Making smarter choices for the planet
You’ve heard of fast fashion but what about…fast furniture? By its very nature, fast furniture is cheaply made and rarely built to last, pushing people towards a cycle of changing their interior design every few years. And now the fatigue is finally settling in. Across a number of high-profile lifestyle magazines - from Vogue to Good Housekeeping - the verdict is in: fast furniture is out and 2023 marks the start of sustainable interiors.
The reason it’s happening now, despite being an obvious problem for so long, is all because of the pandemic. With nothing else to do during lockdown aside from admiring the inside of our homes, the interiors industry profited hugely, seeing a tremendous surge in interest for room renovations. Since emerging from that intense period of time when our homes were our whole world, consumers are finally taking a step back and reconsidering what effects this is having on our surroundings. It’s this collective introspection that's driving the appetite for sustainable furniture.
But the rejection of cheap goods isn’t solely driven by consumers sick of the ever-changing trend mill. It’s proving to be a huge environmental issue, and one that won’t go away without a huge shift of attitude in the industry.
Why is fast furniture a problem?
According to a 2018 survey conducted by the North London Waste Authority, an estimated 22 million pieces of small furniture are thrown away each year when they become damaged - and this is in the UK alone.
This astonishing amount of waste is all the result of a disposable culture where nothing is made to stand the test of time.
Flimsy and low quality, these items are designed with planned obsolescence in mind, meaning they’re made to break quickly and be replaced just as fast with no thought to where they go at the end of their life.
And this is having a tremendous impact on the environment for a number of reasons.
Increased waste to landfill
Consumer goods are already clogging up landfill sites, whether it’s cosmetics, clothing or electronics, and fast furniture adds to a growing global issue.
Climate action NGO, WRAP, conducted a study and estimated that UK households dump an estimated 670,000 tonnes of furniture each year, much of it still re-usable. And that places a huge strain on this already oversubscribed and flawed disposal method.
Polluting materials
Then what happens to fast furniture when it gets thrown into landfill? It starts to degrade. The materials that go into cheap furnishings will take decades to decompose, and in the process also leak harmful microplastics and chemicals into the surrounding environment.
Synthetic resins, polyurethane foam, chemical dyes, flame retardant compounds, plastic wraps and other materials make most pieces of cheap furniture unable to be recycled effectively, leaving consumers no other option other than to throw them away.
Illegal deforestation
The sheer scale of deforestation that occurs to make fast furniture is bad enough but it comes at an even higher price when wood is harvested illegally.
With the ever-increasing demand for materials, not even protected forests are safe. Illegal logging takes place all around the world to meet the need of fast furniture manufacturers, and the sad fact of the matter is that this wood is notoriously hard to trace back to its original source.
As well as lining the pockets of unethical (or even criminal) enterprises, this unauthorised logging destroys habitats for native wildlife and also creates conditions for wildfires to proliferate.
Old growth forests - which are rich in natural resources as well as long-standing ecosystems not found in new tree plantations - are especially vulnerable to illegal logging due to their prized, high-quality timber. And as one of our best systems of carbon storage, their destruction is yet another contributing factor to climate change.
How to make more sustainable furniture choices
With the pitfalls of fast furniture all too clear, it comes as little surprise that consumers are starting to take a step back from these unsustainable products.
But in a society so conditioned to quick fixes, what can we do to break the habit and promote better purchasing habits?
Choose products that are made to last
The first and most obvious habit to change is by purchasing furniture that’s built to last, though this often isn’t an option for those on lower incomes. The higher price point of sustainable furniture can be prohibitive for a lot of people, but if you can afford it, it’s well worth the investment.
When you choose high-quality products, you help to reduce the burden on our natural resources. In the case of our fitted wardrobes, it also means you can have the extra peace of mind knowing your storage will give you decades of reliable use. Look for long warranty periods on furniture - ours is 12 years across our whole range.
Look for sustainably sourced materials
It’s more important than ever to use our resources wisely. Look for sustainable furniture that uses mindfully sourced materials, like FSC wood, locally sourced timber or reclaimed plastics to ensure your new furniture has created a minimal impact on the environment.
Avoid furniture that doesn’t disclose where its wood comes from as this could mean it comes from unethical sources or from endangered forests. If you’re shopping for soft furnishings, look at natural materials like hemp, wool and linen, which can be produced in a more sustainable way.
Buy from companies with a robust sustainability policy
There are a lot of businesses out there that are actively taking steps to reduce their carbon emissions and waste. Do some research to find out their key environmental policies. Are they investing in more efficient processes? Do they have a recycle and reuse scheme? Are they using renewable energy as part of their manufacturing?
The cumulative impact of these changes all help towards the safekeeping of our natural world. For example, the more material that gets recycled means that we rely less on imported materials, reducing the UK’s carbon footprint. And, in turn, this helps individuals minimise their impact on the environment.
Recycle and reuse where possible
If you want to buy new eco-friendly furniture, spare a thought for your old pieces that you might be preparing to throw away. Don’t consign them to the tip - if it’s reusable, there are plenty of charities that would love to take it off your hands.
We’ve partnered with the British Heart Foundation to take away any old storage so they can use it to raise funds for their valuable research, but you might even find a local charity shop that would love to have your preloved furniture.
Or sometimes a little bit of TLC is all that’s needed to transform furniture into something new and exciting. Upcycling old chests of drawers, chairs and tables is a fun way to keep them updated and stylish, so think twice before you throw it all away.
You can give a second life to a wide number of ordinary household items, whether it stays with you or finds a home with someone else. And remember, when you reuse or recycle your old furniture, it reduces the need for processing new materials, it keeps items out of landfill and it reduces carbon emissions by not relying on new imported goods.
Choose timeless style over trendy fads
It’s a simple concept but it works. The largest contributor to the whole fast furniture tragedy is the fact that it’s fuelled by trends and the pressure to keep up with them. And that’s not to say that you should isolate yourself from new looks or room styles but more that you should scrutinise their longevity.
Some styles never go out of fashion, like Shaker furniture or classic white wardrobes, but you might find that certain colours and patterns date quickly. Choose furniture because it speaks to you personally, not because it’s trending on social media.
Make sustainable furniture a lasting trend
Investing in good quality ethical furniture really is crucial in making a difference to changing the attitudes and landscape of the industry.
So the next time you’re shopping for that new sofa or living room bookcase, take a moment and reflect. Are you looking for a quick fix or something that will be supporting your home life decades down the line?
We take our environmental responsibilities very seriously at Sharps and to find out about our initiatives, take a look at our Sustainability page.
