Woodworking was always a passion of Charles Mast and together with his wife Shirley they started the business.
Our Story
General
Woodbender is a family-owned and run business started by the Mast family in 1988. Inspired by the old-world tradition of bending solid wood, we have spent the last three decades building specialised machinery and experimenting with different timbers and designs to create a comprehensive product range which includes dining chairs, kitchen and bar stools, tables, occasional chairs and two seaters as well as a small collection of children’s furniture.
Today, we are the preferred furniture supplier for many top South African brands. Woodbender is synonymous with high quality wooden furniture that is unique, durable, and comfortable. We pride ourselves in offering excellent value for both private and trade customers across South Africa and beyond.
Our People
Our People are the backbone to our business and comprises of our team of hardworking colleagues and our exceptional suppliers. Together, Woodbender is able to ensure a product and service that not only meets but exceeds our market’s expectations.
Our customers range from private homeowners to interior designers, architects, restaurants, franchise groups, hotels, casinos, hospitals, retirement villages, sports clubs, schools and so the list continues. They play an essential role in the creation of their product through their selection of timber finish and upholstery fabric.
Our team works closely with our customers to finalise their selections guaranteeing a product that is unique and perfectly suited to our customer’s needs.
Our Product
Our Product is handcrafted in South Africa and has been designed to be hardwearing and durable without sacrificing on design finesse or character. Woodbender products offer the perfect balance of functionality and beauty.
Every item is individually handcrafted in solid wood and is sourced from sustainably certified forests.
Our range includes dining chairs, kitchen and bar stools, tables, occasional chairs and two seaters as well as a small collection of children’s furniture. Our product is made from solid bentwood components which ensures not only a unique product, but more importantly, a product that is superior in strength. As such, our products are perfect for the hospitality industry or the private homeowner who wants quality furniture that will stand the test of time. We offer a six-year structural guarantee on all our indoor furniture.
Our Process
Woodbender makes use of a specialised manufacture process of steaming and bending solid timber. This technique has been refined and perfected over the years and is the key to the success of a Woodbender product.
Bending wood was first done by hand in the late 18th Century in Europe and was used for making sleighs, tools and later furniture. Today at Woodbender it is achieved through custom made machinery that is operated by skilled craftspeople. The bentwood components produced pass through a minimum of six departments within the factory before reaching quality control where they are packaged and prepared for local and international delivery.
We only manufacture to order which minimises the risk of wasting valuable resources. We are also committed to cross training our team and upskilling where possible. This sustainable approach to manufacture and team management is something we are proud of and continually develop.
History
The history of Woodbender spans three generations, over three decades. In 1988 a passion for woodwork, combined with a fascination with the art of bending wood sparked the beginning of an idea that would take the Mast family on a journey to growing a well-established and much-loved South African brand of furniture, synonymous with quality, durability, design and value.
We invite you to explore the Woodbender journey over the years.