Fast furniture: The shocking truth and how we fix it

‘Fast furniture’ may not be a term familiar to everyone, but its environmental, social and health impact is being felt by us all.

In this article I explain what fast furniture is, examine the negative consequences of this worrying trend, and consider viable alternatives.

What is fast furniture?

The term ‘fast food’ first appeared in our dictionaries in the early 1950s, largely in recognition of the dramatic growth in drive-through restaurants in the US.

Since then the phrase has taken on more and more negative connotations as the damaging environmental, social and health aspects of fast food have become clear.

In the early 1990s the expression ‘fast fashion’ was coined by the New York Times to describe the retailer Zara’s business model of taking only 15 days to design, manufacture and sell its clothing ranges.

Once again, it quickly became associated with damaging effects on society and the planet.

Much more recently, the term ‘fast’ has been applied to the furniture industry to describe the quick and cheap production of home furnishings.

Ikea’s Billy bookcase – a flat-packed, minimalist, plastic-coated chipboard construction – is often held up as the classic example of fast furniture.

It is said that a Billy bookcase is made every three seconds. Indeed, Ikea boasts on its own website that one is sold every five seconds.

Now that is fast furniture.

The Billy bookcase has been around since 1979. What is new, however, is the growing seasonality of the mass manufactured furniture industry.

The impact of fast furniture on us & our environment

The benefits of fast furniture to us, the consumer, are clear: low prices, easy availability and access to the latest styles.

But what environmental, social and health issues does fast furniture create?

A. The environment

i. Deforestation

A lot of furniture is made from wood, whether that is in the form of solid timber or plywood, MDF and chipboard.

Some of this material comes from sustainable sources, but sadly a significant proportion still derives from illegal and unsustainable logging throughout the world’s forests.

As an example, IKEA alone is believed to use almost 1% of the world’s commercially harvested wood. Given that IKEA’s goal is to be more sustainable, one wonders how much of this 1% is ‘less sustainable’.

And while IKEA is making strides to improve its environmental practices, many other furniture producers are falling far short when it comes to sustainability.

Deforestation strips the world of its natural lungs, increasing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and robbing plants and animals of their natural habit.

ii. Production and manufacturing

Chopping down trees is just the very starting point in fast furniture’s life cycle.

Huge factories across the world engage in energy-intensive milling and processing of timber, often involving harmful chemical treatments and plastics.

Once part or fully-manufactured, the products are shipped around the world to fulfilment centres, stores and finally the consumer. The emissions are huge.

iii. Disposal

Unfortunately, furniture accounts for a significant and growing proportion of landfill waste.

A great deal of tables, chairs, bookcases, desks, sofas and beds are made from composite materials such as plastic laminated chipboard (or particle board).

This makes them difficult and expensive to recycle. As a result, much of it finds its way into landfill – or even worse, incinerated.

Although these materials will eventually decompose, the process results in the emission of methane, carbon dioxide and other harmful greenhouse gases.

B. Our society

The impact of £2 t-shirts on workers in developing countries is well documented.

The social consequences of manufacturing £15 bookcases demand similar scrutiny.

Many large furniture manufacturers highlight socially conscious practices. But even those whose practices pay more than just lip service to exploitation and enslavement need to concede it is very difficult to protect the poor and marginalised in complex global supply chains.

C. Your health

As I mentioned already, a lot of mass-produced furniture is made from several manmade materials bonded together.

Chipboard, MDF and some plywoods contain toxic chemicals like formaldehyde.

Plastic laminate coatings are neither recyclable nor biodegradable, and chemical glues are widely used to bind wood particles together in the production of sheet material.

Taken together, the chances are high that your household furniture contains a heady toxic mix of dyes, tanning chemicals, flame retardants, polyurethane, lacquers and carcinogenic VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds – which when inhaled can irritate your eyes, nose and throat, causing breathing difficulties, nausea and even organ damage).

It is a very different situation when we look at handmade, solid wood furniture.

As I outlined in a recent article – ‘Wood and Wellbeing: The Biophilic Benefits of Solid Wood Furniture’ – there is a growing wall of evidence highlighting the positive effects on our health of incorporating solid wood in our homes, workplaces and schools. LINK

These include reduced stress, lower blood pressure levels and heart rates, and increases in productivity, creativity and rates of wellbeing.

D. A false economy

There is a fourth factor to consider.

The materials used to make fast furniture mean that it is not built to last.

Laminated or veneered chipboard cannot be sanded back and reoiled or repainted, unlike solid timber.

It is prone to splitting and peeling at the edges.

The substrate can swell and rot.

It does not hold up well to wear and tear.

Indeed, much of the furniture industry does not want it to last.

With its huge marketing machine behind it – bolstered by glossy home décor magazine advertising and self-styled design aficionados – fast furniture manufacturers actively encourage the replacement of sofas, tables and beds every few years.

And why wouldn’t they? They want to sell more furniture.

Throughout the life of the average person more is spent on furniture than if they had initially outlaid on a bespoke, solid wood, handmade piece from a master craftsperson.

