Tom Raffield

Tom Raffield Ltd creates new ways of living with their original, timeless objects that are inspired by the natural world that surrounds them in Cornwall. Their artisan homeware designs are handcrafted by a skilled team to last a lifetime, using traditional craft processes in sustainable and innovative ways. Tom's aim is to transform spaces and leave a lasting impact without having an impact on the very thing that drives him - nature.

"We are the antidote to over consumption and hope to inspire a like-minded conscious community, helping to create a world where people and nature thrive for future generations to enjoy." - Tom Raffield, Founder and Designer

Since discovering the traditional, age-old technique of steam bending wood whilst studying his degree in 3D Sustainability & Design, Tom has been on an incredible self-taught journey of developing and understanding the process to become one of the world leaders in his craft. Tom’s fascination with the ecological technique allows him to create intricate curves and twists, mimicking organic shapes and celebrating the very thing that inspires him - nature.

Tom Raffield is one of a new generation of designers and makers, using his craft in innovative and contemporary ways. Leading the charge in sustainable design, he is driven to forge a path to excellence and cause as little environmental impact as possible along the way.

His passion and skill are now shared with his talented team of craftspeople, together they create objects that symbolise nature, tell a story and will last a lifetime, all whilst protecting the natural world.

“Each piece we create has been on an experimental journey - individual, organic and carefully considered. We source everything from sustainable woodlands, which, coupled with the low energy steam bending process, is a very ecological practice with little wastage,” explains Tom

Handcrafted in their BREEAM Excellent studios in Cornwall, England, the range of contemporary lighting, furniture and accessories Tom Raffield creates is based on beauty, integrity and a desire to create unique, high specification objects that will be cherished by their owners for years to come.

Steam bending drives our passion for sustainable design and informs the aesthetic of every creation we make. Every design draws on the curves, lines and twists epitomised in the steam bending discovery which started our journey...

From the hull of a boat to the waist of a violin, steam bending has been a vital craft across industries for centuries. Today our designers and craftspeople continue to push the bar using the timeless technique to create our iconic products and one-off pieces.

Time consuming, a little unpredictable and labour-intensive, steam bending tends not to be commercially viable for large-scale production. However, the low energy and ecological method of manipulating wood with no nasty glues and very low levels of wastage ticks all our boxes. Using our unique, bread and butter approach we create lighting, furniture and bespoke projects that will become heirlooms of the future.

Whether it’s one of our select few master craftspeople capable of working on our iconic No.1 Pendant, or a team of talents hand manipulating wood to shape our iconic Arbor Armchair, we push wood beyond its natural limits in all sorts of ways.

No chemicals. No additives. No production line. Just handcrafted design, valued heritage and an understanding that every experiment holds the key to a new way of doing things.