Say no to ‘fast furniture’
I was at my local tip in Bromley the other day saying farewell to our Christmas tree and I noticed that they now have a dedicated container for soft furnishings. I had a look in, and was amazed to see so many armchairs and sofas abandoned there. As an upholsterer, I think I’m more aware than most of ‘fast furniture’ and how cheaply you can buy a sofa or armchair that isn’t built to last - spoiler, it is usually much cheaper than having a piece reupholstered! But seeing so many chairs and sofas actually at the tip, I thought I should properly look into the facts.
My local Recycling Centre in Bromley
According to waste management company Hippo, a quarter of UK adults replace a piece of their furniture at least once a year. And according to furniture recycling specialist RightGreen, only 17% of disposed furniture is recycled in the UK, with over 22 million pieces thrown away each year. I can't imagine what 22 million pieces of furniture looks like, but it’s a lot.
So, what can we all do about it?
Re-use
Re-using furniture we already have can have a huge impact on our carbon footprint and environmental impact. If your existing sofa or armchair is looking tired / isn’t comfy anymore / doesn’t match your style, reupholstering it can give you something that looks and feels brand new and tailored to your exact taste, while being kind to the planet.
Buy second-hand
If you are looking for something specific, a great option is to buy second-hand. Facebook Marketplace, Gumtree, eBay, and Freecycle can be a treasure trove of furniture finds. I’ve seen a trend recently of people buying a solid, well-made sofa second-hand for really cheap, and then taking it to get upholstered so they get something that will last, but for the same price as buying a new decent quality sofa, they get something truly bespoke and unique.
Recycle
If you’re looking to get rid of a piece of upholstered furniture, local charities may be able take it if it still has its fire retardant label attached to it. The British Heart Foundation will even pick it up from you for free:
https://www.bhf.org.uk/shop/donating-goods/book-furniture-collection-near-me
Companies like RightGreen offer their marketplace where donated items are listed on their online portal where charities and other organisations can request them:
https://www.bhf.org.uk/shop/donating-goods/book-furniture-collection-near-me