How do I know if a piece of furniture is sustainable?

What is sustainable consumption of furniture? There is no one-size-fits-all answer to how to sustainably consume furniture, but here are some suggestions.

1. Don't... or rethink your needs for a new piece of furniture

The most sustainable furniture is the furniture you don't buy. It may also be that you only need 4 dining table chairs and therefore do not need to buy 6 chairs, and can use some of your other chairs when you have guests. It may also be that one of your other pieces of furniture can fill the need that you thought a new piece of furniture would cover.

2. Minimize your need

Not everyone can live on a stone, and we need some furniture in our home. But the more you can do without buying new furniture, the more sustainable your consumption will be. You can also think that your new piece of furniture can cover several needs or functions, such as being both a work desk and a dining table, etc.

3. Recycle and repair your furniture

You can extend the life of your furniture by repairing it (either yourself or having others do it), paint the furniture with sustainable paint, etc. It is also sustainable to get a piece of furniture that would otherwise have to be thrown away or to buy recycled furniture or a piece of furniture that has been made of recycled or surplus materials.

4. Give new life to your used furniture (upcycling)

You can give new life to your old furniture by finding new functions for it. A shelf may be used for a serving board, cutting board, coasters, etc. by modifying it a little bit.

5. Sell, donate or hand in your furniture for recycling

If you don't want to repair, upcycle or otherwise reuse your furniture, you can sell it at e.g. DBA or donate it to e.g. the Red Cross stores, the Norwegian Church Aid, etc., or hand it in at the local recycling station. At several recycling stations, the furniture gets new life via their resale shops.