Upcycling furniture isn’t just a trend; it’s a fun and creative way to impact our environment while saving yourself money positively. If you’re an eco-conscious person looking for ways to live more sustainably, giving your old furniture a new lease of life is a great place to start. Here, we explore three great benefits of upcycling your furniture.
Be more eco-friendly
The production and transportation of furniture add to CO2 emissions, which are a leading cause of climate change. Upcycling just one piece of furniture could save an average of 47 g of CO2. Though this seems small, if everyone looked to upcycling first before buying new furniture, the impact would be huge and go a long way towards protecting our planet.
Unsustainably produced furniture adds to the impact of deforestation, adds waste to our already bursting landfill sites and also requires single-use plastic when it’s packaged. You’ll promote sustainability by refreshing your old, tired furniture instead of replacing it.
Create something unique
The magic of upcycling is that you’ll create a unique piece of furniture to call your own. You can be as creative as you like and have a lot of fun. Whether you want to use paint, decoupage, fabrics, or vinyl, there are a million ways to revamp your old furniture.
With a bit of imagination, it’s possible to give a piece of furniture a new purpose, too. A cabinet can become a hamster cage, throw into a door curtain, or transform a pallet into an herb planter. You’ll also probably learn some handy new skills during your upcycling journey and feel great accomplishment once you finish your project.
Save money
If you’re buying some DIY tools and supplies to achieve your vision, the chances are these will be less expensive than a new piece of furniture – so you’re already quids in. Though eco-friendly paints and craft supplies are often a little more costly than the standard ones, they’re much better for our environment and your health.
Traditional paints contain volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, which release chemicals that can be harmful when breathed in. Opt for a VOC-free paint and look to reuse fabrics, handles, knobs, or other items you already have for your upcoming projects. Look first through charity shops to save money and recycle further when buying new items.
Where will you start?
It’s clear that we all need to do more to protect our environment, so why not start an upcycling project next time you want a change in decor? Have fun making your unique pieces of furniture, saving money, and reducing your carbon footprint.
