Did you know that 12.2 billion tons of furniture waste are generated every year? Furniture waste, also known as f-waste, is a lesser-known environmental pollutant with 80.2% of its waste ending up in landfills. According to Architectural Digest, the contributing factor to the increase in f-waste is the rapid growth of the fast furniture industry. Similarly to fast fashion, fast furniture is manufactured with low-quality material intended to be produced and consumed at high rates. Much of the furniture waste found in landfills are items with missing parts and cosmetic damages (Architectural Digest).

You can combat the rise of f-waste by shopping for furniture secondhand. With secondhand shops, you will find higher quality furniture that can easily be repaired and refinished, which reduces your waste footprint. If you are new to secondhand shopping or are unsure if it is right for you, check out the article “New to Buying Used? 5 Benefits of Buying Secondhand.”