This consumer society that we have created has led to resource depletion and an astronomical amount of waste. Our relationship with our possessions is very different to how it once was. Furniture was high in quality and made to last. It was passed down from grandparents, to parents, to children. It served a purpose and each piece told a story.

Today’s furniture is mass-produced, cheap and seldom good quality. Manufacturers are trying to keep up with trends and consequently, furniture is now perceived as disposable. The production process involved in making modern-day furniture uses resources such as petroleum, water and often unsustainable wood. Growing, extracting and sourcing these raw materials creates a huge environmental impact. Furniture is often treated with harsh chemicals and different materials are stuck together with toxic glue, making the recycling process at the end of this product’s (probably very short) life, near impossible. Recycling, in itself, is an industrial process and one that can be eliminated. If we upcycle what we already have, repair things and decline single use plastics then we remove the recycling process altogether.

I have put together some consumption conscious ways of obtaining furniture and homewares. Ikea may be cheap but I’ll let you in on a big secret… you can get FREE furniture that’s better quality elsewhere! ;)

Online

There are lots of websites such as Freegle, Freecycle and Gumtree where you can get antique and new furniture for free! Freecycle works on the concept that EVERYTHING offered is free. You have to contact the person who is offering the item and they will let you know if it’s available. You will likely have to collect it so unless you have access to a van, you may need to hire one. It’s a small price to pay for an, otherwise free, piece of furniture. I have never travelled further than 30 miles to collect items, meaning you’re buying local, saving on fuel costs and emissions and you’re saving perfectly function furniture from landfill, what’s not to love?! Some tips when using these websites:

• Browse free items via the ‘Freebies’ tab on Gumtree

• Search by general category or key word and adjust distance according to your postcode

• Try to give as much information as possible when communicating (this also applies if you’re the one offering an item). Don’t just ask if the item is still available, give an indication as to when you can collect it, timing, dimensions etc.

• Sometimes owners just want to know their item is going to a good home so be human, tell them you’ve got the perfect spot in your home for the piece and that it’ll be treasured forevermore. They probably get several enquiries a day so make sure you stand out.

• Don’t be flaky! If you say you’re going to collect on a certain day at a specific time, show up! And if there is a genuine reason why you have to reschedule or are late then make sure you have a number for the person and give them plenty of notice. 

Skips

One man’s trash is another man’s treasure, right?! Ever started a project and thought, ‘I need a tiny bit of paint for this’ or ‘I only need half a square metre of that’? Well, instead of buying a whole tub of paint or a packet of tiles, peer into a few skips first. They are giant metal buckets of magic, just waiting to be explored. There seems to be a skip everywhere you look these days and the amount of useful material that gets thrown into them is alarming! The law on skip rummaging in the UK is vague so knock on the door and ask permission if you want lawful peace of mind.

Ask friends

You never know what’s lurking in someone’s basement or garage. If you’re looking for something in particular, put a post out on social media requesting that item and see if any friends respond. Oftentimes, people hoard things because they think they have to set aside time to dispose of it or take it to a charity shop etc. But, in actual fact, it’s much easier than that. Social media, neighbourhood groups and word-of-mouth can be useful tools for obtaining or offloading unwanted furniture. If you have an item that’s taking up space then offer it up to friends, or even take a moment to search ‘wanted’ ads on Gumtree or Freecycle, there may be someone out there searching for exactly what you’re offering.

Samples and off-cuts

Most companies offer free samples these days, whether that’s tiles, fabric, flooring, wallpaper etc. Tile samples can be used as coasters or trivets. Try framing wallpaper samples to create unique artwork. You can make all sorts of things from fabric samples, such as bunting, patchwork cushions, buttons etc. Ask an upholstering company for fabric off-cuts. They would ordinarily just discard off-cuts so, if you can put them to good use, then I’m sure the exchange would be welcome.

Corporate waste

Ask scaffolding companies for old boards or flooring companies for discontinuations. Scaffolding boards may not comply with the relevant legislation for their intended use but that doesn’t mean the wood itself can’t have other uses. I have used scaffolding boards for so many projects; kitchen worktops, shelves, tables, benches, bookcases etc. The possibilities are endless!

These are just some sustainable ways to source furniture and homewares. If, however, you want to buy new then consider whether the item is FSC (Forest Stewardship Council™) approved.