Sussex Taps
Sussex Taps is a story of generational object design that articulates sustainability in the heart of its craft.
Words: Emma-Kate Wilson I Photography: Courtesy of Sussex Taps
Vanessa Katsanevakis, Director of Sussex Taps in the company’s studios in Melbourne.
For an Australian company to remain true to its ethos, one of a passionate circular model, there has to be a sense of determination and wilfulness — without feeling the pressure from other companies’ decisions. Vanessa Katsanevakis has both qualities and knows this predicament all too well; business traits that were passed down from her father Nicolaas van Putten.
Nick was a former Dutch watchmaker, who moved to Australia in 1960. Nick diversified to tapware in 1991, which Vanessa shares meant the products resulted in attributes like the "jewellery of the room". After Nick passed away, the company was left to her — at the height of the Global Financial Crisis.
“Our customers are more aware of the quality of local craftsmanship and the sustainability benefits of local production.”
At a time when other companies were moving production off-shore, these events left the tap-designer wondering how the Australian owned and made company could continue to manufacture quality pieces, all while making a profit. Luckily the business owner listened to her gut feeling, deciding to keep the business in Melbourne, and in turn, engineer "an Australian classic." Even today, local artisans who have been at the company since the beginning continue to put the stamp of approval on the taps.
“Running a family business is a unique challenge and honour - you’re driven to keep the legacy alive while pushing it forward.”
The fundamental underpinning of Vanessa's company is the recycling of old metal, bringing the material into its new life cycle that can push the limits of sustainability into superior design through a circular model. Sussex Taps boasts an environmentally conscious production: the off-cuts of metal are melted down in the foundry, creating a closed-loop system, while producing the objects onshore reduces carbon emissions. The factory received a recent installation of 100kw solar panels to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 131 tonnes per year.
However, Vanessa asks, “while our foundry means we can incorporate waste into our design process and output, we still have to ask ourselves – is this design timeless?"
“While our foundry means we can incorporate waste into our design process and output, we still have to ask ourselves – is this design timeless?" shares Vanessa Katsanevakis, Director of Sussex Taps.
“If it’s rare, crafted by hand and comes with a high price point, there’s almost no excuse for a product not to have sustainable integrity.”
For Vanessa, this was always crucial to her input on the company when she stepped in eight years ago, marketing to developers and interior designs; who like her, are "women with an eye for design and an inclination for sustainable, local brands." The Melbourne made taps also now allow the customer to choose their own colour combinations through their Sussex Mix and Match app.
Their successes as a circular model business has won the company several awards, including the City of Hume Sustainability Award in 2017, and last year saw Vanessa awarded the Young Manufacturer of the Year by the Manufacturing Hall of Fame.
Because of the intergenerational connection and commitment to Australian-made craft, Sussex Taps continues to hone on current trends. Speaking to new contemporaries who purchase sustainable objects that reflect the quality design.