When was the last time you thought about the environmental impact of your sofa?

If you answered never, then now is the time to do so!

What is fast furniture?

We’ve all heard the term ‘fast fashion’; cheaply made, mass-produced textiles that don’t last very long in our wardrobes, but far too long in landfill. Just replace clothes with couches and you’ve got yourself a recipe for ‘fast furniture’. These cheap, poor quality furniture alternatives have inundated the retail market and will eventually find themselves dumped on the side of the road when they don’t stand the test of time.

According to ABC’s War on Waste, 85 per cent of furniture we put out for kerbside collection is sent to landfill rather than being recycled. On average, each Sydney household disposes of around 24-kilograms of wooden furniture per year. This is a figure that could be drastically reduced if we start investing in high quality furniture pieces that actually last. But where do you find such a thing?

Get comfy with Crafted Furniture, a Sydney-based business that is bucking the fast furniture trend and focusing their energy on creating environmentally conscious and sustainable pieces. Completely customisable, all of their furniture is made on demand in order to ensure that high quality, Australian-made bespoke pieces are appreciated while simultaneously protecting our environment and supporting the local economy.

Crafted Furniture Crows Nest Showroom. Image supplied via Crafted Furniture

As the brainchild of Rahul Raja and Paul Deuk, Crafted Furniture began in 2015 as a B2B furniture enterprise for small commercial projects and then, with the help of Justin Burden, transitioned into the retail sector in 2019. With two showrooms in Rushcutters Bay and Crows Nest, Crafted is able to showcase their range of ethical and affordable sofas, armchairs, ottomans and beds.

Over Justin Burden’s lengthy career in the furniture industry, he has witnessed just how wasteful the manufacturing process is when buying furniture from a ‘typical’ retailer. Importing materials and then shipping them multiple times from warehouses to distribution centres to customers produces an unnecessary amount of carbon emissions when retailers could cut out that process by manufacturing locally. That is why the team over at Crafted Furniture have made it their goal to reduce their carbon footprint, minimise wastage and support local jobs and ethical labour practices by having their furniture built locally in Sydney.

Each of their bespoke pieces are from ethically sourced timber, frames and foams, with their core upholstery range featuring soft textures and heavy-duty materials including eco-friendly Belgian and Italian linens and locally sourced, carbon neutral Australian wool. With such a wide range of textiles and silhouettes available to choose from, you’ll be spoilt for choice when finding your next piece of furniture that not only suits your style, but is affordable and doesn’t compromise on quality.

Crafted Furniture wants to encourage consumers to shift their perspective on purchasing homewares and furniture as an investment rather than opting for the convenient, disposable option. They focus on providing a thoughtfully curated experience and delivering quality craftsmanship so you can enjoy your piece of furniture for years to come.

For more information on Crafted Furniture visit their website.

Looking for more tips on how to live more sustainably? Check out our tips for being environmentally-conscious in your garden, your kitchen, and even your wardrobe.