Why do we insist on combining wood with new technologies?

We often emphasize that Oakywood is a product of love for wood and new technologies. Why this particular pair? It’s simpler than you might expect, and the key to answering this question consists of just two words: sustainable development. We see the opportunities developing technology provides us with but we are also aware of its potential harms - that’s why we pursue balance between the timeless and the modern, between nature and civilisation, between the future of the planet and human comfort.

The beginnings: the first smartphone dock

Mr Haberny’s carpentry workshop stood close to the house. When they were young, his sons helped him at work while simultaneously learning all secrets of the craft. However, right after high school, Mateusz pivoted to a completely different direction and moved to Cracow, where he studied computer science and econometrics. He dreamed of a career in the IT sector and didn’t consider ever returning to the carpentry workshop. But, life happens fast and often adjusts our plans and decisions for us.

Mateusz made his first business move while still at university: he combined his passion and technological expertise with the experience he acquired in his father’s workshop. He designed and made his first product: a wooden iPhone docking station. It turned out to be a niche of untapped potential - he was met with a lot of interest and demand for this type of electronic accessory: not only practical and easy to use, but also visually pleasing, uniquely designed, and carefully crafted.

Instead of a programming career in a foreign corporation or startup, Mateusz Haberny chose to go back to his roots, but without giving up on his dreams of working with new technologies - he started his own business with woodworking and technology at its core: in designing and prototyping, through production processes, to sales and marketing.

Development, but make it sustainable

We see the massive potential related to the development of new technologies, but we also remain wary of the dangers it poses. On one hand, the revolutionary means of communication we now possess make it much easier to grow your business overseas; but they also often underscore and deepen our social isolation. This advancement, the virtually unlimited access to education and knowledge or medical innovation, is achieved at a price: an ever growing mass of electronic waste, sedentary lifestyle, and health issues caused by overuse or misuse of electronic equipment. Automating tasks and production processes helps us work more efficiently and maintain a healthy work-life balance, yet the question lingers: will artificial intelligence take our jobs?

This is why sustainable development is such an important value of ours. We are very aware that manufacturing electronics generates excess plastic and plenty of waste. We also know that, in this day and age, it is nearly impossible to go without those devices. So, in order to minimize the use of plastics, we manufacture our tech-accessories using responsibly sourced natural wood.

Technology and wood fusion

Technology is present in Oakywood products in two ways. Firstly, most of them are designed to make using your electronic devices more ergonomic and comfortable. Accessories such as the Laptop Stand, Monitor Stand or​​​​​​​ Desk Shelf allow you to position your screen at an optimal height, while the MagSafe collection makes using your iPhone or Apple Watch more convenient than ever before.

Additionally, some of our products have electronic elements embedded in them. The twin-engine mechanism in the Standing Desk ensures quiet and swift movement up and down, while the built-in gyroscope detects obstacles and automatically stops the desk to avoid damage. The QI (‘CHEE’) technology used in our wireless chargers helps you charge your phone more comfortably, and, thanks to the automodulation feature, automatically adjust the charging speed to each device.

We closely follow all tech news so we can continue coming up with solutions to the challenges posed by developing technologies; giving you an extra comfortable, better organized, and more productive experience of using devices you simply can’t go without, both at work and at home.