Bio - sphere
Eco-Design | Sustainable Construction
The Philosophy
During the early years of my learning, I experienced a crisis of vocation.
I even considered changing careers.
When I made my first passes with the plane on a beautiful fir plank, I discovered the sensual and mysterious pleasure of working with wood. But I found myself suffering at the same time.
That very same tree, which I had taken such joy in contemplating during my walks in the forest, now lay broken in my clumsy hands.
Fortunately, my suffering received a response that calmed me down.
This approach still guides me in my approach today.
The beautiful craft of cabinetmaking, practiced according to the rules of the art—allows us to sublimate the material.
Our noble material remains alive, even after it has endured the harsh blows of our tools.
It is therefore up to us to honor the trees we transform.
It is our duty and our responsibility.
The Commitment
Our expertise gives us the chance to create works that will endure through the centuries and serve many generations.
I created Aimanuel® to honor this philosophy and to put it into practice in a concrete way.
The philosophy is simple. Create works that are made to last, while respecting nature.
If we are honest, the implementation today is more complex: it requires compromises and trade-offs.
The ancestral processes worked in short, local and virtuous cycles, based on natural and bio-sourced products.
But they also required a lot of care and maintenance over time.
Our current lifestyles require efficiency and performance; the relationship with time is no longer the same.
I am committed to this: without ever compromising quality and durability, always prioritizing the most sustainable solutions for our Planet.
The real Swiss tree wood
Aimanuel® pieces are crafted from wood selected with the utmost care.
Origin is a fundamental criterion: I prioritize the shortest possible supply chains.
I select the finest local, or “native,” species, which are harvested and milled in the region.
The traditional respect for the seasons and lunar cycles in the transformation of wood is also a guarantee of sustainability.
Atelier Aimanuel® is certified Swiss Wood.
This label, recognized by the Confederation, guarantees the use of wood felled and processed on Swiss soil.
Its strict specifications integrate that of « Swissness », which conditions the designation « Swiss Made ».
For panels and wood-based products, 100% Swiss Wood is not always available.
The essential criterion is then PEFC or FSC certification.
These two labels certify that the wood comes from sustainably managed forests.
The most valuable woods are often exotic: even with valid certificates, transporting them is very heavy.
I therefore choose to avoid their employment as much as possible.
Noble and local woods hold many treasures for us: Aimanuel® pays tribute to them.
Creativity Despite It All
However, I also use exotic woods, in very small quantities.
For this I use wood that is mostly salvaged.
These are wood scraps—that is, unused remnants left over after cutting.
I collect them from fellow artisans and partner companies in the region.
This approach makes it possible to save mismatched wood pieces, whose storage is not profitable.
They would have ended up burned for the heating.
Thus, I contribute to maximizing the value of the felled tree and minimizing waste.
I also have a large stock of veneer wood, including some exotic and precious species.
I have built it over time and through my travels, by clearing out old workshops.
This stock allows me to unleash my creativity without renouncing my principles.
The wood of the balafons
True to tradition, Claude Luisier crafts the bars for his balafons from African woods.
The main ones are: Padouk (Pterocarpus Soyauxii) and Pao rosa (Swatzia Fistuloides).
Both are exotic wood species that are now protected.
Claude Luisier acquired a few batches of them 40 years ago, which are still drying quietly in a barn.
When this stock is sold out, our creativity will be stimulated again to find alternatives.
We already have some leads; there’s no shortage of ideas; and experiments are underway.
Our guiding principle is clear: just as true to the ear and even better for the planet.
Calabashes have not been imported from Africa for a long time.
Claude has developed a workshop secret to make them himself using (almost) 100% natural ingredients.
As for the frames, since they are small parts, any fantasy is allowed.
For my latest small 13-bars balafon—called “Kirikou”—we cut up a cabinetmaker’s mahogany tabletop.
Dating back several decades, it was thus saved from the flames.
The Chemistry
I avoid all chemicals as much as possible when high-quality natural alternatives are available.
The glues I use are mostly so-called vinyl-based glues, water-based and without solvents.
But I also use the traditional bone and hide glues used by cabinetmakers.
Even more natural, although less versatile, they are not suitable for a vegan approach.
As for the finishes, I mostly use natural oils and waxes.
For example, linseed oil, beeswax and carnauba wax, mixed in different proportions.
They offer excellent solutions for combining environmental friendliness and durability.
I also really enjoy using shellac, which is entirely natural.
It is derived from the secretion of an Asian cochineal and simply diluted in fine alcohol.
This is the basis of the famous French-polish used by the master cabinetmakers of the past.
