THE ROBINWOOD PROJECT

Supporting the People of Ukraine

THE ROBINWOOD PROJECT

Supporting the People of Ukraine

Olenka Sergienko, Hostomel

Robinwood Project


On the morning of Feb 24th, 2022, Russia launched a military invasion on the sovereign country of Ukraine.
Facing strong resistance from the Ukrainian army, the Russian invader has resorted to systematic bombardments and shelling on Ukrainian land, including 30 hospitals, 200 schools and over 1,500 residential buildings.
As the war rages on, more and more Ukrainians are killed, wounded and displaced.
More and more are starved.
More and more humans lives are wasted and shattered.

Robinwood aims at rebuilding what is being destroyed by war.

Алесь Усцінаў, Kiev

Mstyslav Chernov, Donbass Region

OUR MISSION

Providing employment and humanitarian support to the people of Ukraine

Robinwood is a non-profit initiative aiming at providing humanitarian and employment support to the people of Ukraine.

We offer high-end design objects made out of wood and manufactured in manufactured in Western Ukraine, where over 6.5 million Ukrainians have fled, far away from the front line.

All profits generated are distributed to NGO’s active in food supply, medical assistance, childcare and civilian and army protection.

OUR MISSION

Providing employment and humanitarian support to the people of Ukraine

Mstyslav Chernov, Donbass Region

Robinwood is a non-profit initiative aiming at providing humanitarian and employment support to the people of Ukraine.

We offer high-end design objects made out of wood and manufactured in manufactured in Western Ukraine, where over 6.5 million Ukrainians have fled, far away from the front line.

All profits generated are distributed to NGO’s active in food supply, medical assistance, childcare and civilian and army protection.

Since the war broke out, many western companies shut down their factories in Ukraine. Maintaining production running in safe areas helps supporting civilian populations financially. And morally.

Алесь Усцінаў, Kiev

WHY ROBINWOOD

Keeping the lights on

Kharkiv Office, 2018

Line has been active in Ukraine since 2016 with a whole electronic engineering department in Kharkiv and manufacturing operations in Western Ukraine. Our team has developed strong ties with Ukrainians and we were floored by the Russian invasion. But after the initial shock came the time for action.

« We need work. We have mouths to feed and bills to pay. We must carry on. » said our factory line leader Roman.

As a hardware startup, we know a thing or two about product design and manufacturing.
So we decided to put our skills to contribution by maintaining financial stability and moral support of Ukrainian workers, while further enabling the humanitarian actions deployed on the ground.

WHY ROBINWOOD

Keeping the lights on

Line has been active in Ukraine since 2016 with a whole electronic engineering department in Kharkiv and manufacturing operations in Western Ukraine. Our team has developed strong ties with Ukrainians and we were floored by the Russian invasion. But after the initial shock came the time for action.

« We need work. We have mouths to feed and bills to pay. We must carry on. » said our factory line leader Roman.

As a hardware startup, we know a thing or two about product design and manufacturing. So we decided to put our skills to contribution by maintaining financial stability and moral support of Ukrainian workers, while further enabling the humanitarian actions deployed on the ground.

Kharkiv Office, 2018

THE PROJECT

Supporting Ukraine on every step of the journey

Step 1 : Design

Photo credit : Karolina Grabowska

The first product of the collection is the Storm Lamp from Ukrainian designer Julia Kononenko. Made exclusively from laser cut plywood, its stunning design is reminiscent of the unbeatable Ukrainian inner light, shining through chaos.

When purchasing a product from Robinwood, designers get a retribution for their work.


Step 2 : Raw Materials

Photo credit : Olena Sergienko

All Robinwood products are made using Ukrainian wood exclusively, a sustainable resource that is plentiful, even in times of war. Plywood is produced locally (3 miles away from our factory) and has no known military application to date. Ukraine is a major source of wood in Europe, ranking 6th in Europe in terms of timber reserves.


Step 3 : Transformation

Photo credit : Ono Kosuki

Transformation of raw wood trunks to plywood boards is taking place in our factory in Western Ukraine. Plywood boards are cut according to the designers drawings, with a precision down to 0.1 millimeter.


