Fast Furniture Is Filling Landfills: Here's How to Shop Sustainably
Many mass-produced items aren’t built to last. Get tips for shopping for sustainable furnishings, including the best places to help you get started.
Fast furniture’s greatest appeal might just be that it’s easy. Many of us move, get bored with our surroundings, perhaps have a general unwillingness to invest in high-quality pieces, and then wonder why we have to replace dining room chairs every three years. These mass-produced items aren’t built to last but, somehow, we can’t stop saying no. “While fast furniture might seem like a cheaper option, in the long run, you’ll end up spending more as it just won’t stand the test of time,” says New York-based interior designer Isy Runsewe of Isy's Interiors.
Beyond the aesthetics and quality control, fast furniture can have drawbacks that far exceed our living and dining rooms. “If we want to consider our children and grandchildren, as well as the ecosystems that support us all, we need to be careful about how we are consuming anything and everything,” says Eloisa Alena Lewis, Corporate Environmental Consultant, Climate Scientist. “That might be or seem stressful, but often some stress can be a positive force for growth, learning, and evolution.”
Related: 40 Furniture Makeovers for the Ultimate Project Inspiration
How to Identify Fast Furniture
You’ll likely be able to tell fast furniture from more sustainable options simply by taking a gander at the construction. Oftentimes fast furniture relies on poorer-quality materials that are often plastic based. They have a lower-quality feel to them as they aren’t typically designed to be passed-down through generations or even last longer than a decade.
Determining what makes furniture sustainable can seem daunting. You have to consider materials, manufacturing, and everything in between, right? Perhaps not. What if all that could be simplified by answering one question. “The guiding principle is that the most sustainable materials are locally sourced because you won’t need to transport the special materials over large distances unnecessarily,” says Lewis. “Transporting goods across oceans or lands can put extractive stress on the production line from GreenHouse Gas emissions to over-consumption since local supply often cannot keep up with global demand.” Instead, look for materials, tradespeople, and craftspeople who source and manufacture items within your area or region.
Sticking with items like hemp, linen, bamboo, wool, cotton, and other plant- and animal-based materials can ensure you’re steering clear of other fast-furniture pitfalls. “Materials to avoid are all the inorganic nonrenewable and toxic ones,” warns Lewis. “If it is made from plastics and synthetics, it’s probably made from petroleum.”
How to Shop for Sustainable Furniture
Shopping for sustainable furniture doesn’t necessarily mean you need a big budget to play with—or a long-winded attention span when it comes to interior trends. “If you’re not making a long term commitment to your furniture, consider antique, vintage, thrifted, slightly used, artisanal, and handmade options that are also always available with some clever or dedicated searching online,” says Lewis. Investing in quality secondhand pieces is a jumping off point for determining your style and curating a selection of more sustainable furnishings without such a hefty investment.
With furniture trends moving toward a more collected feel with a nod to the past, now is the time to go all in, whether your furniture is inherited, thrifted, or simply new-to-you. Lewis also urges consumers to simply slow down and simplify. Your home doesn’t have to be over furnished in order to feel cozy and complete, nor do you need to furnish your home in a day. Slowly acquired decor not only can ensure you make responsible choices, but it can also help you invest in pieces you love.
9 Thrift Store Decor Ideas to Repurpose Easily Found Items
Where to Shop for Sustainable Furniture
“There are plenty of local craftsmen in every bioregion who are capable of making great things,” says Lewis. “Etsy can be an accessible and familiar way to find these options.” Also look for companies that offer a lifetime warranty as this can oftentimes be a good green flag for sustainability. If you have a knack for creativity, you can even consider DIYing your own ecologically friendly furnishings. “From pottery, stained glass and rugs to lamps and other functional elements, they can be made with up-cycled, responsible, overstock, and local materials,” Lewis says.
Runsewe recommends those who are looking for ways to embark on their sustainable furniture journey start with online community marketplaces (i.e. Facebook marketplace). “Use key words like ‘antique or vintage’ if you’re looking for quality items, and be open to items that need a bit of TLC,” she suggests. “It’s amazing what a bit of a cleaning and new hardware can do so try and see the potential!”
It's also important to remember that just because you have fast furniture in your space doesn’t mean you need to ditch it for more sustainable stuff. Consider how you can make it work for you and your sustainability goals. “I have covered and reupholstered furniture with wool or cotton to replace synthetic materials especially in hot or wet environments where these toxins are released at higher rates,” suggests Lewis. Repairing and refurbishing pieces instead of getting rid of them can also prove a good way to get more leverage out of your furnishings.
Related: Your Step-by-Step Guide to Reupholstering a Chair
How to Dispose of Furniture (If You Must)
Lewis urges consumers to steer away from the mindset that furniture is disposable. Instead, find ways to give your old pieces new life, or recycle them into the community whether through a local consignment shop, a yard sale, or even by donating it to a local community organization. “Furniture should not be treated as disposable. If you’re not committed, make sure you make a real effort to give away or sell the furniture instead of putting it curbside to get rained on, infested, and eventually become landfill,” advises Lewis. “If you can maintain a quality piece and recycle it back into your community effectively when you’re finished with it, that might be the best advice for people who have a hard time making commitments.”
For more Better Homes & Gardens news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!
Read the original article on Better Homes & Gardens.
