What Bois Public does

Bois Public is a Montreal-based non-profit organization founded in 2015 by Ronald Jean-Gilles that transforms urban trees removed through city maintenance — primarily ash, maple, poplar, and white cedar sourced from the Greater Montréal region — into durable furniture and objects. The organization applies eco-design principles across material selection, waste minimization, joinery quality, and the use of natural oils and low-VOC finishes, and operates a single workshop at 5680 Rue Fullum. Its core product portfolio comprises standardized home goods (key holders, table lamps, magnetic knife racks, serving boards, bowls, trivets, coat racks, patio chairs, coasters) sold through an e-commerce storefront, plus quote-based custom projects for institutional clients. Each product is delivered with a traceability card documenting wood species, provenance, and artisans involved, and is eligible for end-of-life return, re-sanding, re-engraving, and re-oiling.

The organization runs a partnered fabrication model: production is executed in-house and through social-insertion organizations — Les Ateliers d'Antoine, Groupe Information Travail (G.I.T.), Le Boulot Vers, and Insertech — with the École d'ébénisterie d'art de Montréal contributing training expertise. Retailles, a co-founded sub-brand developed with G.I.T. and Le Boulot Vers, produces recognition and representation items (trophies, keychains, reusable wooden business cards with QR codes, coasters) from workshop offcuts.

Bois Public generates revenue through three streams: one-time sales of standardized catalog products at fixed unit prices (key holders $49, lamps $80–$120, trophies from $155, gift cards in $25/$75/$100 denominations), quote-based custom project work for municipalities, public institutions, cultural organizations, and businesses, and donations (the organization is not a registered charity with the Canada Revenue Agency and cannot issue tax receipts). Go-to-market is dual: direct-to-consumer e-commerce with electric cargo bike delivery within a 5 km radius, and field-based enterprise sales for institutional projects. The organization lists no parent company, no institutional investors, and does not publicly disclose revenue. Named institutional clients include the Arrondissement Sud-Ouest, HEC Montréal, Tourisme Montréal, Regroupement des éco-quartiers (REQ), Maison du développement durable, Nature Action, Place 59 Saint-Pierre, Comité Rue Principale, and Association commerciale et citoyenne Youville.

Name

Bois Public

Legal name

Bois Public

Website

https://boispublic.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Bois Public is a Montreal-based non-profit that designs and manufactures furniture and objects from reclaimed urban wood (ash, maple, poplar, white cedar). It serves municipalities, public institutions, cultural and educational organizations, businesses, and individuals through e-commerce sales and custom project work, with fabrication supported by social-insertion partner workshops.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Reclaimed Wood Furniture and Objects

NAICS

Nonupholstered Wood Household Furniture Manufacturing (337122), Furniture and Home Furnishings Retailers (4491)

SIC

Wood Household Furniture, (No Upholstered) (2511), Retail-Furniture Stores (5712), Public Bldg & Related Furniture (2531)

akta.pro primary industry

Used Home Décor & Decorative Accessories Retail (CRAIANAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Home, Furniture & Decor Resale (CRAFAGAD)

Keywords

• Reclaimed wood furniture
• Custom wood fabrication
• Urban wood valorization
• Eco-design woodworking
• Circular economy furniture

Headquarters

HQ city

Montreal

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Product Sales (Standard Catalog): One-time sales of standardized wood objects through the e-commerce boutique, including key holders ($49), lamps ($80-$120), knife racks ($95+), trophies ($155+), serving boards ($40), bowls ($50), and corporate gifts. Prices are fixed per product with promotional pricing on select items.
2. Custom/ bespoke Projects: Project-based revenue from designing and fabricating custom furniture, public space installations, and institutional objects. Pricing is quoted per project based on design complexity, wood species, and artisan involvement. Target clients include municipalities, cultural institutions, and public organizations.
3. Donations: Bois Public accepts charitable donations (one-time, weekly, monthly, quarterly, or annual). The organization is a non-profit but is not a registered charity with the Canada Revenue Agency and cannot issue tax receipts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Bois Public designs and manufactures furniture and objects from reclaimed urban wood (ash, maple, poplar, white cedar) sourced from trees removed during Greater Montréal municipal maintenance. The non-profit produces a standardized catalog of home goods (key holders, table lamps, magnetic knife holders, serving boards, bowls, trivets, coasters, coat racks, brackets, patio chairs) sold through an e-commerce boutique, alongside bespoke custom fabrication services for furniture, public-space installations, signage, and institutional objects delivered to municipalities, public organizations, cultural and educational institutions, and businesses. A sub-brand, Retailles, supplies corporate gifting and recognition products (trophies, keychains, business cards, coasters, phone stands) made from workshop offcuts in partnership with social-insertion organizations.

