The social benefits of furniture reuse in the circular economy

Le résumé fourni par la source

Furniture is important for the circular economy (CE), given large volumes of resources used in the global furniture industry, and the bulky waste created when furniture is disposed. Innovations to make furniture more circular include new product design and business models, yet the reuse of furniture is often overlooked, and has additional benefits beyond environmental and economic impacts. This study draws on insights from semi-structured interviews undertaken in Chicago (USA) and Scotland to identify the social impacts of furniture reuse through non-profit organizations. We identify societal benefits of furniture reuse which contribute to people’s (and society’s) wellbeing including a sense of comfort, and a sense of pride, leading to improved physical, social and emotional health, as well as employment and training opportunities. Our study finds social impacts of furniture reuse not previously identified, and highlights the value of working across disciplines to understand potential social impacts of the circular economy.

Ce résumé expose les affirmations des auteurs. BNTIC ne l’interprète pas comme une validation indépendante des résultats.