Phasing out
There is an ever-increasing acknowledgement in society that the resources we have in the world are finite and short-term. The demand for the materials to make things, and our desires for new products and goods, seem to be ever-increasing. Yet, the stuff we make can cause harm to both the planet and the people around us. How can we still purchase what we want, and have less impact on the world? Personally, I think it’s about balance. We have a choice to invest in goods that can be kept for long periods. Goods that can provide lasting service, either from being a better quality item or from having the added advantage of being repairable and serviceable.
For Everwrist, this means phasing out all our Quartz and battery-powered watches.
As many of you will know, Quartz watches rely on a battery to power their movements, which requires the use of toxic chemicals and metals in the manufacturing process. When these batteries are no longer functional, they often end up in landfill where they can release harmful chemicals into the environment. Granted, we aren’t going to save the world by phasing out our Quartz watches. We are a tiny part of a much bigger system. But we want to do our bit.
Phasing in
Moving forward we’ll focus on making and designing small numbers of bespoke and modified automatic and mechanical timepieces.
Automatic watch movements are powered by the natural motion of the wearer’s wrist and body, which means that they do not require any external power source. This eliminates the need for batteries and the associated environmental impact.
Yes, we know that there will be energy used in making these products but we believe that these items will be better made, and longer lasting. If a product breaks or no longer functions, then its parts can be broken down and recycled further into other timepieces. If a product needs serviced or maintained, then we’ll be able to partner with reliable 3rd party watchmakers, providing further employment to skilled individuals.
To us, this makes a lot of sense. Why wouldn’t we want to reduce our impact whilst making goods to sell, and at the same time, provide an income to other service providers in the future?
Reusable rather than recyclable
As with the Porte model, we are utilising a reusable principle for the watch packaging moving forward. We’ll partner with local craftspeople and makers to assemble wooden containers and soft watch pouches that can be repurposed and live beyond their initial means.
The world of watchmaking and manufacturing is new to use. Although we’ve been at it since 2011, it’s still rather new. We have a lot to learn and whilst this started out as a side project and hobby, we’re looking at how we can build Everwist into a sustainable business (for us) and generate a stable income.
Thanks again for your time.
Sean,
Founder and Designer
