Let's change the way we shop

The dilemma

You sit on your sofa and hear a loud crunch, only to realise that one of the legs has broken. What are your options next? You could get it repaired, but by whom and at what cost? Seems like a hassle. You could sell it, but who would want to pay for a broken sofa?

Should you dump it on the sidewalk? Sounds easy enough, but surely that is not even legal... Maybe the best option is to dispose of it against a fee, have the council pick it up or drive it straight to the disposal yourself.   

And you know that “cheaper than your last takeaway” shelf you bought two years ago? What do you do with it when you are about to move and realise it doesn’t quite work in your new space? It seems easiest to just get rid of it and replace it right?

More and more of us are waking up to the fact that we need to be more resourceful and make more sustainable decisions in everyday life. Our choice of furniture, and how we dispose of it, is perhaps one of those decisions that might not have got the attention it deserves quite yet though.

Furniture disposal and the environment

It is a fact that millions of tons of furniture end up in landfill every year. Of course, many of these items might have lived long and happy lives and have just reached the point of no return. But studies show that just under a third of people in the UK have thrown away furniture and homeware in good enough condition for it to be re-used, sold or donated – simply because it was the easiest option to do so. In London this number is even higher, with almost half of all Londoners (45%) having thrown away good quality furniture.

We are basically creating unnecessary burden and costs on local councils, as well as the tax payer, in fact one study shows that between 2013/14 to 2018 there was a continued climb on fly tipping, costing the taxpayers an astonishing £58 to clean up the mess, not to mention using up the planets resources faster than needed in creating unnecessary waste.

Our attitude to throwing away furniture also appears to be connected to age. Over 55s are far less likely to get rid of items prematurely, compared to younger generations. In fact, a fifth of those aged 16-24 don’t even know how to go about recycling or donating items.

A big factor for the “buy and throw away” culture is that there is so much poor-quality furniture in circulation, sometimes referred to as “fast furniture”. If you buy the cheapest possible table because you don’t really know how long you will need it for, it also doesn’t feel so bad dumping it in the trash already after a year or two. You are just not very emotionally attached to it.

Can we keep furniture in circulation longer?

A simple solution to decreasing the amount of furniture that ends up on our sidewalks and in landfills is to ensure that items that can be re-used stay in circulation longer. Of course, furniture of higher quality will last longer, so one solution is to minimise the amount of lower quality items that break easily.  If the items were also made with sustainable practises and materials, their environmental footprint is even lower.

A lot of studies show that younger generations are the most environmentally conscious, with purchase habits that favour quality over quantity. So, with the right knowledge and options available for furniture, consumers themselves might be able to drive the industry in a more sustainable direction by setting expectations and making better purchase decisions.

But should it be only up to the consumers? What is the responsibility of furniture manufacturers, the retailers and the supply chains?

Big retailers like IKEA are now testing out new concepts to buy back and resell used pieces of their furniture. This could certainly be a step in the right direction, allowing consumers unwanted items to become someone else’s treasure. It does rely on consumers to take the time and effort to take back items, and for the quality of items to be good enough to sustain longer use.

Upcycling has also become popular in recent years, with many of us and professionals transforming unloved pieces of furniture into beautiful works of art, buying or having a go yourself is a by far one of the best ways to engage in circularity it does however require a lot of time, some skill and creativity, depending on the project.

Another option is to let customers access what they need from a circular rental service like Zenkki. This way, someone is always clearly responsible of refurbishing items and ensuring they stay in circulation for as long as possible, taking the burden away from the customer. It also makes sustainable, higher quality items accessible to more people, as the price point is lower than if the same items were purchased. It is by no means the full answer, but a step in the right direction towards keeping furniture out of landfills longer.

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Source : BHF, Green Journal

How you can help:

https://www.bhf.org.uk/shop/home-stores/reuse-revolution

Cant figure out what to do with your existing furniture?

https://www.londoncitywasteclearance.co.uk/services/furniture-disposal/

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