Benefits of Secondhand Furniture

In recent years, “fast fashion” has become a prevalent concern amongst the environmentally conscious. But what about fast furniture? In 2021, the EPA reported that annually, Americans throw out 12 MILLION TONS of furniture, 80% of which ends up in landfills.That’s not only tons of waste, but tons of preventable waste. The furniture industry is one of the least sustainable, and one of the biggest offenders when it comes to creating pollution.

The reason fast furniture is so unsustainable is twofold: the production and the disposal. Obviously there’s the fact that to make a wood table, a tree must be cut down for wood. But it’s not just the initial acquisition of materials that is so problematic. There’s also the processing of raw materials and manufacturing of synthetic materials, such as plastic, which create a large percentage of our planet’s carbon emissions. Although these pieces of furniture are made of precious fossil fuels, they’re usually very cheap. Initially this is an attractive quality, but it doesn’t take long to realize cheap and affordable are not the same thing. Cheap furniture is poorly made and relies on the exploitation of laborers around the world. The pieces don’t last, and end up littering our streets and taking up massive amounts of space at the dump, because the vast majority of materials used in the production of fast furniture are neither recyclable or biodegradable. Materials like foam and particleboard are automatically bound for the trash. Plastic, metal and wood might seem like they could be recycled, but these materials are difficult to separate from a single piece of furniture. Additionally, they’re usually coated with toxic chemicals which render them unsafe, therefore unable to be used in recycled goods. The result is more and more landfills stuffed full of Ikea bookshelves and chairs from Wayfair. Brands like these offer convenience and initially low costs, but if you’re replacing furniture every few years because it’s poorly made or no longer in style, your personal cost skyrockets alongside the ethical and environmental costs.

Yet, the demand for stylish and affordable furniture is greater than ever. Due to the pandemic, an unprecedented number of people are working from home. This has made it crucial to cultivate our spaces, to make our homes more beautiful places that we love to be. So, how do we reconcile our need for our space to grow and change with us with the furniture industry being so harmful?

The answer is second-hand furniture. Buying second hand furniture reduces both the need for new furniture to be produced and the amount of furniture ending up in landfills. An added benefit of buying second hand furniture is the quality. Vintage or antique furniture is almost guaranteed to have been made at a time when mass production was not the standard. Higher quality materials are used because the furniture is meant to stand the test of time. Of course, sometimes there is damage to pieces, but most folks would be surprised to learn what a little wood glue and a splash of paint can do. Luckily, even if you don’t see yourself as the crafty type (or lack the time, space, supplies, etc) there are shops like Decade to make the process of switching to secondhand fun and easy. Places like ours have done the hard work for you to take the intimidation out of buying secondhand. We begin by curating our pieces for you. Sometimes it can be a real treasure hunt, so we only select quality pieces we think you’ll love. If a piece needs a little TLC, like some fresh handles or a good cleaning, we’ll take care of it. Some furniture will sadly be beyond salvage, but each piece we are able to save matters and makes a difference. Making secondhand furniture stylish and accessible is something we can do that simultaneously helps the world around us and enriches our personal spaces. In creating homes that reflect our authentic selves, it’s important to have things that reflect our personal style and values. Secondhand furniture is a unique and eco-friendly option - both qualities worth inviting into your space.