Challenging ‘fast furniture’

Fuelled by the accessibility of cheap, mass-produced furniture, it appeals to fads, impulsive decisions, and ‘quick fix’ practices.

Often fast furniture is of low-quality, and made from difficult to separate and non-recyclable materials. This means that parts fail fast, are difficult to maintain or repair, and ultimately end up in landfill. As reported by WRAP, 670,000 tonnes of furniture is sent to UK landfill every year. Fast furniture is a driver of this. Its lower consequence decisions for the consumer equal significant consequences for the environment.

Businesses buying fast

While fast furniture is often associated with the domestic market, furniture bought by businesses suffers from similar wastefulness; in the UK, some 3 million office desks and chairs end up in landfill annually.

Organisations buying unsustainable, low quality furniture can do so for a number of reasons - and not all stem from deliberate neglect of environmental factors. Some genuine business examples would be;

· A temporary need for furniture

· A need for furniture for an open-ended time

· A need to keep capital-costs down

· A lack of expertise and guidance on sustainable furniture options

At re:work we work on antidotes to wasteful practices. Below are our suggestions to meet the above business needs sustainably, and with superior quality products.

Furniture with a future: Hire

Whether it be for events, pop-up offices, emergencies or anything else, organisations sometimes need furniture on a short-term, temporary basis. To fill the gap, purchasing cheap furniture could seem like a practical - if unsustainable, option. Luckily, it is possible to hire quality furniture to meet your temporary needs. Re:work have catalogued furniture hire options, and welcome conversations about the specifics of your short-term needs. Furniture hired through re:work is collected, cleaned, and reconditioned, ready to be moved on to another (temporary) home.

Furniture as a service: Subscription

When setting up a new office, there are a lot of difficult decisions and investments to be made. If the eventual size and scope of a new venture is unknown, investing in high-quality, sustainable furniture may seem unviable. The allure of lower-investment, fast-furniture-like products could feel like the only option. A modern, more ethical solution is at hand, however. Re:work’s subscription service offers high-quality, low carbon furniture with lower initial investment, the flexibility to change products, and support for unexpected repairs - all paid for monthly through an easy direct debit. Once a subscription ends, re:work will take the products away and ensure they are reconditioned for their next subscriber, or when the time comes, recycle them through their partner recycling service, Sustain.

Preowned, reconditioned, and outlet furniture - Second Life

OK. Let’s say your problem is this; you would like to purchase, own, and keep furniture that is both high-quality and environmentally ethical, but do not have the funds free to pay for what you expect will be costly, commercial grade furniture. You may find yourself exploring cheaper, fast-furniture options, looking for the most sustainable compromise with limited understanding of what to look out for. Second Life products could be just what you are looking for. Made up of pre-owned, refurbished, remanufactured, and outlet furniture, re:work has a Second Life product range that offers great value for money and avoids the need – and potential environmental impacts – of manufacturing new products.

Furniture manufactured sustainably from the start

There can be a lot of science and sustainability information to wade through when trying to do the right thing, and certain sources are more reliable than others. When it comes to buying new furniture, it is entirely possible to feel lost amid claims of carbon neutrality, biodegradability, reprocessed and natural materials, and responsible supply-chains. The truth is that ethical and environmental expertise take time to understand and embed into design and manufacturing processes. To avoid buying unsustainably, it is best to research company credentials alongside claims made about a particular product. Re:work does not directly manufacture new products, but it is part of The Senator Group, who have been designing and manufacturing furniture while respecting the planet for almost 50 years. Re:work is a prime example of its commitment to the sustainability cause.