Product overview

Bois Public is a non-profit organization that transforms urban trees (ash, maple, poplar) into durable products, combining circular economy with social-professional integration. The product portfolio is centered on wood home goods and furniture made from reclaimed urban wood, including key holders, table lamps (Lampe échelle, Le bloc), magnetic knife holders, serving boards, bowls, trivets, coasters, coat racks, patio chairs, and reusable business cards with QR codes. A sub-brand, Projet Retailles, creates recognition products (trophies, keychains, business cards) from workshop offcuts through social insertion partnerships. Custom project services are offered for municipalities, public organizations, institutions, and businesses, with full material traceability. Products are manufactured by Bois Public's own workshop and partner social insertion organizations including Les Ateliers d'Antoine and Groupe Information Travail.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Retailles: A project that creates recognition and representation products (trophies, keychains, business cards, coasters) from workshop scraps, supporting social and professional inclusion. A partnership between Bois Public, Groupe Information Travail (G.I.T.), and Le Boulot Vers. Products are available at retailles.org.

Products and services

• Support mural pour clés en bois de frêne (Wall-mounted reclaimed-ash key holder) Wall-mounted key holder made from reclaimed local ash wood with a natural-oil finish. Designed for home or office entryways by individual consumers and small businesses; manufactured by Bois Public.
• Lampe échelle (Ladder-style reclaimed-ash table lamp) Table lamp with a ladder-style reclaimed-ash wooden structure and integrated dimmer, sold to individual consumers and small businesses for residential interiors; bulb not included.
• Lampe Le Bloc (Heartwood reclaimed-cedar table lamp) Table lamp crafted from reclaimed white cedar heartwood (a by-product discarded by traditional woodworkers), marketed to individual consumers for eco-conscious interiors.
• Support à couteaux magnétique en bois (Magnetic reclaimed-ash knife holder) Wall-mounted magnetic knife holder in reclaimed local ash with a natural-oil finish, offered in 12" and 18" lengths for home kitchens; manufactured by Bois Public and Les Ateliers d'Antoine.
• Les Sommets — Trophée écoresponsable en bois récupéré (Retailles reclaimed-wood recognition trophy) Reclaimed-wood recognition trophy celebrating awardees at the top of their field, sold to organizations seeking eco-responsible corporate recognition awards and customizable with up to three engraving zones; part of the Retailles line.
• Le Pic — Trophée écoresponsable en bois récupéré (Retailles reclaimed-wood recognition trophy) Reclaimed-wood recognition trophy recognizing individuals or teams at the pinnacle of their craft, sold to organizations for eco-responsible corporate recognition; part of the Retailles line.
• La Clé de Voûte — Trophée écoresponsable en bois récupéré (Retailles reclaimed-wood recognition trophy) Reclaimed-wood recognition trophy recognizing individuals or teams essential to success, sold to organizations for eco-responsible corporate recognition; part of the Retailles line.
