What could be more environmentally friendly than bamboo, less wasteful than cardboard, and more recyclable than aluminum? Your old furniture! Forget about throwing away furniture, the guys at Purpose Furniture Restoration have shown how an outdated worn piece of furniture can be transformed into something new and beautiful!
Refurbished and redesigned dresser
Original Dresser
This really makes me think about all the furniture that is available in antique and second hand stores. Is there a market for artists to refinish and sell beautiful furniture, which would both eliminate cutting down trees, and also help others by hauling away their old furniture? Afterall, this eco-friendly furniture is 100% recycled from a previous owner.
A quick google search found a few companies who offer this service, and there are a lot more websites dedicated to Do It Yourself. In the hospitality industry, this has been a somewhat popular option as it can be a good way to reduce costs. Upholstered chairs, lamp shades, and beds can be brought back to life with fresher-looking new fabrics.
So, what does this mean to suppliers in home furnishings? Is there a niche for people with a good eye and skills to remake second-hand furniture? I think there is, and below are two suggestions…
#1. People could buy antiques and update them. I’m sure this is happening, but perhaps some people could get together and open their own store on 1stDibs.
#2. For the creative types, I think a market place of refurbished furniture could be really cool–a store where designers could sell their one-of-a-kind pieces of furniture. This may be considered more art than furniture, and could command high prices as Jason Fox is doing at Purpose Restoration. Jason is also selling his goods on etsy.com. I’m curious to see how he does.
Any ideas about how to get more people recycling furniture? Email seth@goodfactories.com
Looking for new suppliers of Eco Friendly Furniture? We have a directory of some of the best Eco Friendly Furniture Manufacturers
