ABOUT US
“We saw the opportunity to create products like firewood, kindling and fire lighters from invasive alien plants that, by law, must be removed and controlled.
At the same time we create work for local communities, which is a big deal in South Africa.
We are firmly committed to grow local green economies.”
Nathan Williams, Co-owner
“Family and community are very important to us.
That includes extending our business skills to benefit disadvantaged communities,
empowering women to be economically independent and helping breadwinners to feed their families. We don’t do business only to benefit ourselves, at the expense of others.
We firmly believe in creating opportunities, sharing with communities in win-win solutions.”
John Biermann, Co-owner
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Nathan Williams and John Biermann,
co-owners of Proper Wood Products, established in 2020.
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As business partners in other areas
of work for the past decade, they know each other well, which means steady management behind their firewood business.
Nathan, originally from Liverpool
(United Kingdom),
came to South Africa in 1996.
Now, 27 years later, he is still as committed to South Africa as when
he first set foot on shore in Cape Town.
John grew up in Fish Hoek, Cape Town (although he can call himself “Malawian”, being born there) and is proudly South African through and through.
Regenerative SPACE is our socio-environmental partner focused on ensuring that we follow good labour practice, while adhering to environmental best practice associated with clearing invasive alien plants.
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They are working towards formal environmental and socio-economic compliance and recognition for our products, and are developing various options for offsetting the carbon footprint of exporting our products.
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Real solutions, not simply “green washing”, such as returning carbon to the soil (where it belongs!) via biochar from invasive alien plants, as well as landscape level regeneration.
