IN CONVERSATION WITH: PEITA DAVIS OF GINGERFINCH

Slow living, sustainability, beautiful objects, all in one place? Yes, it's true. Australian brand Gingerfinch is a constant source of inspiration for us, both for their gorgeous wares and their unshakeable brand ethos.

Sourcing pieces from small, independent makers and creators from all around the world, each piece has its own story to tell, and we're here to listen. We spoke with founder, Peita Davis, about the inspiration behind the brand, her approach to minimalist living, and her dreams for both her much loved brand and our world at large.

[TLSE] Let’s start off with an easy one, tell us a bit about yourself (personal tidbits welcome!)

[Peita] I’m Peita, founder of Gingerfinch. I live in Canberra with my husband and cat Billie. I love Australian hip hop, dislike ice cream (it makes me thirsty) and I am pretty obsessed with ceramics.

Now, can you tell us a bit about Gingerfinch? What is the driving concept and where did it come from?

Gingerfinch is an online design store that specialises in sustainable, Australian-made homewares and furniture. Gingerfinch’s purpose is to curate timeless, useful goods made in small batches or by hand. Nothing at Gingerfinch is mass-produced, so customers can feel confident that whatever they select, it will be good for society and the planet. We do the hard work so you don’t have to.

The concept for Gingerfinch was born when I was living in Kenya. I met incredible artists and makers there who had a natural inclination for sustainability. Materials were often recycled and nothing was wasted. When I returned to Australia in 2014, it was at the peak of ‘seasonal’ and trend-based homewares. I found the contrast extremely shocking and I was driven to create an alternative - a slower, more considered way of furnishing our homes. A few years later, I launched Gingerfinch!

How important is sustainability to you? Why?

Sustainability is my raison d'etre. I believe that real change occurs when people make small changes in their everyday lives. Look at the impact of anti-littering and water-saving campaigns in the '80s - we now have generations of people who only throw rubbish in the bin and who turn the tap off when they clean their teeth.

Living sustainability can happen in so many small ways: from eating seasonally with less meat, to wasting less and reusing more, to buying quality over quantity. At Gingerfinch, we’re on a mission to find pieces that help people live sustainably, while looking beautiful, too.

We believe that investing in beautiful homeware pieces is not only a nice way to treat ourselves, but also a great way to be more conscious and sustainable - and we understand that you do too! How do you keep this front of mind when you’re operating within Gingerfinch?

When selecting products for Gingerfinch, I ask three questions: who made it, what is it made from, and where is it made. These questions allow me to ascertain the quality, longevity and integrity of the piece. If I am unsure about a product, I’ll purchase a sample and ‘live’ with it for a while. Testing a product this way helps me feel confident that every product that leaves the Gingerfinch studio will be treasured for years to come.

What should people look for in a product to understand whether it is truly sustainable?

The first, and most important factor for sustainability, is quality. If something is made well you won’t have to replace it, which saves manufacturing and transport of the new item and waste to landfill.

Australian-made items are more sustainable than those made overseas as they create less carbon miles and Australia’s work conditions are top-notch. When looking for sustainable products, keep an eye out for materials like ceramics, FSC wood, Australian wool, and recycled metals, fabrics and plastics - they have a sustainable tick of approval.

Not everything you buy will be 100% sustainable, but if you shop consciously and make considered choices, you can make a big difference.

What is your dream for Gingerfinch?

As Gingerfinch grows, we have more opportunities to support new and local makers who share our values and make seriously beautiful things. We love collaborating with Australian makers to create new products that suit our design aesthetic and sustainable sensibilities, and we hope to do more of this in the future.

Leave us with some final words of advice…

The plight of the planet can seem incredibly overwhelming - especially off the back of a pandemic. But we can make small changes that will, over time, collectively make a difference. Buying less and shopping consciously is one of the most impactful ways to stop the cycle of mass production and waste. If you take your time and buy something high quality that you really love, you’ll be more likely to care for it and treasure it for years to come.

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WORDS | Lucy Francis, Peita Davis

IMAGES | Gingerfinch