Challenging 'fast furniture' culture

Fueled 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. Approximately 9.7 to 12 million tons of furniture are sent to landfills in the USA annually. Fast furniture is the 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. The rise of low-cost, low-durability items has contributed to a surge in disposal, with furniture waste increasing by over 450% since 1960. It is estimated that commercial furniture accounts for approximately 8.5 million tons of furniture waste in the USA each year. 

Organizations buying unsustainable, low-quality furniture can do so for several 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 in sustainable furniture options 

At our UK Headquarters, we have developed a set of products and services that are designed to be a solution to wasteful practices. Initially being trialed in the UK, ‘re:work’ aims to place ethics and the environment above all, to provide a choice of sustainable solutions with reduced carbon and resource impacts to businesses. 

Hire

Whether it be for events, pop-up offices, emergencies or anything else, organizations sometimes need furniture on a short-term, temporary basis. To fill the gap, purchasing cheap furniture could seem like a practical - if unsustainable, option. Re:work has catalogued furniture hire options available for short term rental. 

Subscription

Re:work offers Subscription models on 1–5-year terms that allow clients to access products from The Senator Group’s house of brands. A variety of models include good quality contract furniture, without an upfront financial commitment. Also known as ‘Furniture as a Service’ or FaaS, it has a lower carbon impact on a business than buying new. 

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 for. Second life products could be just what you are looking for. Made up of preowned, 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.

The secondhand furniture market is already growing in the USA, expected to reach nearly $91.6 billion by 2027, driven by eco-consciousness, rising costs, and demand for unique, affordable pieces. Growth is propelled by younger, digital-first consumers and these responsible purchasing habits are expected to spill into the commercial world in the not-so-distant future.