Another day, another set of Happy Shoppers with Liane Rossler. Today we visit I Ran The Wrong Way and Workshopped; two very different Sydney stores with a shared focus on product integrity and lifecycle. - Jenny x

I Ran The Wrong Way

I Ran The Wrong Way in Surry Hills

I Ran The Wrong Way, a trader of good finds, is nestled away in Surry Hills and is full of good finds. Made entirely with reclaimed vintage fittings, everything in the store from the paint, packaging, lighting and energy has been considered. Stocked with goods that are ethical, sustainable and local, it's as much about supporting communities and people doing good things as it is about beautiful and useful pieces.

The newsletter "The Goods" asks 'What was the last gift you bought? Do you know where it came from? Who made it? Did you ask?' Here you can find out the provenance of an item - where it was made, who made it, what it is made from. All fair trade. All considered materials.

‘The Goods’ newsletter from IRTWW

Shelves are stocked with magnificent Northern Light organic beeswax candles that smell heavenly, emit a gorgeous glow, and are natural air ionisers. You can buy fully biodegradable and compostable tableware including bio-plates made from Indian Areca palm bark, and bamboo cutlery. Beautiful black Colombian artisanal cookware is made from mineral and terracotta clay in fair trade conditions using techniques that date back hundreds of years. A vast array of interesting books, stationery and seeded cards that sprout when you have finished with them.

Black Colombian artisanal cookware at IRTWW

De-gradable bio-plates and cups, and other recycled homewares at IRTWW

There are all sorts of things made from recycled and upcycled materials, including bags and purses made from Vietnamese rice bags, Ugandan beaded necklaces made from old magazines, bangles from New York made from twisted plastic bags, and even our Supercyclers plastic bag Plastic Fantastic ware.

More favourites from IRTWW

I Ran The Wrong Way also offers services like the Cork Kitty, where you can drop off your corks to be re-used and recycled, or some good old fashioned pencil sharpening with a sharpener from yester-year.

I Ran The Wrong Way
378 Cleveland Street
Surry Hills NSW 2010

ph. 02 9698 0698

Workshopped

Workshopped in Surry Hills.  Photo Rachel Kara

Not far from IRTWW in Surry Hills is Workshopped, who are 'here to nurture Australian design excellence'.  They provide a wonderful opportunity for local emerging and established designers with original and desirable ideas to share their work with the world.

There are limited edition and mass produced pieces, but the central link is that they are local and original designs, so you know where the pieces and inspiration comes from.

Pillows by Pip Willy,  Life Space Journey's Spun Stool at Workshopped. Photos Rachel Kara

Lokta paper (a form of Himalayan hemp) pillows are designed by Pip Willy, and are woven in Nepal by Woman Power - a group which develops and supports local communities.

Life Space Journey's milky cool Spun Stool has a hand spun steel top and turned legs made from recycled Australian hardwood. Their philosophy is "There is endless scope for creativity in Life and unique ideas are most often inspired by the Space around us. Sometimes the most mundane things can give us new directions on our Journey".  Too true.

Butter Stools designed by Design by Them at Workshopped.  Photo Rachel Kara

These Butter Stools designed by Design by Them are made locally from recycled milk containers, and when you have finished with them, they are also 100 recyclable.

Vessels by Tim Fleming / Flatland OK. Photo Rachel Kara

A new range of sculptural laminated forms by Flatland OK's Tim Fleming.

Desk accessories at Workshopped.  Photo Rachel Kara

Compact Desk makes contemporary & timeless superfine organic wool felt accessories for your desk & technology.

The Nic Nac desk trays on the right are designed by One Point One, and are made by hand in Sydney from vegetable tanned leather, lanolin and beeswax. One Point One position themselves at the opposite end of the spectrum from mass-market goods – their products are highly considered and carefully made, intended to serve their purpose for years.  All One Point One products, including the packaging, are 100% recyclable and/or biodegradable.

So if you are an aspiring designer looking for somewhere lovely to showcase your wares, or a shopper keen to support local designers and manufacturing and buy something unique, Workshopped is for you.

Workshopped
Shop 2 / 8 Hill Street
Surry Hills NSW 2010

ph. 02 9146 4353

- Liane x