Responsible household - furniture industry's load on the environment

Have you ever wondered what happens to old furniture and lighting when they end up in a landfill or waste station? 

Unfortunately, a large part of them end up in the trash, which causes a significant environmental problem. The manufacture of furniture and lighting uses large amounts of natural resources, such as water, wood, oil and other natural resources, and disposing of them in a landfill increases the amount of waste and produces greenhouse gas emissions. Reuse and refurbishing reduce the amount of waste that would end up in landfills or incinerated. The furniture industry is one of the industries with the biggest impact on the environment.

However, there is a solution to this problem - reuse and restoration!

Reuse and renovation are responsible solutions that benefit both the environment and consumers. When old furniture and lighting are refurbished and reused, it saves valuable natural resources and reduces the amount of waste and emissions.
The furniture is also long-lasting.

Reuse and renovation can create new possibilities for home decoration. Refurbished furniture and lighting can be personal and unique, which gives the home a unique look. You can find furniture and lighting that is no longer available in stores and that is original and personal.

Unfortunately - although reuse and renovation are responsible solutions - only about 10-15% of furniture and lighting are recycled. This means that there is still a lot of work to be done to make consumption behavior more sustainable.

Here are some statistics on the production, recycling and carbon footprint of furniture and lighting:

• In 2019, furniture sales in Europe grew by 3.4% from the previous year.
• Worldwide, around 80% of all furniture is still made from new materials.
• China's share of the world's furniture production is about 40%.
• In the United States, furniture manufacturing employs approximately 166,000 people.
• Reuse of furniture and lighting reduces the use of raw materials and emissions, as manufacturing new products requires significantly more energy than repairing or reusing old ones.
• Recycling materials used in the manufacture of furniture and lighting saves up to 95% of energy compared to the production of new materials.
• In Finland, greenhouse gas emissions from the furniture industry were approximately 1.6 million tons in 2018, which corresponds to approximately 4 percent of Finland's total emissions.
• In the United States, more than 9.8 million tons of furniture are thrown away each year.
• The furniture industry consumes approximately 5.8 billion cubic meters of wood annually.
• Emissions from the furniture industry are responsible for approximately 4% of the world's carbon dioxide emissions.

These statistics show that the furniture and lighting industry are sectors that cause significant environmental impacts. This is why it is important to think about how we can reduce our consumption and make more sustainable choices in home decoration and lighting. Environmentally friendly choices, such as reusing vintage furniture and refurbishing old ones, as well as refurbishing existing furniture, are important steps towards a more sustainable future. Of course, it is not always possible to use the old one. Even then, it's good to buy carefully and invest in quality.

Responsible decorating moments for everyone!

Ps. Take a look here at our 100% recycled white lovely vintage furniture and lighting