The Wood Store (Brighton & Hove Wood Recycling Project)

What The Wood Store (Brighton & Hove Wood Recycling Project) does

The Wood Store (Brighton & Hove Wood Recycling Project) is a UK-registered non-profit charity, founded in 1998 in Brighton, that operates as the first wood-waste collection and recycling scheme of its kind in the UK. It collects unwanted wood from construction sites, commercial premises, and domestic households, then sorts, processes, and resells it as reclaimed timber, bespoke furniture, and firewood. Beyond materials recovery, the charity runs accredited vocational training programmes and is a founding member of the Community Wood Recycling national network, embedding it in both a regional Sussex catchment and a UK-wide peer network.

The business operates multiple revenue streams. Retail reclaimed timber and firewood are sold through its Brighton site with Sussex-wide delivery. Bespoke furniture is manufactured on commission for hospitality and retail clients at price points ranging from £75 to £550, with named commercial customers including Trading Post Coffee Roasters and Spring Barn Farm Shop. Commercial wood-waste collection is sold into construction-firm compliance budgets, with named enterprise customers including Taylor Wimpey, Kier, Willmott Dixon, Clipfine Ltd, and Breyer Group, with collection services aligned to BREEAM and Considerate Constructors schemes. A laser cutting and engraving service has been added as a higher-margin extension of the joinery offering.

The operating model is a hybrid social enterprise: commercial sales and collection fees generate earned income, supplemented by donations, grants, and volunteer labour, in pursuit of social outcomes including landfill diversion, CO2 reduction, and training of disadvantaged individuals. In 2024-25 the charity reported rescuing 994 tonnes of wood and saving an estimated 495 tonnes of CO2, while training 60 people. It holds 1% for the Planet membership and NOCN accreditation for its training programmes. Headcount stands at approximately 12 employees, and a 2024 'Save The Wood Store' public fundraising campaign indicates active donor-driven fundraising alongside trading activity.

Name

The Wood Store (Brighton & Hove Wood Recycling Project)

Legal name

Brighton & Hove Wood Recycling Project

Website

https://woodrecycling.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Wood Store is a Brighton-based non-profit charity that collects, recycles, and resells wood waste as reclaimed timber, bespoke furniture, and firewood. It serves construction firms, hospitality businesses, and domestic customers across Sussex while delivering accredited vocational training.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wood Recycling and Reclaimed Timber Products

NAICS

Cut Stock, Resawing Lumber, and Planing (321912), All Other Miscellaneous Wood Product Manufacturing (321999), Wood Product Manufacturing (321), Sawmills (321113)

SIC

Lumber & Wood Products (No Furniture) (2400), Retail-Lumber & Other Building Materials Dealers (5211), Sawmills & Planting Mills, General (2421)

akta.pro primary industry

Wood Waste Processing & Recycling (Mulch/Biomass) (BPALAJAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Wood Remanufacturing (Mouldings, Millwork Blanks, Cut Stock) (IMAMABAI)

Keywords

• Reclaimed timber sales
• Wood waste collection
• Bespoke furniture making
• Firewood retail
• Laser cutting services

Headquarters

HQ city

Brighton

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Timber and Reclaimed Wood Sales: Retail sales of reclaimed timber and wood products (construction timber, ply, OSB, MDF, joists, floorboards) from the Brighton store. Also delivery service across Sussex.
2. Wood Waste Collection Services: Fee-based domestic and commercial wood waste collection services. Charges depend on volume and loading time. More cost-effective than skip hire.
3. Bespoke Furniture Manufacturing: Custom furniture made to order — tables, bookcases, shelves, benches, planters, beds, kitchen islands, commercial shop fittings — sold as one-off bespoke pieces.
4. Firewood Sales: Sale of kindling, wood pellets, traditional firewood, and hardwood logs with local delivery.
5. Laser Cutting and Engraving Services: Custom laser cutting and engraving services with free quotations, materials sourcing, and design assistance. Commercial jobs quoted separately for design and prototyping.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Wood Store collects, reuses and recycles waste timber across Sussex through its Brighton retail store, which sells reclaimed construction timber, ply, MDF, floorboards and joists, complemented by a bespoke carpentry workshop crafting made-to-order tables, shelving, planters and shop fittings. It also delivers domestic and commercial wood waste collection services and a precision laser cutting and engraving service, all operated by a registered charity that funds its environmental and social programmes through these trading activities.

