Craftsmanship Without the Middleman: A New Direction for A Cut Above

For over a decade, A Cut Above has operated as a specialist supplier within the Australian funeral industry. If you have visited a funeral home or a memorial office, particularly across the Eastern States, you may have seen our work. We take immense pride in those partnerships. However, for a long time, being a “wholesale-first” business meant our website had to play by traditional industry rules.

To maintain consistency with showroom margins and interstate distribution costs, we were often required to list our prices at a “National Showroom Rate.” We knew this created a significant price gap for families searching for us directly online, and it’s something we’ve wanted to address for a long time.

The Decision to Go “Maker-Direct”

After a lot of conversation around the kitchen table here in Maida Vale, Wendy and I have made a decision. We are shifting our focus from the national showroom floor to the local workshop bench. By moving toward a “Maker-Direct” model, we are now able to offer our entire range—including our signature Heritage and Monolith series—directly to you at Workshop-Direct pricing.

What This Means for You

Starting today, you will see a significant price adjustment across our website.

• Quality Stays the Same: We are still using premium, sustainable timbers like Jarrah, Australian Oak, Blackbutt, and American Walnut.

• Process Stays the Same: Every urn is still hand-joined, grain-matched, and finished with high-quality hardwax oils in our WA workshop.

• The “Middleman” is Removed: We are simply passing the savings of a direct relationship on to you.

Why Now?

We’ve listened to the families who contact us directly. You’ve told us you want pieces that feel modern, sculptural, and personal. You want to know the person who actually selected the timber and cut the joints. By selling directly to you, we can have those conversations, offer bespoke timber combinations (like the warmth of Cherry or the deep grain of Oak), and ensure that a master-made Australian urn is accessible without the interstate markup.

The Heritage series was built to last generations, and we still believe in its classic, “solid-as-a-rock” philosophy. Now, its price finally reflects the honest value of the timber and the time spent at the bench—rather than the overheads of a traditional supply chain.

Building the Future, One Joint at a Time

A Cut Above has always been about “Honest Timber, Hand-Joined.” This shift to a transparent pricing policy is just the next step in that promise. Whether you are in Perth, Sydney, or anywhere in between, you are getting the best price we can offer, straight from the maker’s hand.

Thank you for supporting local Australian craft. Now, back to the workshop—I’ve got some timber waiting for me.

— Jim & Wendy, A Cut Above