Green Leap Temper and Grit
Temper and Grit is a multimodal design and fabrication studio creating custom solutions for the built environment. Established by Nicholas “Nick” Volpe, Temper and Grit’s talent for designing, prototyping, and finishing has led to a diversified portfolio with work in the graphic, architectural, industrial, and artistic fields. Nick offers a unique blend of standard product lines, design solutions, consultations, and custom-fabricated installations.
New Products Developed with Monmade
Through Green Leap, Temper and Grit introduces a standardized contemporary series of wall cabinets, Woven, sustainably made from bamboo plywood and manufactured by regional partner Eisenwood. The pattern is inspired by the effect of traditional caning processes, abstracted, and CNC cut from the board using an algorithm for efficiency.
Woven is scalable between 3 widths, offering storage and display solutions for a variety of spaces, like kitchens and offices. Maximizing material yield from a 4’x8’ bamboo plywood sheet, the cabinet may be scaled smaller and in different dimensions to fit a variety of spaces while still responsibly utilizing a single sheet of sustainable material.
“Sustainability is integral to my business practice. To decrease material waste, I designed the product considering the maximum output for the board size. The product is also modular and can be adapted to various spaces. And now I’m engaging with regional manufacturing partners to help keep dollars in the local economy and Temper and Grit’s environmental footprint small.”
– Nick Volpe
Featured Product Specifications
To ensure the product’s sustainability, the cabinet is made from Plyboo—an architectural-grade bamboo plywood with FSC certification and LEED credits available; bamboo is a rapidly renewable material. Alternative plywood types are available upon request. Additionally, the cabinet is finished with Rubio Monocoat, a plant-based, environmentally friendly, nonpolluting, single-coat, durable finish; Rubio Monocoat contains 0% VOC.
We’re excited to continue Temper and Grit’s influence on our region’s design through the local production of standard furniture. Monmade’s project portfolio showcases Nick’s longstanding commitment to sustainable and enduring design.
sustainablyMonmade Insights
Through our assessment of his studio and production manufacturing practices, Temper and Grit achieves three of Monmade’s six dimensions of sustainability: environment, climate, and human health.
Learn more about Monmade’s holistic approach to sustainability.
Monmade’s holistic approach to sustainability is described by our Dimensions of Sustainability. Rooted in our team’s knowledge of responsible manufacturing processes for small businesses, our six defined dimensions inform our assessments of artisan producers and their products. Our producers and their products achieve a dimension when they meet one or more of that dimension’s defined criteria.
Using sustainable materials including recycled, reclaimed, or bio-based materials, prioritizing sustainable vendors and local sourcing, minimizing environmental impact of facility and/or manufacturing waste, publicizing sustainability practices, planning for responsible growth
Manufacturing at and/or within 100 miles of primary business location, using renewable energy sources, reducing energy consumption, reducing water consumption, measuring carbon footprint, seeking reduction of use of non-renewable resources
Products contributing to safe indoor and/or outdoor air quality, using low-to-zero VOC adhesives/sealants/finishes/paints, products comply with specific industry standards including UL and ADA, providing adequate safety and personal protection equipment for employees, safely using/storing/disposing of materials and/or finishes, using and/or encouraging green cleaning methods for products, recommending responsible installation and/or maintenance of products
Business is women and/or minority owned, workforce is more than 50% women and/or minorities, located in an LMI area, hiring local workforce, contributing portion of profits to charitable organizations, practicing public stewardship, offering employee benefits, providing wage transparency
Designing products for zero-impact, reuse, and the elimination of waste throughout the entire life-cycle of the product. A circular system often includes (but not limited to) using sustainable materials (e.g. bio-based, reclaimed), safe and efficient manufacturing, durability, using sustainable packaging materials, and a plan for end-of-life
Indicates when producers/products/ product components are independently certified/verified for their environmental attribute claims by a third-party organization; certifications/ verifications can be for single attribute claims such as FSC or multiple attribute claims such as EPD, HPD, and life-cycle analysis