Behind the Seams: How We Choose Our Materials
At Wren, sustainability isn’t a trend, it’s our foundation. Since 2008, we’ve believed that business can (and should) be a force for good, actively solving social and environmental challenges while reimagining what it means to be a business.
That belief is stitched into every Wren product, down to the smallest detail- like the elastic used in our Book Wraps.
We source this elastic from a shop in Salt River that feels more like Aladdin’s cave than a store. It is brimming with ribbons, bindings, ends of fabric rolls, and forgotten trims from Cape Town’s clothing industry, and every visit is a treasure hunt. Instead of ordering new, we spend hours searching through factory leftovers, looking for the right texture, colour, and quality. It’s time-consuming but worth it.
We believe in giving existing materials new purpose and reducing waste at every opportunity.
This approach is just one of many reasons we’re proud to be independently certified by B Corp and recognised as one of South Africa’s first B Corporations. It’s a reflection of our values—and our commitment to building a better, more conscious future through design.
