The way we shop has changed for the better.
We’re turning the tide on single-use plastic, and have swapped cheap fashion for quality pieces that won’t fall apart after a spin in the washing machine.
The narrative that’s played out in fast fashion applies just as much to fast furniture. Around the home, we’re waking up to the fact that sustainable furniture not only looks good but will last a lot longer than mass-made junk - and all without choking an already overburdened planet.
We throw away thousands of pieces of furniture in the UK every year, from saggy sofas and clapped out coffee tables to warped wardrobes and knackered bed frames.
Recycling furniture: it’s nothing new
Upcycling has never been more popular, with hoards of inspirational social media accounts ready to show you how to give your unloved or secondhand pieces a new lease of life. Whether you doubt your DIY skills or you’re starting from scratch and looking for mindful, eco-responsible purchases to spruce up your home, welcome to the ES Best little black book of sustainable furniture brands.
From beds and wardrobes to sideboards and sofas, there are plenty of brands to call upon for fresh pieces reborn from recycled and reclaimed materials.
Is sustainable furniture expensive?
Broadly speaking, sustainable furniture will cost more than the basic flatpack of your uni and first-rental years, but they’re better for the planet, will last longer, and promote a kinder, circular economy by keeping highly skilled artisans in work and waste out of the tip. Plus, they’ll give your home a boost in the environmental and ethical stakes.
It can be an overwhelming marketplace, but we’re here to help with a guide to the greenest furniture brands to shop from in the UK.
See the brands to know below
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Rockett St George
Packed full with design-led furniture, homewares and gifts, Rockett St George is your port of call if you’re looking to add some edge to your interiors. Pieces have been sourced from all over the world (with a particular focus on India and Morocco), but sustainability remains at the core of the business.
The brand vows to lessen its impact on the environment at all stages, from general housekeeping to sourcing, designing and producing its own line of products, over which it has more control to be green.
Co-founder and director Jane Rockett says: "Sustainability is at the heart of modern-day contemporary design. As the demand for beautiful interiors continues to grow, so does our responsibility as a British brand to go beyond legal and regulatory requirements to provide more eco-conscious products for our forward-thinking customers."
Buy now, Rockett St George
Vinterior
Vintage fan? You’re going to adore this antiques treasure trove. Vinterior is an online marketplace for showstopping vintage and antique furniture, with over 100,000 unique items. They unearth the originals and celebrate the one-offs, from sideboards to mirrors, lighting to drinks trolleys, mid century to neoclassical - if it’s vintage you’re after, you’ll find it here.
Buy now, Vinterior
IKEA Buyback and Resell
Knowing that millions of pieces of furniture wind up being trashed every year, flatpack furniture king IKEA has launched a Buyback & Resell programme. It offers customers a chance to return their tired and used chairs, shelves or chests of drawers and fix them so they’re (nearly) as good as new, ensuring the piece has as many lives as possible. If you’re returning your furniture, you’ll receive credit to use in-store, while new shoppers will be able to buy secondhand from the shop at prices less than the RRP.
Buy now, IKEA
Barker & Stonehouse
From completely recyclable sofas and mattresses, to reclaimed dining and bedroom furniture, sustainability is a high priority at Barker & Stonehouse. A lot of the wood used is the reclaimed kind, given an updated twist by the company’s designers. Whether you’re looking for a new sofa or a mattress that won’t clog landfill sites at the end of their life cycle, you’ll find stylish, green options here.
Buy now, Barker & Stonehouse
The Woolroom
Highly breathable, heat regulating, hypoallergenic and biodegradable, wool is a wonder material - you need only look to The Woolroom for evidence of that. The company champions the fabric with wool stuffed into everything from pillows, duvets and mattresses to bed linen and sleepwear. In a transparent show of its sustainability, Woolroom uses Wool ID to trace the source of the wool in your product back to the British sheep that grew it.
Buy now, The Woolroom
Scaramanga
Specialising in antique and vintage furniture and home accessories, Scaramanga is heaving with all sorts of pieces to bring character to your interiors. You’ll find all sorts under its digital roof, from antique wooden trunks and chests, charming leather suitcases, travel trunks, classic cabinets and cupboards, pretty vintage textiles and old school satchels.
Don’t miss the Upcycled Furniture section where you’ll find plenty of retro items reborn as something entirely new. Example? This Upcycled Rickshaw has been retired from India’s bustling streets to become a home bar instead (£1350).
Buy now, Scaramanga
Wearth
Sustainability is the main focus for retailer Wearth. Alongside cleaning products, refillable toiletries and zero waste products, it also has a smart lineup of furniture to browse, all made on UK soil with either reclaimed or recycled, or accredited sustainably sourced wood. Pieces are clean and contemporary, highly covetable pieces that have been redesigned by Wearth’s furniture makers.
Buy now, Wearth
ClearCycle on eBay
This eBay shop sells returned and lightly damaged (minor marks and scratches) furniture from brands like Oak Furnitureland, Swoon Editions, Heal’s, and Cox & Cox. Pieces are expertly refurbished and put back on sale for much less than the original ticket price, with as much as 76 per cent off. You’ll find everything from bed frames and kitchen pantry cupboards to desks, chairs and console tables on the page.
Delivery is fast and if it’s a large bulky item, the delivery people will place it in the room of your choice free of charge.
Buy now, eBay