Step 4 : Assembly

Photo credit : Julia Kononenko

The laser cut parts are shipped to the final assembly factory where edges are sanded and the product is fully assembled. After final quality inspection, finished products are packed and stored in a warehouse awaiting for shipping to our Belgian facilities.


Step 5 : Humanitarian

Photo credit : World Central Kitchen

  • The journey does not stop here. Together with our team in Ukraine, we have carefully selected charities and NGO's on the ground to which we donate all our profits. Here are the areas of focus we have identified and the organizations we selected :

THE PROJECT

Supporting Ukraine on every step of the journey

Step 1 : Design

Photo credit : Karolina Grabowska

The first product of the collection is the Storm Lamp from Ukrainian designer Julia Kononenko. Made exclusively from laser cut plywood, its stunning design is reminiscent of the unbeatable Ukrainian inner light, shining through chaos.

When purchasing a product from Robinwood, designers get a retribution for their work.


Step 2 : Raw Materials

Photo credit : Olenka Sergienko

All Robinwood products are made using Ukrainian wood exclusively, a sustainable resource that is plentiful, even in times of war. Plywood is produced locally (3 miles away from our factory) and has no known military application to date. Ukraine is a major source of wood in Europe, ranking 6th in Europe in terms of timber reserves.


Step 3 : Transformation

Photo credit : Ono Kosuki

Transformation of raw wood trunks to plywood boards is taking place in our factory in Western Ukraine. Plywood boards are cut according to the designers drawings, with a precision down to 0.1 millimeter.


Step 4 : Assembly

Photo credit : Julia Kononenko

The laser cut parts are shipped to the final assembly factory where edges are sanded and the product is fully assembled. After final quality inspection, finished products are packed and stored in a warehouse awaiting for shipping to our Belgian facilities.

We first started by measuring the entire carbon footprint our business activity generates, from resource extraction to finished product delivery. These are called Scope 1, 2, and 3 carbon emissions.

The climate neutral certification does not include a Scope 4 of emissions from use and disposal of our products but we feel like it deserves its own paragraph. This is where you, as a customer can play a role. First off, by getting a factory-reconditioned LINEDOCK instead of buying a new one. Second, by getting in touch with our support team if you experience any issue with your product, so we can replace what's broken or ship you some replacement parts.Third, by making sure you are returning your device using only recyclable material for shipping (no bubble, foam, or plastic enclosures for shipping documents). Looking at a broader picture too, by purchasing a LINEDOCK you are avoiding at least 5 consumer technology accessories you would have otherwise purchased.

We offset our entire 2020 carbon footprint by supporting three projects focused on conserving forest ecosystems in Indonesia, Brazil, and the US.


Step 5 : Humanitarian

Photo credit : World Central Kitchen

The journey does not stop here. Together with our team in Ukraine, we have carefully selected charities and NGO's on the ground to which we donate all our profits. Here are the areas of focus we have identified and the organizations we selected :

The journey does not stop here. We're committed to further reduce our 2021 footprint by purchasing green electricity for the office and by requesting all our stakeholders (customers too!) to only use recyclable and compostable packing and packaging supplies for spare parts shipping (no more plastic tape, bubble wrap, shrink wrap). We're also actively working on sourcing greener materials and parts.

SAFETY MEASURES

Ensuring protection for workers

All Robinwood suppliers operate in the purple area, where no direct combat is taking place.

All manufacturing facilities are located in western Ukraine, 200 miles away from combat zones. Final assembly is the most manual labor intensive step of the production, currently relying on a staff of 30-60 workers. The factory has direct access to a soviet era nuclear bunker where workers can shelter within 2 min, should air raid sirens start blasting. Since March 15th transport of goods through the Ukrainian-Polish border has resumed and is on par with pre-war efficiency.
We have daily calls with our production team and are reassessing our contingency plan weekly. May the conflict progress to the west, manufacturing and sales of Robinwood products would be stopped until the situation reaches necessary safety levels.

All Robinwood suppliers operate in the purple area, where no direct combat is taking place.