• Carte d'affaires réutilisable en bois avec code QR (Reusable QR wooden business cards) Reusable wooden business cards with an engraved QR code, made from Retailles reclaimed offcuts and sold in lots of 25 to businesses and professionals seeking sustainable branded networking collateral.
• Support à portable écoresponsable en bois récupéré (Reclaimed-ash cell phone stand) Eco-responsible cell phone stand made from reclaimed ash wood offcuts from partner workshops, sold in lots to businesses and individuals for desks or retail displays.
• Porte-clé écoresponsable en bois récupéré (Retailles reclaimed-wood keychain) Reclaimed-ash wooden keychain produced under the Retailles partnership, sold in lots with optional custom logos to businesses and individuals for eco-responsible corporate gifting or personal use.
• Planche de service en bois (Reclaimed-maple serving board) Reclaimed local maple serving board with a food-grade natural-oil finish, sold to consumers and hospitality clients for kitchen and serving use.
• Assiette creuse / bol en bois (Reclaimed-wood bowl) Reclaimed-ash or reclaimed-maple wooden bowl with a food-grade natural-oil finish, sold to consumers and hospitality clients.
• Sous-plat en bois de frêne revalorisé (Reclaimed-ash trivet) Reclaimed-ash wooden trivet combining aesthetics and durability for eco-conscious table settings; sold to consumers and hospitality clients.
• Sous-verre en bois (Retailles reclaimed-wood coasters) Sets of reclaimed-wood coasters made from Retailles project offcuts, sold in packs of 4, 10, or 20 to consumers and businesses for eco-responsible use or corporate gifting.
• Chaise de patio (transat) en bois de frêne recyclé (Reclaimed-Montreal-ash patio lounge chair) Reclaimed Montréal-ash patio lounge chair whose seat slides into the backrest for compact storage; sold as a demonstrator unit with finish to be applied by the buyer.
• Porte-manteau mural vertical en bois (Reclaimed-wood vertical wall-mounted coat rack) Vertical wall-mounted reclaimed-wood coat rack that optimizes entryway space; handcrafted by participants in a social-professional integration program; sold to consumers and small businesses.
• Équerres (Pack of 2 reclaimed-wood brackets) Pair of reclaimed-wood brackets sold as a furnishing accessory to consumers and small businesses.
• Projets sur mesure (Custom design and fabrication services) Custom design and fabrication service using reclaimed urban wood (ash, maple, poplar) for furniture, public-space installations, signage, and institutional objects. Engagements begin with a free consultation, followed by proposal, artisan fabrication, and on-site delivery/installation. Serves municipalities, public organizations, cultural and educational institutions, businesses, and individuals; each custom piece is delivered with a traceability card documenting wood species, geographic provenance, and the artisans involved.
• Projet Retailles (Reclaimed-wood corporate gifting and recognition line) Collaborative circular-economy sub-brand with Groupe Information Travail (G.I.T.) and Le Boulot Vers…, creating recognition and representation products (trophies, keychains, business cards, coasters, phone stands) from workshop offcuts. Supports social-professional integration for people re-entering the workforce and offers an end-of-life product-return service for refurbishment (re-sanding, re-engraving, re-oiling) that extends product lifespan.

