Scottish Furniture Makers Association

Transforming loss into legacy.

The Scottish Furniture Makers Association (SFMA) represents a community of makers in which craft, culture, and environmental responsibility intertwine beautifully.

This is exemplified by Ash Rise — a project established by SFMA, with support from FortyTwo Studio and Dendro Films, that invited leading SFMA makers to respond creatively and consciously to the devastating impact of ash dieback (a disease threatening 80% of the UK’s native ash trees). Rather than letting this native species of tree disappear in silence, Ash Rise gives fallen Scottish ash new life.

All the pieces made for the Ash Rise project are either made using timber from ash trees or have in some way been inspired by the trees themselves or the environment in which they grow. The ash tree used in this project were sourced from Killearn Home Farm in Stirlingshire and felled as a result of being affected by ash dieback.

Each piece in the Ash Rise exhibition has been thoughtfully and meticulously crafted to reflect the beauty and characteristics of ash as a material. Every maker responded to the brief in their own individual way, showing a richness and depth of skills and creativity.

More than just a showcase of exceptional craftsmanship, Ash Rise tells a story of collaboration and care — for materials, for the land, and for the people who shape it. Each piece embodies a deep respect for process and place, guided by a shared belief that design can both honour the past and shape a more sustainable future.

The Ash Rise project further developed with input from all involved parties into a national exhibition, opening in the Royal Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh, alongside a feature length documentary film — Ash Rise: Woodland to Workshop, directed by James Galbraith — highlighting the importance of the project, the urgency of the situation and the makers who took part.

Partnerships like this, between SFMA and FortyTwo Studio, reflect the power of creative trust. It’s through these relationships that design becomes more than just an aesthetic — it becomes an act of preservation, storytelling, and education.

In a world seeking meaningful connection and conscious design, SFMA stands not just as a collective of makers, but as stewards of Scotland’s material and cultural landscape — crafting a message that resonates far beyond the studio and workshop.

Film & Photography: Dendro Film (Directed by James Galbraith)

Exhibition Photography: Gabriela Silveira