Having spent too much time trying to hunt down local suppliers if charcoal bags I'm going to ask if anyone either can supply bags/sacks suitable for charcoal or if they have a tame producer/supplier.
Hi Greyman as Davetaz say Selway packaging are a good bet. As members of Hampshire Coppice Craftsmans group ( http://www.hampshirecoppice.org.uk ) We are Dealing with them for our Bags. they also sell the British coppice bags (who don't exist???????)
hope this is of help
ttfn Kester
To clarify matters; for those that can't justify the cost of getting their own design printed Selway carry in stock bags designed by "The Coppice Association" they look good and have information printed on the back about why the product is so good, there is also space designed for the producers address. The bags come in two sizes, those I have spoken to usualy use the larger size but it may be worth trying some of the smaller size as they may suite some outlets better.
Although not marked with a weight you may be told that the larger bag holds 5kg and the smaller 3kg we do not get anthing like that, expect 3.5 to 4 kg max for the larger bag (we think that the designer was using oak and was also including more fines than we do). We do not sell by weight prefering to sell by volume as this easier to control.
Hope this information is of use.
John W
From what I remember on our charcoal course, you are obliged to sell charcoal according to weight and not volume as it is classed as a fuel for tax purposes! Although i think the chances of any body objecting are rather slim. Bodfari Charcoal supply to various outlets including a number of B&Q stores. The man responsible for bodfari believes british lumpwood is far superior to imported stuff and is considerably drier and therefore less dense, that's why you're only fitting 4 - 4.5kg of charcoal into a bag designed for 5kg
Hampshire Trading Standards say that charcoal can be sold by volume or weight as long as the volume is consistant (if you are worried about this, check with your own Trading Standards). Tax charged on fuel(exept petrol and diesel) is VAT at a rate of 5% if you are VAT registered. VAT depends upon price and has nothing to do with weight, volume or anything else. If it was charged by weight, calorific value would probably have to be calculated and even the taxman doesn't want to go there. The density of charcoal will vary depending upon the density of the original wood, not how 'dry' it is. Oak charcoal is denser than for instance willow, so the same volume will weigh more. British lumpwood charcoal is superior to imported stuff, as it has travelled less miles, burns more easily so does not need lighter fluids to start it, and will have almost certainly come from a responsibly managed woodland.
B&Q will probably insist upon the charcoal being sold by weight. They also insist on FSC so most small producers cannot sell through them even though their woodland management is better than the forests from which the imported charcoal comes. That is another story, and one that gets me a bit hot under the collar.
Chris
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