passion project of ours. Sonja works as an art director and social media manager and I am a consultant for tech innovations & sustainability. Therefore we run TVoT in our free time and plan on keeping it that way for now. We’ve been close friends since our studies of psychology and see TVoT as something that’s bringing us joy rather than profit. 

You focus a lot on sustainability; could you explain how using olive wood is sustainable?

 For us sustainability is the “ability to sustain”. That means when it comes to buying new items it’s about choosing things that will create long term value for us. This can mean different things for each individual but ideally those items have a long lifecycle and don’t harm the environment during production and use. If we value something we care for it. If we care for it, it will last longer. If it lasts longer, there is less need for new production.  

 If we take a look at the life cycle of our cretan olive wood products (from raw material to disposal) they incorporate everything that's important to us and our view of sustainability:

1. The”raw material”: Olive trees have been cultivated in Crete since 2000 BC and currently the island is one of the biggest producers of olive oil and home to 3 billion olive trees. Our products are mainly made from wood that comes from pruning the trees. Wood (if sourced right) is a very sustainable resource as it is renewable and has a positive climate impact. 

2. Our products are made by hand which allows us to use the valuable wood as efficiently as possible. Cut outs from bigger items are used and turned into smaller items like spoons or knives. 

3. Olive wood is very durable and naturally anti-bacterial. It doesn’t need any chemical coating and therefore is a 100% natural product. It only needs to be treated with a couple of drops of olive oil from time to time and will last a lifetime if cared for. 

4. When it comes to the disposal , untreated wood is easily recyclable and not environmentally harmful.

 Do you have any future plans for your brand?

The beautiful encounter with Dinos and the discovery of his artisan products was the spark to transform our passions for conscious consumerism into something tangible. With TVoT we want to inspire others to rethink their buying habits without compromising their love for beautiful things. We are planning on adding more content on slow living & sustainable fashion to our Social Media Channels. If it feels right we will add further products that align with our values. 

What do you think is the biggest challenge in what you do?

 Transforming our vision and our idea about sustainability and value into a brand. We have a lot of conversations about the topic of sustainability and are trying to bring those ideas across through storytelling. 

In terms of sustainability, what would be your top 5 tips?

It’s not about being perfect. 

It’s about being conscious and actively questioning your consumption choices. Do I really need this item? Will I own it for a long time or can I reuse/resell it? Will it bring me joy for a long time?

Use what is already there! 

In a world where we consume more environmental resources than the earth can regenerate in one year (take a look at World Overshoot Day) it is crucial to reduce consumption & production. For example check if those Dr. Martens shoes you’ve been dreaming of are available on a second-hand platform!  

Invest in valuable, natural materials. 

Those things might be a bit more expensive but they will last longer and keep their monetary value when being resold. Also when shopping second hand take a look at the labels! 

Buy locally & from small businesses. 

As consumers we have the power to change the world! Ask yourself who are you supporting with the money you spend? 

Buy less, buy value.

To us, sustainability is not about buying the most sustainable product but to buy   products that we can use and cherish long term. To buy less and only what we really need.