It sounds so simple, framing 3 awards… It might be, but not if you are determined to make use of eco-friendly, preferably recycled materials. I set up the following questions beforehand:
- Eco-friendly frame (recycled material or organic materials preferably including re-use of glass etc)
- How long is the life span of the article
- Can the materials used be recycled after we have used them
- Nice aesthetic that fits with the overall studio look
- Developing a long term supplier relationship
- Looking for alternative ways to display and protect artworks, awards etc.
I started my research online. Unfortunately this wasn’t very successful. I did discover a few good ideas of environmental-friendly ways of framing but only one was provided in Australia. Some nice ideas I came across, to inspire those who are interested, were: the use timber from old barns (from the U.S.); organic cotton framing (UK); frames made out of magazines (India); stainless steel (Alexander Lotersztain AUS); Bicycle Chain Frames (Africa); recycled roofing slate (US). By transporting the goods across the globe however, all our good intentions would be reduced to zero. The organic cotton, stainless and magazine frames are only suitable for small postcard format framing and not made in any other size.
Unsatisfied with my results I decided to start calling and emailing framing companies within reasonable distance of our office so I could easily drop off the awards and pick them up on my bike. Most responses were very disappointing. They immediately gave me a ‘no go’ and did not even want to think about any other ways of framing let alone giving me any advise or tips. My conclusion: they have never even thought about it! I had never imagined the framing industry being so rigid and behind. How is it possible that I can’t even find one supplier in the city making use of recycled materials and/or having eco-friendly alternatives for the existing way of framing? Especially given the fact that the framing industry mainly works with timber and plastics, two materials I imagine to be relatively easy to substitute with recycled or more eco-friendly materials.
One of the only helpful responses came from Colli Kinsela from Sydney Art & Framing and Peter Cerneaz (thanks to you both!).
Colli: “The most eco friendly thing would be to use a discarded frame from a previous job, this may not be aesthetically the best, so other than this I would suggest a frame made of Australian plantation timber, reuse a piece of perfect condition glass and a backing board of recycled cardboard instead of MDF.”
Peter: “For me this is something that I have been thinking about also. Framing is dreadful in using eco-unfriendly stuff. The best I can offer is to reuse a dicarded frame. Many of my clients get items reframed. I keep the frames hoping someone like yourself will use them. With regard to mounting I could piece together the off cuts and with the glass or perspex there is no easy option. The best I’ve thought of is use off cuts again and join them with silicone.!”
Another surprising and very nice response came from Cameron Morton from Exhibit Picture Framing in Surry Hills. He never had this question before from a customer and decided that is was time to look into the use of recycled materials, waste materials or other eco-friendly alternative ways of framing. Currently the frames come in as a kind of long straight sticks and they just cut exactly the size, stick it together and done… Working with recycled materials would require a lot more time and effort. Cameron also noted the risk of using 2nd hand materials, for example damaging the very expensive cutting blades when cutting old barn timber because it might hit some hidden nails etc.
Up till now, Cameron has been twice to the factory to look for waste material and second hand materials. What he has found up till now is not of much use. And this is where the aesthetics come in, we are fine with a more rough looking frame, but are not waiting on a frame that has been put together with pink/purple/green/lila plastic frame-bits from the 80’s. So, our search continues. Cameron will keep on looking for materials we can use around the factory and I will continue my search for framing companies that do use eco-friendly and/or materials before we will just get some old frames paintings from the market and re-use the frame.
Very curious after people who are have been looking for the same thing and would love to hear about the outcomes of the search!
2 Comments...
[...] It has been a while since I started my search for sustainable eco-friendly frames to frame some of the awards Digital Eskimo has been awarded. After a few well-intentioned conversations with people we still didn’t have a solution. Then I got in touch with Peter Cerneaz again. Peter: "For me this is something that I have been thinking about also. Framing is dreadful in using eco-unfriendly stuff." [...]
This is exactly what I have been thinking!
My farther has a second hand shop and also used to demolish buildings and there are so many framing ideas that I get just from looking in my back yard (a substantial size). There are alot of old doors, piles of windoes and other glass. My favorite idea for a large frame at the moment is to get an old door, sand it down to the wood and put in double glass panels. Put the item/picture between the glass panels and there you have it! You don’t even need a matt boarder! The other option is using recycled wood – bits from broken chairs etc.
I am going home this week and have decided to try this out to see if it works. Ill let you know how it goes! Good luck!