Product overview

The Wood Store operates as a community-focused social enterprise offering a unified portfolio of wood recycling and reclaimed timber products. The core offering centers on a retail store (The Wood Store) selling reclaimed timber and construction materials, complemented by a bespoke furniture workshop producing custom tables, shelving, and garden furniture. Additional services include laser cutting and engraving, firewood sales, and professional wood waste collection for both domestic and commercial customers. All products and services are interconnected through the organisation's environmental mission of diverting waste wood from landfill, with collected materials feeding into the retail and manufacturing operations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• The Wood Store (Reclaimed Timber Retail) Retail store in Brighton selling reclaimed construction timber, ply, OSB, MDF, reclaimed joists, floorboards and woodworking accessories, with new stock arriving daily and delivery available across Sussex.
• Bespoke Furniture Manufacturing Custom-made furniture crafted from reclaimed wood by in-house carpenters, including tables, bookcases, shelves, benches, beds, storage units, planters and commercial shop fittings.
• Reclaimed Wood Tables Hand-crafted reclaimed timber tables in six standard styles, available in three sizes (seating 6, 8 or 10 people) with custom sizing options, made from vintage joist or scaffold board.
• Bookcases and Shelving Freestanding bookcases in multiple styles and sanded shelves ready for brackets, made from reclaimed scaffold joists and floorboards, available as custom-made pieces.
• Garden Furniture and Planters Garden planters, benches, tables and outdoor furniture crafted from reclaimed wood, with custom sizes available from approximately £35 to £250.
• Laser Cutting and Engraving Services Precision laser cutting and engraving service for wood, textiles, stone, cardboard, paper, MDF, plastic, acrylic, glass, ceramics and coated metals, offered via email quotation with design assistance and materials sourcing.
• Firewood Products Locally sourced firewood including kindling (£5.25), wood pellets (£5.00), traditional firewood (£9.75) and hardwood logs (£8.50), with local delivery available across BN1, BN2, BN3 and surrounding Sussex postcodes.
• Commercial Wood Waste Collection Professional wood waste management service for businesses and construction sites, including prompt licensed collection, reuse/recycling of all collected wood, and documentation supporting Considerate Constructors and BREEAM goals; named partners include Taylor Wimpey, Kier and Willmott Dixon.
• Domestic Wood Waste Collection Collection service for household wood waste including furniture, decking, fencing, shed panels and DIY offcuts, offered as a cost-effective alternative to skip hire with loading assistance included.

Quantifiable outcome

• In 2024-25, rescued 994 tonnes of timber from the waste stream; saved 495 tonnes of CO2 from re-entering the atmosphere; trained 60 people
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Community Wood Recycling (National Network)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Wood Store is an active member of the Community Wood Recycling national network. Members share best practices, referrals, and a collective mission to divert wood from landfill. The network helps direct users to find a more local group or access services across the UK.
• Taylor WimpeycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTaylor Wimpey, one of the UK's major housebuilders, has worked with The Wood Store on construction sites since the project's formation in 1998, providing a steady source of commercial wood waste for collection and diversion from landfill.
• KiercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKier, a leading UK construction and infrastructure group, has partnered with The Wood Store for commercial wood waste collection on construction projects since the project formed in 1998.
• Willmott DixoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWillmott Dixon, a leading UK construction and interiors company, has worked with The Wood Store on construction sites since the project formed in 1998, supporting the charity's environmental and social aims.
• Northern Open College Network (NOCN)coreOthersNOCN is the national awarding body that accredits The Wood Store's qualifications in retail and waste management. These qualifications are free to volunteers whose social or economic circumstances exclude them from mainstream work.
• 1% for the PlanetminorOthersThe Wood Store is a member of 1% for the Planet, pledging to donate 1% of annual sales to approved environmental causes and receiving brand credibility and network benefits in return.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Wickes: UK DIY and trade retailer selling timber, sheet materials, fence panels, and garden timber. Comparable broad customer base for DIY timber and reclaimed-wood substitutes, though uncompetitive on the sustainability/reclaimed positioning.
• Jewson: Major UK builder's merchant with timber, sheet materials, and sustainable-sourcing credentials. Comparable retail channel for trade and DIY timber buyers; not specialised in reclaimed wood but addresses overlapping customer demand.
• Travis Perkins: Largest UK builder's merchant selling lumber, sheet materials, and reclaimed/second-hand timber alongside general construction supplies. Overlaps with The Wood Store's retail offering for trade customers in Sussex, though without the recycling mission.
• Veolia UK (Environmental Services): Global environmental services firm with UK commercial waste collection and recycling operations. Competes for commercial wood-waste collection tenders where CSCS/BREEAM compliance is required — a much larger incumbent with broader capability.

Direct peers

• Furniture Reuse Network: UK umbrella for furniture reuse charities; coordinates distribution, training, and policy across member organisations. Analogous sector infrastructure to the Community Wood Recycling network relationship The Wood Store benefits from.
• Emmaus Brighton & Hove: Local Brighton charity running a woodwork/furniture workshop that trains and employs people facing homelessness. Directly analogous social-enterprise model combining reclaimed materials, skills training, and retail output in the same geography.
• Other Community Wood Recycling Network Stores: Local UK wood-recycling charities operating under the Community Wood Recycling umbrella. The Wood Store is itself a member; these peers share mission, methodology, and circular-economy framing with the subject.
• British Heart Foundation Home & Living (Furniture & Electrical Stores): Large UK charity collecting, refurbishing, and reselling donated furniture and household goods. Comparable model: low-cost collection + reuse retail + social mission. Diverges on national scale and non-wood focus.

Others

• Sussex Wildlife Trust: Regional environmental charity in the same Sussex operating footprint. Adjacent stakeholder rather than competitor, but a natural co-branding and grant-funding partner for sustainability messaging and donor overlap.

Regional players

• HIPPO Waste (Skip Hire): National UK skip-hire and waste-services brand offering domestic and commercial wood-waste collections. The Wood Store positions itself as the cost-effective, landfill-free alternative to skip hire — directly comparable service from a larger, more capitalised operator.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/woodrecycling
• Instagraminstagram.com/wood_store_brighton
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/thewoodstorebrighton

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Wood Store (Brighton & Hove Wood Recycling Project)