The UK furniture manufacturing industry is of considerable importance to the UK economy. It generates in excess of £8.3 billion of factory gate sales and employs nearly 100,000 people, with an expected growth rate of 4.10% annually. Like many other manufacturing industries, it generates significant carbon emissions, emitting over 900 tonnes of carbon per year in the UK alone, therefore there is great scope for this industry to reduce its carbon impact.
Currently, the companies within the industry that are engaging in carbon footprinting do so independently, utilising differing boundaries and methodologies to assess their businesses and products. The lack of a consistent and unified approach means that the data produced cannot always be comparable. Therefore, reusing and preventing furniture from going to landfill has to be the first principle of sustainability.
Whilst there are additional challenges with specifying and procuring pre-loved furniture as opposed to new, sourcing second-hand furniture is one way to help reach targets such as BREEAM and WELL and align yourself with principles of the circular economy.
Sourcing second-hand furniture requires an iterative approach, pieces can sell quickly and often we have to rely on the description and photographs provided by the seller. Space planning is crucial, needing to be a fluid part of the process all the while ensuring the overall design aspirations, client expectations and budget are adhered to. Your experienced furniture consultant will guarantee that high-quality and well-made furniture items are sourced, ensuring you are buying well and buying once meaning time and money is saved.
Another key consideration when reusing furniture, fixtures, and equipment (FF&E) is that EPDs and comparable information across manufacturers are not available for many materials. However, the practise of sourcing second-hand furniture significantly cuts down exposure to off-gassing and therefore will have a positive impact on indoor air quality in place of new furniture.
A recent exemplar project that demonstrates this was with the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) – Eve Waldron Design were brought on to retrofit the interiors of a 1930s former telephone exchange. CISL has achieved multiple sustainable building certifications, including BREEAM (Outstanding), the Passivhaus ‘EnerPHit’ standard and WELL (Gold) certification, and has applied ‘circular economy’ principles to minimise the volume and impact of natural and man-made resources used in the building. As a result of this exercise, and sourcing on the pre-loved market, over 60% of the furniture in the project was second-hand.
Top tips for commercial furniture selection based on reuse principles:
- Buy well – buy once
- High-quality well-made furniture can be reupholstered and mended which is much better than buying new.
- Furniture should be designed for disassembly and refurbishment, ensuring spare parts will be available over a long period of time.
- Focus on timeless design and motifs that are less likely to go out of fashion.
- Prioritise procurement from UK sources and suppliers.
- Support local businesses to minimise your carbon footprint and support your community.
- Any new furniture and finishes should be selected with maximum sustainability credentials.
Websites:
www.evewaldron.com | www.ewop.co.uk
https://www.cisl.cam.ac.uk/about/entopia-building
--------------
Eve Waldron Design is an architectural design consultancy specializing in interiors, founded in 2000. The practice works across a range of sectors: commercial, education and residential. They offer a full design service acting as lead consultant from concept through to completion, as well as furniture consultancy and supply. EWD developed from an interest in multi-disciplinary design including interior design, branding, product design, and textile design. They pride themselves on developing award-winning schemes that are contextually appropriate and reflect the inherent quality of a material and craftsmanship.