OUR BUSINESS PRINCIPLES

The Problem is the Solution

When looking for a property our original vision of life didn't entail a print business however, as the site we bought had outbuildings that were designated as light industry and only for printing using this principle we realised how much we like printed gifts we owned and that we could provide these for others. This is where Little Oak Gifts was born. It also gave us one of our first designs for a mug - 'Look for the solution in the problem'.

Obtain a yield

The print business is not just to obtain an income there are many other yields that it brings. Happiness to our customers who get quality gifts homemade just for them. It also enables us to meet people as we go around craft markets selling our gifts and fruit and vegetables. This principle gave us one of our first bag designs - 'Obtain a yield - happiness, money, heat, fertiliser, food, fitness, health, pleasure'

Produce no waste

As part of the living a more sustainable life one of our main principles is to produce no waste. We design our lives so very little goes to land fill. We re-use and recycle. Cardboard packaging and used sublimination paper is used in our no dig vegetable beds and compost bins. Most plastic that come into site is used within our packaging so that it remains useful and what is not useful goes to for recycling.

Use Small and Slow Solutions

We have taken our time in deciding what we do on the property and observed and interacted (one of the principles of permaculture) with it to create our current plans. Taking our time means that we have been able to learn about design, printing and now are in the stage of doing.

Integrate rather than segregate

Rather than having different designs for the different products we have integrated this and the majority of our designs are used for a number of our products.

We have also integrated our businesses and the printing business supplies the vegetable and fruit business with printed supplies.

Permaculture Principle

How we apply it

Catch and store energy

We are currently designing our rain water capture system to reduce our use of mains water.