SAFETY MEASURES

Ensuring protection for workers

Updated May 8, 2022

All manufacturing facilities are located in western Ukraine, 200 miles away from combat zones. Final assembly is the most manual labor intensive step of the production, currently relying on a staff of 30-60 workers. The factory has direct access to a soviet era nuclear bunker where workers can shelter within 2 min, should air raid sirens start blasting. Since March 15th transport of goods through the Ukrainian-Polish border has resumed and is on par with pre-war efficiency.
We have daily calls with our production team and are reassessing our contingency plan weekly. May the conflict progress to the west, manufacturing and sales of Robinwood products would be stopped until the situation reaches necessary safety levels.

Artem Zhukov, Kiev

SUPPORT US

Help us rebuilding Ukraine today.

We are working on bringing more products to the portfolio. As of today, you can support the project by purchasing a Storm lamp or by sending your support words to a civilian or a soldier. For every wooden product purchased, we donate all profits to local NGO’s.

Sold out

THE TEAM

Julia | Designer

Kravchenko | Designer

Roman | Production line leader

Nancy | Co-Founder

Quentin | Co-Founder

SUSTAINABILITY

LINE is Climate Neutral Certified

LINE is a Climate Neutral certified brand and so is the Robinwood initiative. All Robinwood products 0% plastic and are entirely made out of sustainable wood from Ukraine.

THE ROBINWOOD TEAM

Julia | Designer

Kravchenko | Designer

Roman |
Production line leader

Nancy
| Co-Founder

Quentin
| Co-Founder

Olenka Sergienko, Kiev

SUSTAINABILITY

LINE is Climate Neutral Certified

LINE is a Climate Neutral certified brand and so is the Robinwood initiative.
All Robinwood products contain 0% plastic and are entirely made out of sustainable wood from Ukraine.

Olenka Sergienko, Kiev

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FAQ

FAQ

Where are your manufacturing activities located ?

All manufacturing facilities are located in Western Ukraine, 200 miles away from combat zones.
Update : March 28, 2022

What happens to my order if the conflict further extends ?

Production is not insured. Any damage or loss of spare parts or finished products will not be replaced and will result in failure to deliver goods to the final customer. The Robinwood project is a non-profit initiative and does not have the ressources to compensate any loss resulting from war damages.

Is Robinwood an NGO ?

Robinwood is a non-profit initiative from LINE. We chose to set up this initiative as part of our company instead of setting up an NGO entity to save time and money. While creating an NGO per se does not require much time, the process of tax exemption is lengthy. This also mean that we do not accept donations.

When will I receive my product ?

We have started manufacturing of the Storm Lamp and are looking at shipping the first batch of Robinwood products April 25-29 !

How do you select NGO's you are donating to ?

All NGO's and charities we have identified have a physical presence in Ukraine with a team of volunteers deployed in impacted areas.
For the NGO's and charities active in civilian and army protection, they do not supply lethal military equipment.

Learn more about the NGO's we are donating here.

What about the safety of workers ?

As detailed in our "Satefy Measures" section, we have daily calls with our production team and are reassessing our contingency plan weekly. May the conflict progress to the west, manufacturing and sales of Robinwood products would be stopped until the situation reaches necessary safety levels.

Can I cancel my contribution ?

While retreiving your contribution is detrimental to the impact of the project, you have the freedom to withdraw your contribution until the order is confirmed for shipping. Once your order is confirmed to ship, we are no longer able to refund your contribution as the funds have already been disbursed to pay workers, cover for raw material purchase and donated to NGO's.

How can I further support the cause ?

  • Spread the word about Robinwood Project
  • Reach out to your local administration and find out about initiatives in your region
  • Stay informed about the situation
  • Donate to charities and NGO's active on the ground
  • Share your support with Ukrainian friends
  • Offer accomodation to refugees

Robinwood Photo credits

We are grateful for all the amazing photographers behind the pictures used on this page.
A special thanks to those still based in Ukraine today.
You can donate and find out more about their work here below :

Алесь Усцінаў
https://www.pexels.com/@stefits