Quantifiable outcome

• Cargo bike delivery within 5 km of workshop reduces GHG emissions for local deliveries
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 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

14 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Ville de Montréal (Arrondissement Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie)minorOthers · 1 January 2015In 2015, the arrondissement approached Bois Public's founder to explore repurposing ash trees affected by the emerald ash borer. Entomologists from the Ville de Montréal were also involved in the first pilot project. Bois Public continues to partner with various arrondissements and municipal departments for urban tree recovery.
• Les Ateliers d'AntoinecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLes Ateliers d'Antoine contributes to the fabrication of Bois Public products, bringing woodworking expertise and a commitment to quality craftsmanship. This collaboration exemplifies the model's core principle: uniting local artisanal know-how with the valorization of urban natural resources. The workshop participates in social and professional integration.
• Groupe Information Travail (G.I.T.)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerG.I.T. has been present since the very first pilot project to valorize ash trees in the Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie arrondissement. G.I.T. specializes in social and professional integration, serving as the living link between Bois Public's workshop and individuals who find a stepping stone toward the labor market through the organization.
• Le Boulot Vers…coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLe Boulot Vers… is a social and professional integration partner that contributes notably to the Retailles project — the joint recognition and representation article line developed with Bois Public and G.I.T. Le Boulot Vers… provides fabrication capacity for Retailles products.
• Retailles (Bois Public, G.I.T., Le Boulot Vers…)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRetailles is a collaborative circular economy project placing people and social economy at the heart of its action. The initiative creates products from reclaimed wood designed by people in social and professional exclusion situations who are re-entering the workforce. The three founding partners are Bois Public, Groupe Information Travail (G.I.T.), and Le Boulot Vers…
• Projets écosociauxcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProjets écosociaux, founded by Ronald Jean-Gilles, is the origin entity that initiated Bois Public. In 2015, the Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie arrondissement approached Projets écosociaux to give a second life to ash trees attacked by the emerald ash borer, leading to the first pilot project that eventually spawned Bois Public as an independent organization.
• HEC MontréalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic collaborator on the L'Escale project — a reclaimed ash wellness space structure within HEC Montréal's food forest. Listed as a collaborator in Bois Public's broader network of academic and institutional partners.
• Regroupement des éco-quartiers (REQ)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual summer collaboration since 2017 creating furniture, structures, and play modules for Montréal green alleys. The partnership increases citizen sense of belonging, limits car traffic, and extends back courtyards.
• Tourisme MontréalminorOthersClient and collaborator on the Bonjour Montréal project (Summer 2023), a large reclaimed ash installation at the Grand Quai on the Vieux-Port de Montréal, creating a tourism-promotion photo structure.
• La Fabrique AllwoodminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorListed as a collaborator in Bois Public's broader partner network. Woodworking/craftsmanship partner contributing to Bois Public's production ecosystem.
• InsertechminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a collaborator in Bois Public's partner network. An insertion and technology-oriented organization contributing to the social economy ecosystem.
• École d'ébénisterie d'art de MontréalminorOthersListed as a collaborator in Bois Public's broader partner network, contributing woodworking education and training expertise.
• Chantier de l'économie socialeminorOthersBois Public participates actively in this social economy network to share learnings and contribute to the evolution of sector practices.
• Québec CirculaireminorOthersBois Public participates actively in this circular economy network to share learnings and contribute to the evolution of sector practices.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Vermont Woods Studios: Sustainable wood furniture maker based in Vermont selling solid-wood home furniture marketed on sustainability and American craftsmanship. Comparable to Bois Public as a mission-driven wood home-goods brand serving values-aligned consumers, though it sources from FSC-certified commercial forestry rather than reclaimed urban trees and operates at commercial scale in the US.
• VivaTerra: Online retailer specializing in sustainable, eco-friendly home furnishings and décor. Comparable to Bois Public's e-commerce home-goods retail activity with a shared sustainability positioning, but operating at much larger scale as a broad sustainable-lifestyle retailer carrying many third-party brands rather than manufacturing its own reclaimed-wood products.
• Habitat for Humanity ReStores: Habitat for Humanity's ReStores sell donated, used, and refurbished home furnishings — including furniture — across North America through a nonprofit retail operation. Directly comparable to Bois Public's retail activity in used/reclaimed home décor, though at vastly larger geographic and operational scale and as a broad secondhand home-goods chain rather than a single-category reclaimed-wood maker.

Others

• Reclaimed Wood Exchange: US supplier of reclaimed lumber, beams, and architectural salvage serving contractors, builders, and furniture makers across North America. Comparable to Bois Public in operating within the reclaimed-wood value chain, though positioned upstream as a material supplier serving professional trade buyers rather than as a finished-goods brand selling direct to consumers and institutions.

Emerging players

• The Hudson Company: US-based manufacturer of reclaimed wood flooring, paneling, and furniture products sourced from deconstructed buildings and urban trees. Directly comparable to Bois Public in transforming reclaimed wood into finished home goods, though operating at commercial scale in the US Northeast with a broader product portfolio spanning flooring and architectural millwork rather than as a small Montreal non-profit.
• Made Trade: Online marketplace curating sustainable, fair-trade, and ethically produced goods from independent makers. Comparable to Bois Public's reclaimed-wood home goods on the sustainability and direct-to-consumer axes, but as a multi-vendor marketplace primarily selling third-party brands rather than manufacturing its own line of reclaimed-wood products.

Regional players

• The Joinery: Portland, Oregon-based custom furniture maker offering locally made, sustainably sourced wood furniture for residential and commercial clients. Comparable to Bois Public in mission-aligned custom furniture production and small-shop craft positioning, though based in the US Pacific Northwest and using new wood rather than reclaimed urban material.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

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Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Bois Public