Discarded Couch and Cover
Audacious Ideas,  Furniture Waste,  Personal Reflections

Circularity in Furnishings

It was an honor to present Circularity in Furnishings, a story about my passion project, Loved Furniture Lasts, to the Sustainable Furnishings Council on May 21, 2020 as part of their Sustainability Essentials Webinar series.

Summary findings:
  • In 15 months, from Jan. 2019-Mar. 2020, within two miles of my home, I chronicled 592 pieces of discarded furniture.
  • Added together, it weighed an estimated 50,578 pounds.
  • Since weight in and of itself is not super useful, I graded them by condition and found 89% was reusable.
Takeaway thoughts:
  • This is not a waste problem, this is a lack of investment, infrastructure and imagination
  • In a circular economy, downstream is the new upstream
  • Will the approach be transactional or transformational systems change?

Learn more by watching the full presentation.

Facts at a glance

Circularity in Furnishings Infographic
Circularity in Furnishings Infographic