Much has been written about sustainable buildings but how are we progressing in the world of interiors and furniture? A recent report published by the Auction Technology Group details some fascinating insights into the environmental benefits of buying antique, secondhand and vintage items. As so many of us are concerned about climate change, buying pre-loved goods is an effective way to take direct action to reduce our own impact on the planet.

The maths. The annual carbon footprint of a person in the UK is 13 tonnes, which includes travel. Indicative carbon emission savings for second-hand purchases include, for example, 0.56 tonnes for sofas and 0.46 tonnes for dining tables which is a significant percentage of the annual carbon footprint for each of us. More than 20 million pieces of furniture are discarded each year in the UK and the majority of this is sent to landfill, yet a third is re-usable in its current state according to research and many of these items could have been donated, repaired, sold or re-used.

In a recent interview for a magazine I chatted to the editor about how, when moving to Dorset a few years ago, I made a concerted effort to buy secondhand goods, to shop locally and use local suppliers as much as possible. Never have I had so much fun sourcing furniture for a project. I’m a regular at the local interiors’ auctions and know pretty much every charity, antique and vintage shop within a 20-mile radius. I’ve re-used curtains, recovered chairs, snaffled some gorgeous paintings along the way and really appreciate my beautiful finds.

Antique furniture emissions are, in effect, zero and a well-built second hand wardrobe could outlast a new flatpack version by several years. But now furniture manufacturers are sitting up and taking notice, with durability and timeless design high on the agenda. They are more focused on using renewable raw materials such as wood, bamboo and recycled materials. A big step in the right direction.

It’s fascinating to read about some of the initiatives that companies are developing around re-use and re-sale in the interiors industry:

• Ikea is giving its furniture a second life with its buy back and resell service.
• Little Greene is developing a collection of left-over, unwanted paints, reformulated for interior walls and ceilings preventing as much as 60,000 litres of high-quality mineral and organic raw materials from going to waste each year.
• The Haines Collection is a platform for the re-sale of unwanted textiles, wallpaper, lights and accessories that would most likely be headed for landfill.