AN Altrincham entrepreneur has built his own sustainable furniture empire and is helping a South East Asian village’s economy thrive – all thanks to a chance encounter surfing in Indonesia.

James Tatham threw caution to the wind and set up business Ombak – which fittingly means ‘wave’ in Indonesian – after an inspiring trip to the developing country five years ago.

The 34-year-old had happened upon a rural workshop’s designs whilst backpacking and was determined to see the craftsmanship first-hand, travelling deep into the jungles of Indonesia.

He discovered a community where generations of families worked together to produce unique, handmade furniture from reclaimed teak.

The durable wood is salvaged from deconstructed buildings in the village and surrounding areas, dating back decades.

Touched by the history, spirit and ethos of the country, James took a gamble and shipped a container full of furniture back to England to sell online. And he has never looked back.

“The reclaimed furniture produced by Ombak is ethical,” said James.

“Our goods are made in a very low key, authentic workshop in central Java. It is a traditional workshop, run the relaxed ‘Indonesian way’, and supports the local community.

“It is is not run by a corporate fat-cat in Jakarta, there is no hungry middle-man squeezing his profit out of the furniture.

“With the furniture you buy into a piece of history, a concept. It could have been someone’s front door for 100 years in Indonesia. This makes every piece unique and a bit quirky.”

James formed a strong working relationship with the workshop owner and has built up his brand since launching in 2011. He moved from selling a capsule collection online to opening his own store in Moss Lane, Altrincham, where he designs bespoke pieces for commercial and domestic clients.

There are now around 80 Ombak products, with countless variations and sizes, ranging from £180 to £2,500.

James said: “The customer feedback is great. In this day and age people are more conscious about the environment and we are recycling, taking old wood and making it new again.

“The furniture sells itself. It smells amazing, it is amazing to touch and it tells a story.”

For more information visit Ombak’s revamped website; ombakfurniture.com.