Binthout

From rescued Dutch trees to beautiful wooden products

Binthout gives locally rescued Dutch timber a second life as lamps, cutting boards, tile frames and other wooden design products. But there’s more to the story than wood. In their Zwolle workshop, a dedicated team brings craftsmanship, creativity and people together, proving that the best creations are about more than what you make. They’re also about who makes them.

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About the alchemists

Social entrepreneurs Karst Klein and Cor Wobma founded Binthout in 2013, bringing together their shared love for wood, people and design. They built a workshop where craftsmanship creates meaningful work for people who face barriers to entering the regular labour market. After nearly nine years of working together, they went their separate ways professionally in 2022, with Cor taking over Binthout. Today, the team in Zwolle remains at the heart of the business, bringing its products to life through skill, dedication and a shared passion for making.

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About the waste

Thousands of trees are cut down in the Netherlands for reasons ranging from forest management to disease, including ash dieback (essentaksterfte). Their timber can still be perfectly suitable for use, yet some of it ends up being shredded into wood chips instead of becoming something that lasts. Binthout works with locally sourced Dutch timber, helping preserve the value of this renewable resource and give it a longer life.

About the process

Binthout follows the wood from tree to finished product. The timber is sourced within the Netherlands, sawn and dried before being prepared for the workshop. There, the team works with the characteristics of each piece of wood, combining practical woodworking skills with care and attention to detail. By creating different tasks that suit people’s individual abilities and needs, Binthout brings together craftsmanship and a supportive working environment.

About their products

From designer lamps and cutting boards to tile frames and interior accessories. Its collection also includes smaller gifts and personalised products for businesses, making it possible to incorporate a company’s logo, identity or message into a useful, lasting object. Alongside its own designs, Binthout takes on custom-made projects for business clients, creating pieces that bring Dutch timber into homes, workplaces and everyday life.

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Knowing what to let go

Sometimes making the most of what you have means changing direction. Binthout used to also make tables, but producing them required considerable time, energy and specialised skills. The team decided to move away from them and focus on smaller products that are easier to produce in larger quantities and personalise for businesses. It was a thoughtful choice: building a business around what works best for both the material and the people making the products.