BWAmak: Design differently

I met Jessy Denis and discovered BWAmak during the very first Expo Fait au Québec at Dix30, in 2016. I was immediately impressed by the quality of the entrepreneur's work and the story behind each of his creations. It is therefore with pleasure that I spoke with him again, in order to bring you to the heart of the company he founded in 2015.

The little story of BWAmak

Jessy Denis, originally from Le Mans in France, has been established in Quebec for 8 years now. A landscaper by training, he intends to practice his trade on Quebec soil, when a different path presents itself to him. Jessy, having owned several rope hammocks during her life, finds that the comfort is never there, that mold quickly settles in them and above all, that they are too often the target of squirrels, which abound our beautiful province. Indeed, the cotton rope used in the manufacture of hammocks is the material of choice for making their nests. He makes the same observation with fabric hammocks. Looking in vain for a sturdy hammock that meets his needs, Jessy decides to build it himself, using wood as the main material.

As if the challenge of building a wooden hammock isn't big enough on its own, Jessy decides to give herself an extra one by building the hammock from 365 pieces of wood, representing the 365 days of the year. It is important for him that the hammock can remain outside even during the winter, so as not to clutter the shed or the garage.

For the manufacture of the hammock, he turns to the white cedar of Quebec, "a local wood, durable, which does not crack, does not splinter, which has proven itself and above all which smells good", explains to me jessy. He also tells me that in landscaping, tropical woods are often the preferred ones. However, he does not want to encourage the deforestation of the rainforest and makes it a point of honor to only work with Canadian materials and suppliers.

His personal project attracts praise and it is following the many good comments received that he decides to refine his prototype and market it. Working on this project on a spare time and having no training in cabinetmaking, it will take him a year and a half before finishing his first prototype and finding suppliers to support him in this project. The contractor builds the entire hammock, but subcontracts production of the base and steel parts to local companies. The first BWAmak was marketed in 2015.

“Take an existing product, transform its material and give it a new function”

This is the motto behind every BWAmak product. Take the example of the hammock, the company's flagship product; Jessy took an existing object, the hammock normally found in rope or fabric, transformed its material with wood and gave it a new function, that of a calendar. It's all in the subtlety with the entrepreneur, including a feature that is basically not visible, but still very present.

This is also what led to the creation of the wooden tie and bow tie. Jessy, looking for a way to upgrade his scrap wood, had the idea of ​​reinventing these everyday products. Again, it starts from an existing product; the tie or the bow tie, modifies its material; wood, and gives it a new function; that of bottle opener. The person wearing the bow tie, the BWAtie, therefore becomes an ambassador for the drink they consume. Ingenious!

The environment at the heart of the creative strategy

Since he was 9 years old, Jessy has known that he wants to become a landscaper. His environment and the nature that surrounds him make up his playground. It is therefore essential for him to take care of it as best he can. It is no surprise that he decides to partner with Arbre Évolution and finances the planting of 1 or 2 trees for each sale of BWAmak product. “Last year, I financed the planting of a tree in a schoolyard. We all know that schools are annoyingly lacking in greenery, so I'm glad I can contribute in my own way. ".

In her creations, both in terms of landscaping and the making of her products, Jessy draws her main inspiration from Japan. “It's a country that fascinates me with its aesthetics and purity. Japanese cabinetmakers are true artists. ".

In addition to its products, BWAmak also offers a landscaping consultation service for those who want to revamp their yard.

To try the BWAmak hammock and test its comfort for yourself, go to the Signé Local store located in the square of the Dix30 district.

For more information about the company, see its member profile .

Reviewed by Catherine