Is Reusing Office Furniture Truly Beneficial? The Multi-layered Impact of Sustainable Choices

Sam Coggin • June 1, 2023

Revolutionising Workspaces: The Sustainable and Economical Impact of Office Furniture Reuse

At Coggin Sustainable Office Solutions, we wish to illuminate an emerging trend that presents an extraordinary opportunity to revitalise your workplace while concurrently enhancing your Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) credentials. Let's delve into the subject of office furniture reuse and its abundant benefits.


The Imperative of Office Furniture Reuse

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, approximately 8.5 million tonnes of office furniture find their way into landfill sites annually – equivalent to overfilling 250,000 standard shipping containers! Office furniture reuse offers a pragmatic solution to this pressing environmental concern and proffers several corporate advantages.


The Environmental Footprint

Opting for office furniture reuse drastically curtails our environmental impact. It diminishes the consumption of raw materials, conserves energy otherwise expended in manufacturing, and reduces emissions engendered during production and transportation. Interestingly, reusing just one tonne of wood can conserve approximately 20 million British Thermal Units (BTUs) of energy – the equivalent energy requirement of an average house for roughly half a year!


Financial Implications

Furniture reuse can precipitate substantial cost savings. Pre-owned, high-quality furniture often stands shoulder-to-shoulder with brand-new pieces, whilst being significantly more affordable. In an era when businesses are perpetually exploring strategies to prune expenses without compromising on quality, office furniture reuse presents an attractive prospect.


Augmenting CSR and ESG Credentials

In the contemporary business landscape, CSR and ESG are indispensable elements. Office furniture reuse aligns seamlessly with these strategies, exemplifying a commitment to environmental sustainability and societal responsibility. Did you know that firms with robust ESG profiles generally incur lower costs of debt and equity? Furthermore, such companies are less susceptible to considerable stock price volatility compared to their counterparts with deficient ESG profiles.


Stimulating Innovation and Creativity

Reused furniture can infuse an exceptional and character-rich aesthetic into your workspace. An assorted collection of such pieces can spur innovation and creativity amongst employees. This offers an opportunity to eschew monotony and cultivate an environment that genuinely mirrors your unique corporate identity.


Our Modus Operandi

Coggin Sustainable Office Solutions is committed to ensuring your transition to reused office furniture is smooth and efficient. We provide a diverse array of pre-owned, high-quality pieces with significant usable life. We endeavour to assist you throughout the process, ensuring your newly curated office environment aligns with your brand ethos and functional prerequisites. Beyond the provision of furniture, we also manage your existing furniture assets. Usable pieces are responsibly rehomed, while those that have served their purpose are recycled responsibly.


Embrace the Future Today

Office furniture reuse is not merely a fleeting trend. It's a deliberate stride towards a sustainable future. It's an acknowledgment that every decision we make invariably impacts the world around us. This environmentally conscious decision is accompanied by myriad benefits – it's economical, it bolsters your CSR and ESG standing, and it cultivates unique, inspiring workspaces.


We invite you to be a part of this transformative journey. Let's collaboratively reshape the future of office environments. Let's make a significant environmental impact, one piece of furniture at a time.


Did you find this article interesting? Continue that interest and contact us today to learn more.

Why Buying Cheap Costs More: The Long-Term Value of Quality Refurbished Furniture

By Ida Gorecka • July 30, 2025
You’re in the middle of planning an office space. Budgets are tight. Lead times are short. It’s tempting to type “cheap office chairs” into your browser and find something that fits the spreadsheet. But here’s the problem: cheap furniture is rarely cheap in the long run . The market is saturated with budget desks, chairs, and storage that look good online, but fall apart in practice. And when they do, they cost more - more to replace, more to dispose of, more to fix (if that’s even possible), and more in lost time and productivity. It’s a vicious cycle that undermines your budget, timeline, and any potential ESG goals. According to WRAP , the UK disposes of over 200,000 tonnes of office furniture every year - much of it barely used. When furniture fails quickly, so does your investment. In a commercial setting, that failure shows up in missed deadlines, spiralling budgets, and sustainability goals slipping out of reach. So before you hit "order" on another bulk buy of flat-packed furniture, take a moment. In this article, you'll learn the hidden costs of cheap office furniture and why refurbished premium office furniture is the smarter alternative. If you're looking to reduce hassle, save money, and build a workspace that actually lasts, keep on reading. Need help getting started? Get in touch with our team for advice, audits, or to browse our refurbished stock .

Refurbished Office Furniture Saves Overbury Over £2000 on Site Setup Costs

By Ida Gorecka • July 18, 2025
Anyone who's worked in construction knows that site setup costs can quickly spiral. For Overbury , one of the UK's leading fit-out and refurbishment specialists, managing these costs while maintaining professional standards is a constant balancing act. When setting up their latest construction site office, they faced a challenge familiar to many in the industry: creating a functional workspace quickly and cost-effectively. After seeing what we achieved together on their previous project, Overbury approached us with clear priorities - they needed a professional office setup delivered on a construction timeline. With tight deadlines to meet and costs to manage, they needed their office space ready quickly while avoiding the expense and environmental impact of buying new office furniture. Like many construction projects, this one came with complex requirements - specific layouts, tight timelines, and budget constraints - yet Overbury knew from experience that refurbished office furniture could deliver exactly what they needed.

From Purchase to Repurpose: How to Extend the Lifespan of Your Office Furniture

By Ida Gorecka • July 16, 2025
If you're managing an office move, refit, or hybrid transition, you've likely faced this question: do we buy new furniture, or make use of what we have? Every year, over 1.2 million desks and 1.8 million office chairs are sent to landfill in the UK- enough to fill Wembley Stadium twice. ( Source: WRAP ) With Landfill Tax raised to £126.15 per tonne in April 2025 (S ource: UK Government ), the cost of disposing office furniture is increasing fast. If you’re trying to balance budgets , meet ESG goals , and minimise downtime , choosing refurbishment over replacement could be the most strategic decision you make this year. In this guide, we’ll show you how to get more from what you already own. Saving thousands, supporting your ESG goals, and creating a more flexible, future-proof workspace. Got a project coming up? Get in touch and we’ll help you explore your refurbishment options.