Responsibility

In an age where speed is prized over quality and character, where age-old artistic and craft traditions have been compromised by mass automation, ShackletonThomas has remained true to its roots — authenticity of product and process.

We are one of the few remaining companies in this country that still manufactures products using extensive hand work. We take great pride in our work, our employees, in the way we conduct our business. In owning a piece from ShackletonThomas we hope that you will too.

ShackletonThomas is committed to continuous improvement in developing an environmentally responsible workplace. A hallmark of ShackletonThomas products is the extensive degree of handwork using traditional tools and methods. Because the workshop and studio do not employ the widespread use of large machinery, we use less energy to produce our products.

Sawdust from the furniture workshop is recycled and used for bedding for cattle. Our furniture finishes use organic materials — wax and flax seed derivatives. The Pottery uses only natural materials, free of toxic elements such as lead and boron. Glazes developed in-house are non-toxic for both the maker and the user. In-depth knowledge of the raw materials allows the potters to draw out the natural beauty of the materials, to produce products that are nontoxic and safe to use, and which will maintain their durability over time.

ShackletonThomas is proud to be a part of the central Vermont community, and supports a wide range of local, regional, statewide, and global causes with an emphasis on the arts and the environment. Located in a 180-year-old woolen mill in Bridgewater, Vermont, the workshops make use of an existing historical structure, with the aim of drawing interest and revitalization to what has been an important community center. From hosting an annual open house for 400 of our “closest friends” to supporting local artists, ShackletonThomas believes that facilitating and supporting community connections brings about vibrancy and community health, which ultimately adds to the quality of life in the region.

The Naked Table Project is at the forefront of our commitment to the community. The project builds tables with and for friends and families in communities across New England, made of Vermont’s iconic Sugar Maple which has been responsibly managed and locally harvested. We build in our workshops, walk and learn in our forests, and celebrate over a locavore feast upon our tables — forest to table.