Being B Corp With Totem Road

Totem Road, founded by Don Garvan in 2015, is a furniture brand dedicated to creating high-quality, sustainable pieces that combine timeless design with a commitment to environmental responsibility. With a B Corp certification underscoring their ethos, Totem Road prioritises ethically sourced materials and eco-friendly practices. Every piece is crafted from FSC-certified wood and natural stones, ensuring a minimal environmental footprint. Their furniture is designed to last for generations, reflecting a dedication to sustainability and the belief that home decor should be both beautiful and enduring.

Here, we go behind the scenes with Totem Road to uncover what it truly means to be B Corp Certified.

Can you please share the story behind Totem Road and how the brand’s values have shaped its journey?

Totem Road was founded by Don Garvan in 2015, driven by his genuine passion for good furniture design that not only looks great but also can make a difference socially, environmentally and ecologically.

Almost ten years on, our intentions remain the same. Our core value is to create furniture that lasts a lifetime with a timeless aesthetic to suit a variety of design aesthetics – all while minimising the environmental impact of contemporary throw-away furniture.

As a B Corp, you’re committed to sustainability and ethical production. What inspired you to pursue B Corp Certification, and how does it align with Totem Road’s mission?

The Totem Road ethos naturally lends itself to all of the qualities and standards that make a B Corp, so while the process included a lot of documentation, it was detailing things we had been doing since the brand’s inception in 2015 – a claim we are very proud to make.

Could you highlight some of the key sustainable practices at Totem Road that showcase your dedication to the B Corp standards?

With every decision we make at Totem Road, the planet and people are always front of mind. Our high quality furniture is mindfully and minimally designed so that they can be loved more than a single lifetime. Our intentional designs mean our pieces won't contribute to landfill or be replaced when trends change.

Every piece of Totem Road furniture comes with a transparent chain of custody from the forest, to the factory and finally our customers’ homes. Our furniture is crafted from solid FSC certified oak and natural stones such as Travertine and Carrara Marble, with the intention of using natural materials to bring nature into our customers homes. Trees in the certified forests are grown and harvested according to a strict set of guidelines that benefit the environment. Our wood is select-logged to support regeneration, biodiversity and the protection of native fauna.

All furniture is safely packaged in fully recyclable and biodegradable packaging. It comes at a cost to us, but cheaper petrochemical-based packaging such as polystyrene, has a large manufacturing footprint, contains toxic substances and has little to no biodegradability.

Furniture plays a central role in creating spaces that feel like home. How do you guide your customers in selecting the perfect pieces for their living spaces?

With our designs not being driven by trends and the pieces being so durable, we guide our customers to select Totem Road pieces that they can see themselves enjoying in their home for many years to come where they can perhaps change up their smaller pieces and accessories to express their personal style in their home.

We pride ourselves on selling furniture that lasts a lifetime, the design is timeless and the quality is high. Therefore, it’s important for us to engage with customers and listen to their needs. Whether they’re first time buyers or customers completing a renovation, our personal approach allows us to to guide our buyers through Totem Road products best suited for their home. We take the time to talk to each individual and support their needs by curating selections to be enjoyed both functionally and aesthetically.

As local Paddington businesses, we’d love to hear how you’d spend your ideal weekend exploring the area. Any favourite spots along Oxford Street?

After pondering through the iconic Paddington Markets, we’d detour down William St to get our caffeine fix at The Hood and pick up some florals at Bess. While making our way down Oxford St towards the Totem Road showroom, we’d pop into the number of shops along the way. We’d finish with dinner at our team’s fave Love Supreme - we can’t go past their fresh, organic ingredients and the seasonal selection of gelatos churned from scratch.

Which LUMIRA fragrance would you most love to see enhancing the atmosphere of your showroom and customer homes?

With both earthy and sandalwood base notes that evoke a connection to our oak furniture, we can’t go past the LUMIRA Il Giardino Room Spray. We believe that when you're surrounded by nature you feel good, we think this scent is the perfect way to bring nature into your home.