Innovation

Rustbelt Reclamation prides themselves on their ability to build custom furniture for bars, restaurants, and other companies from reclaimed wood. By being the most capable company, in their niche market, Rustbelt Reclamation provides high quality products that do not look overly reclaimed. With a wide variety of high-quality types of wood collected from buildings that would otherwise be disposed of, customers have their pick of materials. Customers are even given the option to have the material used to build the order sourced from their surrounding area. This provides intangible value to the company; each of their furniture pieces has a story, based on the kind of material and its original location.

Deej Lincoln, the president of Rustbelt Reclamation, has always had a passion for design. In 2012, he saw a series of presentations from design students who were using aluminium to build dorm room furniture. This sparked his idea to use reclaimed wood to build furniture. Since then, Deej has created contacts with demolition companies around the Midwest. These relationships allow him to obtain all sorts of different reclaimed material which Rustbelt Reclamation uses to build furniture.

Inspiration

While Deej admitted that the idea came from observing another company, it was that experience where he thought to himself, “I can do that better.” With his passion for design and business background, he was able to create his own company with the help of people he already knew, including his brother. To establish themselves in the industry, they bought a company with an existing client base, consisting of mostly libraries, before reaching a new vision for the Rustbelt Reclamation. To build their team, they found someone that had a passion for making furniture and brought him into their operation. They went on to find designers with a passion to meet their design needs. Lincoln’s personal business philosophy centers on “hiring for character” and puts a higher value on a person’s fit for the culture of a company with a “good moral fiber.” This dedication was their initial driver and after making small batches of products and selling them through successful flash sales, they went on to making customized designs for clients. Today, they strive to make innovative designs using reclaimed material; the designs are not made to look “rustic,” but modern designs that fit their needs of their clients. Through their continued commitment, Rustbelt Restoration has achieved a level of passion and innovation that is seen through their high quality products with recycled material.

Overall impact

The reclamation of wood from old and abandoned buildings and homes has a much deeper impact than just the removal of an eye sore. It has improved the the quality of the environment while proving to be acceptable by society and profitable. With Rustbelt Reclamation’s removal technique and use of material, they are able reduce the amount of waste going to the landfills by 25%. This has had quite an appeal to society, as it has a nostalgic draw to it. Along with selling a custom piece furniture, the story associated with the material is also sold in the form of a badge affixed to the furniture. Between the hand crafted piece of furniture and and the story of its original material, it is no wonder Deej and his business have been doing quite well. Over the next four years, Deej is looking to quadruple the size of his business and is currently on track to do so.

Business benefit

Offering a sustainable, locally-sourced product that is attractive to customers in the Rust-Belt area, Rustbelt Reclamation is able to make money by selling their high quality product, while maintaining a competitive price point. Rustbelt Reclamation’s use of material salvaged from cities across the United States in their products gives them the opportunity to market their products from the perspective of a unique “reclaimed” aesthetic, as well as through the lens of scarcity of reclaimed wood and materials. Both angles, aesthetic and scarceness, command a high price from consumers, which enables Rustbelt Reclamation to continue business. By stamping each product with the original location of the salvaged material, Rustbelt Reclamation has built their brand based on the story behind materials that would have otherwise gone unused.

Social and environmental benefit

In their use of salvageable materials, Rustbelt Reclamation is able to help divert wood, windows, shingles, and other architectural elements from being disposed of each year, repurposing what would have otherwise sat in a landfill. From a societal perspective, Rustbelt Reclamation is helping to encourage awareness and demand for reclaimed goods and helping to remove the societal stigma that if a piece of furniture or any good is reclaimed, it must have a very worn, damaged aesthetic. Even the material leftover from production is turned into mulch that is usable for landscaping. By producing high-quality products with no indication of the use of reclaimed materials other than the identifying stamp, Rustbelt Reclamation proves that reclaimed products are not purely an artistic choice, but also an environmentally conscious one.

Interview

Deej Lincoln, President