Wooden Enigma aims to provide quality gifts that appeal to the mind, the eye and the conscience.

We thus try to source our goods from fair trade sources. Please see our fairtrade page about our fairtrade policy. We also believe that it is not just our suppliers who should be ethical but us also, so we aim to adhere to our ethical and environmental policy below.

 Ethical Policy.

Whilst bringing our customers the best in wooden strategy games and brainteasers, we seek to use ethical guidelines in all our decisions. This includes our working practices, our business partners and our suppliers. We have a particular burden to source our products from Fairtrade sources and this is clearly indicated on our website. We want this policy to guide our actions and not remain an aspiration thus we will include a section where it has influenced our decisions.

Sourcing Policy.

The wood used in our products must be from sustainable and managed forests. We seek suppliers who use redundant wood (old rubber plantation trees) or offcuts, thus reducing waste and recycling used wood.

Our producers must pay their employees a fair wage and on time and provide good working conditions. Our importers should follow fair trade principles.

We also seek;

• to source our products from fair trade sources wherever possible.
• to expand the availability of fair trade products.
• to inform/ educate customers about fair trade and about where our products come from.
• to undertake talks about Fairtrade to groups in the local area.
• to support local fairtrade shops. Our whole fairtrade range is available from Porlock Fairtrade Shop and a few items are available for Umder the Rainbow Christian Bookshop, Minehead.

Business Partners

When looking for business services, suppliers etc. we will seek to work with ethically responsible and aware companies. This includes our banking, our packaging, delivery companies, stationery etc. Ethical choice can involve complicated issues and we may not have a full understanding or full information of the complexities involved, but we will make all reasonable steps to research our suppliers and make the most ethical decision within our budget constraints.

Working Practices

We aim to use methods of working which are beneficial to the environment. To reduce waste, improve efficiency, conserve energy, recycle where possible. Please see outcomes for practical examples of how we have changed our working practices.

Our method of trading is also environmentally positive using the web is much less wasteful than catalogues and mail shots. Delivering goods to you is far more efficient than you coming to us.

Some outcomes from our ethical policy.

We bank with Co-operative Bank which have a robust policy and long history of  not lending to unethical companies.

We chose Jiffy bags over cheaper padded envelopes because Jiffy padded bags are 75% recycled, the padding which puffs up in transit, is made from shredded newspapers. They are also re-usable. We also try to reuse all packaging materials. We now re-use unused boxes from Porlock Fairtrade Shop.