Circular Economy Series
Reupholstery
At Dodds & Shute, sustainability is more than a guiding principle. It’s the backbone of how we operate. We believe furniture should not just look good but do good. We work to help our clients make responsible choices by sourcing the most sustainable products. However, the most sustainable choice is not to buy new at all.
Frankly, the facts around furniture waste horrify us. Did you know that an estimated 22 million pieces of furniture are thrown away each year in the UK¹? The biggest offender is sofas, with enough thrown away annually to fill up Wembley Stadium at least four times². Sadly, the vast majority of these could be reused with cleaning or repairs. Furniture clearly loses its value for users far quicker than the actual lifespan of the product itself.
We are passionate about working with our clients to leverage the power of the circular economy to do our part to address this problem.
The circular economy is a system where materials never become waste and are instead kept in circulation through various processes. The Ellen MacArthur Foundation outlines three principles of the circular economy:
Eliminate wate and pollution,
Circulate products and materials,
Regenerate nature
Through our Circular Economy Blog Series, we’ll explore the many ways that circular thinking can be employed in sourcing furniture — starting with a simple yet important concept: reupholstery.
¹ https://www.hippowaste.co.uk/blog/furniture-waste-statistics-uk/
What Is Reupholstery?
Reupholstery involves giving existing furniture a new lease on life by replacing its fabric and cushioning while retaining the original frame and structure. It’s a thoughtful way to preserve quality craftsmanship, update aesthetics, and significantly reduce waste. It can help to address a range of challenges with reusing existing furniture, from wear and tear, to look and feel.
Why It Matters
The benefits that reupholstery can achieve include:
Reduce carbon emissions, by around 80%, from purchasing new
Prevent items from entering landfill unnecessarily,
Lower the demand for virgin materials,
Extend the lifespan of well-made furniture,
Refresh interiors without starting from scratch,
Support local craftspeople skilled in traditional techniques,
Can also be more cost-effective than purchasing new items allowing consumers to refresh their spaces economically.
Reupholstery Case Studies
We have many case studies of reupholstered pieces that bring tired old products back to life. For example, we are pleased to have reupholstered this Low Lounge chair by De La Espada. We performed an audit of a members’ club to identify existing furniture that could be reused. This chair was in quite poor condition, the fabric was dirty, and the arms were showing signs of wear. We restored the frame, chose a vibrant patterned fabric, Afua Walnut by Yarn Collective, and added a lumbar cushion for more support.
When we completed our first Sustainability Report in 2020, we identified that as a business we should reduce our reliance on newly manufactured furniture. As a result, we used our new office as a case study for this. We had many furniture pieces that were in excellent condition but as tastes had changed over the years, we weren’t happy with fabric choices. We had these pieces reupholstered in fantastic new fabrics prioritising natural materials and use of recycled Linens and Cotton.
We are also pleased to have successfully delivered beautiful, reupholstered products for many of our clients. For example, for the Virgin HQ, we reupholstered their Capsule Sofa by Deadgood. With its organic curves, upholstering furniture like this can be a challenge but it looks stunning in this Sumac coloured Ismay Boucle by Yarn Collective.
Next in our Circular Economy series: We’ll explore reuse and refurbishment, and how small shifts in thinking can lead to big changes in impact. Stay tuned.
