Why Office Furniture Matters

Discover why office furniture is a key opportunity area for reducing waste and embracing circular thinking.

A Hidden Waste Problem

When we think of sustainability, we often picture food waste, plastics, or fast fashion. But office furniture is a surprisingly large contributor to landfill waste – and it rarely gets the attention it deserves.

In the UK alone, over 1.8 million office chairs, 1.2 million desks, and countless cabinets and tables are discarded every year. Many of these are still usable, but are thrown away due to office relocations, rebranding, or a shift to hybrid working.

The Impact of “Throwaway Offices”

Environmental Consequences:

High carbon footprint from manufacturing and transporting furniture

Waste of valuable materials such as steel, aluminium, and high-grade wood

Massive landfill contribution – bulky items that take decades to break down

Financial Consequences:

Businesses pay for new furniture, disposal, and wasted assets

Missed opportunities to resell or refurbish valuable items

Real-World Stat

300,000+ tonnes of office furniture are discarded each year in the UK – most of it still reusable.

The Circular Opportunity

Office furniture is perfectly suited to a circular approach. Why? Because:

It’s built to last – often outliving short office leases.

It contains high-value materials.

It can be easily repaired, refurbished, and resold.

There’s growing demand for flexible, sustainable furniture solutions.

By keeping office furniture in use for longer, organisations can:

Reduce environmental impact
Save money
Support local repair and reuse businesses
Align with sustainability goals and ESG reporting

A Typical Lifecycle (Linear vs Circular)

Linear Office Furniture Lifecycle	Circular Furniture Lifecycle
New chair purchased	Refurbished chair purchased
Used for 3–5 years	Reused for 10–15 years
Discarded to landfill	Repaired or resold multiple times
Materials wasted	Materials recovered or recycled