Brian Preston, founder of furniture workshop Lamon Luther, thinks there’s a parallel between the craftspeople at his workshop and the furniture they make. “We often use salvaged metal or reclaimed wood from an old barn, wood scraps that many don’t even attempt to recycle," though they still have a lot of value, he says. "Our guys were also society's castoffs until they went on this transformative path."

Transformation happens daily at this workshop in Atlanta, Georgia. "We sometimes buy from the local demolition guys, too," Preston says. "I like that the craftsmen can make something tangible and functional for other people, and that at the end of the process they can take a step back and see this beautiful finished product that they’ve made with their own hands.”