Why furniture reuse is the unsung hero of sustainable workplace design

Why furniture reuse is the unsung hero of sustainable workplace design
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Businesses across the UK are increasingly focused on achieving green certifications and pursuing “new, green, and local” products as their go-to solution in the race to sustainability. But there is a strategy that outshines even the greenest new furniture fitouts, delivering better sustainability benefits while also showcasing visible, authentic corporate responsibility.

Surprisingly, the most potent path to truly sustainable workplace design is also one of the most underutilised—furniture reuse. While companies grapple with balancing budgets, boosting employee engagement, and navigating complex sustainability standards, reusing furniture proves to be the greenest choice. 

Here’s why furniture reuse could—and should—become your company's next big sustainability initiative.

“New and local” doesn’t always mean “sustainable” in workplace design

Today's sustainability-conscious market sees businesses gravitate toward purchasing new, locally-manufactured furniture, believing it to be the greenest solution. With heightened awareness around climate change, "new and low carbon" claims resonate, but do they genuinely represent the height of sustainability?

There's a rising preference for UK-made furniture driven by perceived carbon savings from reduced transportation emissions. But this narrative oversimplifies sustainability.

The reality is that “UK-made” can mean anything from full manufacturing to mere final assembly; ambiguities that can significantly impact carbon footprints despite businesses’ best intentions.

Furniture manufactured from scratch, even domestically, involves extracting raw materials, processing, and assembling components. This carries heavy environmental costs, often overlooked in the allure of "local." By comparison, reusing existing furniture bypasses these energy-intensive processes, instantly cutting down your carbon footprint.

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Barclays’ Glasgow campus, where IE helped achieve Zero-Waste targets with furniture reuse

The real meaning of “circular economy” in workplace furniture

The concept of a circular economy revolves around extending the lifecycle of resources, reducing waste, and driving sustainable growth. For sustainable workplace design, this translates into keeping furniture in use as long as possible, whether through reuse, refurbishment, or remanufacturing.

Instead of buying new, circular economy solutions focus on refreshing existing furniture, significantly lowering environmental impacts. Reusing furniture conserves raw materials and can substantially reduce greenhouse gas emissions compared to purchasing new items, even when those new items boast "low carbon" credentials.

Yet, despite these advantages, workplace furniture reuse remains an underutilised strategy. While many organisations target sustainability certifications and ratings like BREEAM, WELL, SKA, or LEED, reuse is typically employed only at minimum thresholds, with few businesses fully harnessing its benefits.

Hidden costs of ignoring furniture reuse

Aesthetics, perceived quality, or convenience typically justify the preference for new over reused furniture. However, the hidden environmental costs of this preference are substantial. Furniture production and disposal generate considerable waste, resource depletion, and emissions, effectively undoing the efforts to achieve sustainability targets.

The statistics are astounding:

  • ~300 tonnes of office furniture are reportedly sent to landfill daily across the UK, totalling roughly 75,000 tonnes per year. [source]
  • Only around 14–17% of desks and chairs are reused or recycled, meaning over 80% are still landfilled. [source]

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Soure: WRAP

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Source: EFIC

Conversely;

  • Reusing 295,000 office chairs each year prevents 12,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions from entering the atmosphere. [source]
  • Recycling aluminium, for example, saves up to 95% of the energy required to make it from scratch. [source]

By overlooking reuse, companies inadvertently limit their sustainability efforts, missing out on the deeper environmental and social benefits reuse provides.

The emotional value of visible circularity

Beyond the undeniable environmental benefits, reused furniture delivers something that new items often can't: authenticity. A well-executed furniture reuse strategy signals a deeper narrative of responsibility, thoughtful consumption, and genuine care for our shared future; companies that champion reuse stand out as responsible corporate citizens driving tangible, impactful change in workplace design.

Employees today, especially Gen Z and Millennials, actively seek out organisations to work for whose values align with their own, especially sustainability without so-called “greenwashing”. The visual presence of reused furniture can powerfully communicate a commitment to sustainability, creating a sense of pride and connection among employees, whilst lending credence to its brand identity. 

Visible reuse initiatives tap into this emotional engagement, fostering stronger, more motivated teams who see and appreciate tangible evidence of corporate responsibility in their workplace.

Got surplus or end-of-life furniture? Click here to explore your options.

Overcoming furniture reuse constraints

There’s a perception that furniture reuse is more complex and expensive than simply specifying new furniture, but strategic planning, clear communication, and robust partnerships make it easier than you think.

With proper budgeting and planning, furniture reuse can not only align with your sustainability goals but also become a cost-effective design strategy for your workplace. Businesses must understand that reuse isn’t about compromising quality; rather, it's about smart design that leverages existing assets to create innovative, inspiring, and refreshing workplaces.

To integrate a furniture reuse strategy into your workplace design project:

🗓️ Plan early: Reuse works best when considered from the project's inception. Early planning allows for better selection, refurbishment, and integration of existing furniture assets.

🤝 Partner smartly: Engage with workplace design experts who understand reuse deeply and can efficiently guide you through the circular economy journey, delivering stylish and sustainable outcomes.

💰 Budget clearly: Allocating dedicated funds for reuse upfront avoids surprises and supports smoother project execution. The right partner can provide advice on how to budget properly.

Embrace circularity with Insightful Environments

Ultimately, achieving sustainable workplace design isn't merely about ticking boxes on certifications or embracing popular yet ambiguous "local manufacturing." Instead, it’s about committing to genuine circularity that actually reduces your environmental impact and resonates with employee and stakeholder values and priorities.

Choosing furniture reuse not only ensures environmental benefits but also showcases your company's proactive stance on sustainability. It’s a chance to differentiate, innovate, and lead.

With extensive experience in furniture reuse and circular economy practices, IE can guide you through every stage, from strategic planning to execution. By partnering with us for your furniture reuse needs, you take a visible step forward in sustainable workplace design that sets your business apart as a genuine leader in environmental stewardship.

Check out our furniture reuse services or get our free furniture reuse toolkit now.

Furniture Re-use

Klavs Henriksen

Written by Klavs Henriksen

Klavs is the Sustainability and Compliance Manager at IE, specialising in ESG strategy and compliance management. You can find Klavs on LinkedIn.