The Painter, the Forest and the Ring: Thys Wood Design origin story
- Denzel Thys
- 4 days ago
- 4 min read
Thys Wood Design did not begin in a stylish workshop in Germany.
It began on dusty construction sites in South Africa, in a pine forest near Stellenbosch, and in a small river called the Dwarsrivier. It began with a no-nonsense painter, a mother who loved nature, and a love story that led to two wooden rings.
My name is Denzel Thys, and this is the Thys Wood Design origin story.
Learning Craft Beside My Dad
My dad was officially a house painter, but in truth, he could do almost anything in construction. During most of my school holidays, I went with him to work. I’d pass tools, sweep up, and watch his hands. With just a few tools, he could repair almost anything and build almost everything.
He was a no-nonsense kind of man. If you messed up, he told you straight. Everyone in our community knew where they stood with him, and they respected him for that.
When he passed away in the middle of this year, I was amazed by how many people came to his funeral – people I had never met before, each with a story. They spoke about how he had helped them, how he had worked on their homes, how his handwork was still visible in their daily lives. My aunts, uncles and cousins still point out walls, ceilings and woodwork he touched.
From my dad, I learnt two things I now carry into every Thys Wood Design piece:
Always give your best and be excellent in your execution, even if it takes longer.
Almost nothing is waste. He never threw anything away if he believed he might be able to use it in the future.
These lessons live on today in the way I design, build, and teach.
Sundays in the Pine Forest
If my dad’s world was the building site, my mum’s classroom was nature.
On Sunday afternoons, she would take us to the pine forests around Stellenbosch. We collected pine cones, brought them home, and carefully opened them to harvest the pine seeds to eat. It was simple and slow, but those are some of my favourite memories.
She also taught us to swim in the Dwarsrivier in Pniël. I still remember the cold water, the brown stones under my feet, and her calm voice nearby. Through her I learnt to respect and honour nature – to see it as a gift from God that sustains us, and something we are responsible for caring for.
From my mum I learnt to:
Pay attention to the small things in nature
Use what is given to us with gratitude
Enjoy creation, while also protecting it
These moments are the quiet roots of our sustainability journey as a brand.
A Love Story and Two Wooden Rings
In January 2017, Sarah flew from Germany to South Africa to visit a friend of hers. Her friend was doing a volunteer year with me at Hidden Falls South Africa, an adventure outreach and training company I had started years before.
As you do when you get to know someone, we shared our stories – where we come from, what we love, and also our hobbies. I told her about my woodworking hobby, how I enjoy working with my hands and with wood.
Our Journey Together
After four days of getting to know each other, both of us felt a strong certainty that we wanted to do life together. It was a pivotal moment in our relationship.
The Turning Point
At some point during our conversations, she mentioned something that changed everything: she would love to have a wooden engagement ring one day.
That simple sentence stayed with me. I began researching how to make Bentwood rings and taught myself the craft. What started as an idea for one ring for Sarah slowly became something more. The thought of making one ring sparked the idea of making more and selling them to earn a bit of extra money.
In January 2018, we were married in a church wedding in South Africa. After the wedding, I moved to Germany with two suitcases – and a growing sense that this “little ring project” might become something much bigger.
Looking back, I see those two wooden rings as the true beginning of Thys Wood Design. A German visitor, a South African craftsman, faith, family, and wood all meet in one circle.
From Side Project to Business Venture
What started as small, handcrafted gifts for family and friends gradually expanded. I found joy in creating practical and beautiful items for daily use. Over time, this passion evolved into a side business and ultimately became my primary focus. Since April of this year, I have been dedicating my efforts to developing the business further. However, balancing this commitment with raising three small children alongside my wife, Sarah, means that my time is not always fully available for the business.
I moved to Germany in 2018, right after our wedding. At that time, we were living in Gotha, Thüringen. It was in Gotha where I registered TWD as a part-time small business.
In 2022, we moved to Ammerbuch, which marked a new chapter for Thys Wood Design as it found its new home in this beautiful location. Here, I began combining:
Traditional handcraft
Modern CNC technology
Our deep values of sustainability, faith, and family
Today, we design and craft Bentwood rings, jewellery, accessories, and home decor. We turn off-cuts into earrings instead of scrap.
For every product sold, a tree is planted through our partner WannaTree.
And we open our doors (and sometimes your living room) through workshops that invite people to create their own story in wood.
Why This Story Matters
You could simply see a ring, a bow tie, or a piece of decor on our website and click “buy”.
But for me, every piece of wood carries a longer story:
A dad whose work still lives in many homes
A mum who walked slowly through pine forests with her children
A river, a forest, and a painter’s toolbox
A love story that crossed continents and was sealed with wooden rings
When you wear a Thys Wood Design piece or join one of our workshops, you are not just buying a product or booking an event. You are stepping into the Thys Wood Design origin story
– and adding your own.
Thank you for walking this path with us.
— Denzel
Comments