Alternatives to fast furniture

There are many alternatives to fast furniture. Individually they won’t suit everyone’s needs, but taken together they offer a range of practical and compelling options.

A. Think first, buy second.

First, ask yourself if you really need it.

If the answer is yes, then give proper thought to what materials you want your furniture to be made from.

Avoid composite materials wherever possible. Look for companies that use sustainable and non-toxic materials.

For example, reclaimed or salvaged timber has no negative impact on the environment and can add real character to a piece. If it’s completely new, make sure the wood is FSC certified (Forest Stewardship Council).

B. Buy second hand

The chances are that the older the furniture the higher the quality and the less environmentally harmful it will be. This is particularly the case when it comes to wooden furniture.

Even though you might need to rewax, repaint of reupholster, second-hand furniture is normally much cheaper than buying new. And it’s likely to last much longer.

You will also end up with a piece of furniture far less common than a high street alternative.

eBay, Gumtree, charity shops, car boot sales – these are all great places to find a bargain.

C. Buy local

Buying locally-made products is a great way to consume more sustainably.

Supply chains are likely to be much shorter as you are buying direct from the maker. This gives you more certainty that the manufacturing process is free from exploitation and child labour.

Buying from makers from your town, city or region also drastically reduces ‘furniture miles’ and as a result harmful emissions.

You also have the added benefits of knowing your supporting your local economy and have a more meaningful connection with the furniture you’ve bought.

D. Restore, repair and upcycle

If a piece of furniture in your home is damaged, consider if you can repair it yourself.

Sometimes a small outlay on tools and materials and a helpful YouTube video can have your chair or bookcase looking as good as new.

Similarly, if you have a tired looking but much-loved piece of furniture that has been in the family for years, can it be professionally restored?

Restoration is often much cheaper than many people think – especially when compared to the cost of buying new.

Finally, is there furniture in your home which looks outdated or worse for wear? Could you transform it with a lick of fresh paint or a new upholstered seat?

If this seems daunting to do yourself, there will be affordable upcycling services in your ever. Look online.

E. Buy stylish, not fashionable furniture.

We should not be buying furniture nearly as often as we buy clothes.

The rise in fast furniture has been driven by one thing and one thing only: the furniture industry’s determination to sell more furniture.

Writing in early 2021, I can pretty confidently predict that in five to 10 years’ time copper detailing will no longer be in vogue.

How do I know this?

Because five to 10 years ago copper detailing was not in vogue.

Ignore transient and fickle trends that are ‘hot for 2021’. Instead, explore styles and looks which have endured – whether it is art deco, mid-century modern or more traditional designs.

F. Buy bespoke

In 1995 the famous German designer Dieter Rams popularised the phrase ‘Less But Better’ in his seminal book of the same name.

It is an excellent way to describe the approach and philosophy of commissioning bespoke furniture.

Handcrafted bespoke furniture may initially seem like an expensive option, but it actually represents a viable alternative when you consider what you get in return.

- Higher quality, more environmentally friendly materials

- Greater durability and longevity

- Classic, enduring style rather than fleeting fashion

- Furniture unique to you and your requirements

- Increased wellbeing

- A family heirloom of the future, and one with a story

Let’s take, for example, a bespoke solid oak dining table.

The table will be designed with you, the client, as the top priority. This is unlike mass produced furniture, where ‘design for production’ is normally the driving factor: how quickly can it be built, how few components can be used, how easily can it be shipped, etc.

Its design will not be dictated by fleeting seasonal trends but born out of long-term styles and enduring taste.

A bespoke furniture maker will craft the table from locally sourced, sustainable and high-quality timber.

In making the table, the minimum amount of energy will be consumed and smallest amount of waste produced – most independent furniture makers have modest financial resources and are therefore run very efficient operations.

The resulting table will be made to much higher specification and finer detail than its mass-produced counterpart. Its build quality will probably far exceed the price paid.

The bespoke furniture design and maker will live in the same town, city, region or country as you do. Delivery will not require shipping from another country or continent. ‘Furniture miles’ will be low.

If years in the future the table becomes damaged or suffering from general wear and tear, it can be easily and economically restored to its original glory.

All these factors combine to create a piece of furniture that will provide joy and function for decades to come, passed on from one generation to the next, alongside stories of life’s milestones marked around the table.

I write at length about the advantages of custom-made furniture in my article ‘The 8 Joys of Bespoke Furniture’.

Less but better

Fast furniture is quickly becoming just as big an environmental and social issue as fast food and fast fashion.

It is hard to see – based on current mass manufacturing processes – how the planet can sustainable support global furniture production.

A change is needed.

So what can we do?

Small changes in thinking can often lead to big changes in actions.

Next time you need a new table, desk or bookcase, instead of immediately checking out the latest styles on the biggest websites, pause and think about if there is an alternative.

Give some real thought to whether you could upcycle or repair your existing furniture, buy vintage or commission a local furniture maker.

You will be making a small but important contribution to protecting the planet and the people who live on it.

And the chances are you’ll end up with furniture you truly love.

Interested in going bespoke? Find out more about our easy commissioning process here and check out our latest furniture designs here.

Richard England, Founder, Glencairn Furniture