Why Custom Made Furniture Is A Remedy For The Fast Furniture Trend
The cultural phenomenon of Fast Furniture has resulted in the average consumer being satiated by ease and mobility. This has been demonstrated by the fact that 40% of Australians are likely to change their address every five years (a doubling of the global average).
Such a high rate of residence-shifting-humans increases the value of the hyper-convenient means of filling out a home in record time; an ideal that is made possible with the emergence of mass-produced furniture. However, such an emergence also introduced the trade-off of increased dispensability. As furniture that can be easily purchased can be easily disposed of.
In 2018, the US saw furniture accounting for almost 5% of municipal waste (the second-largest share of urban waste). That’s more than 12 million tons of furniture. Similarly, a compositional survey of Sydney revealed that more than 2, 500 households in metropolitan areas dispose of an average of 24kg of wooden furniture per year. Or to put it differently, more than 2, 500 households in metropolitan Sydney disposes an annual average of 800, 000 three-seater sofas, more than 1 million dining tables, more than 3 million coffee tables and close to 7 million chairs. With such a worrying amount of furniture being tossed out, it shows a dark side to the way we as customers approach purchasing such products.
Fortunately, steps can be taken to mitigate the impact of the Fast Furniture industry.
We can choose to purchase from local furniture makers and designers. Doing so will drastically reduce the energy used for the transportation of products that is prevalent in larger retailers. Finding a furniture maker who sources local timber will provide additional comfort of mind, as potential energy will have been saved due to the reduced costs in the distribution of building materials.
Secondly, we can choose to look for furniture that will last decades instead of years; furniture that one would be proud to keep in their possession. This would result in items that are strongly indispensable and would greatly mitigate the residential waste that results every year.
“Good design is innovative. Good design must be useful. Good design is aesthetic design. Good design makes a product understandable. Good design is honest. Good design is unobtrusive. Good design is long-lasting. Good design is consistent in every detail. Good design is environmentally friendly. And last but not least, good design is as little design as possible.”
― Dieter Rams
Lastly, we can choose to adopt a new perspective as consumers. We can choose to invest in products that we perceive to be valuable; products that thereby reciprocate through long-lasting utility and an aesthetic that will enhance a multitude of spaces. Taking such steps will make us highly involved in the thought process of considered design. To echo the German designer, Dieter Rams: “Good design is unobtrusive. Good design is long-lasting. Good design is consistent in every detail. Good design is environmentally friendly”.
Ross Thompson has been providing custom-designed furniture to local customers in the areas of Melbourne, Geelong, and Surf Coast, along with serving customers across Australia. By sourcing native Australian timbers sourced from local sawmills, Ross is able to be deeply involved in the building process, to ensure the utmost quality and character of the timber. Such consideration has earned Ross an Australian-wide reputation for providing handcrafted furniture that strongly connects with the customer while showcasing enviable durability and a sophisticated aesthetic.
Contact Ross today to start your own commission project.
