Why Paying More Isn't Always Better: The Smart Choice of Refurbished Ergonomic Chairs

Ida Gorecka • August 19, 2025

Refitting an office today means juggling a lot: tighter budgets, faster timelines, and pressure to deliver on ESG goals. And when it comes to ergonomic chairs, the one piece of furniture an office team relies on every day, many assume paying more for “new” automatically means better.

But that’s no longer true.

Refurbished ergonomic chairs offer the same comfort, durability, and support as new, backed by warranties, come with less cost and with far shorter lead times. For facilities and procurement teams, that means more budget freed up for other priorities, and fewer delays holding back your project.

At Coggin SOS, we work with organisations that once assumed refurbished meant second-best. Until they saw the results. High-performance, fully warranted ergonomic chairs. Fast delivery. Circular outcomes they could actually report on. And savings of up to 80% compared to new (check out our case studies here).

In this article, you’ll learn what refurbished office chairs really offer in practice, why they’re becoming a preferred option for FM teams and procurement leads, and how your next fit-out or move could be both greener and smarter than you think.

Thinking about your next office project? Contact our team and see how premium refurbished ergonomic chairs can give you comfort, savings, and sustainability in one.

1. Cost Efficiency: Stretch Your Budget Without Compromise

If you're managing procurement for an office move or refurbishment, you already know that seating is one of the biggest line items on your list. And when you're looking at top-tier brands like Herman Miller, Orangebox, or Humanscale, the price tags can be steep. It’s easy to assume that high cost equals best value-but that isn’t always true.

In fact, refurbished ergonomic chairs can offer the same functionality, durability, and design, often at up to 80% less than their brand-new counterparts.

Take the iconic Herman Miller Aeron B: a new model retails for around £1,500. You can find that same chair- professionally refurbished, tested, and warranted - on our website for just £595. Same lumbar support, same adjustable features, same long-term comfort. But thousands saved across your fit-out project.

You know that budget saved doesn’t go to waste, it gives you flexibility:

To invest in other areas like lighting, tech, or wellbeing
To support ESG initiatives without inflating costs
Or simply to deliver more, within budget

And if you're unsure where to start, our refurbished stock is available now. Fully tested, fully warranted, and ready for fast delivery. Explore our current stock at Coggin SOS and see just how far your budget can go.

2. Sustainability: Proven Carbon Savings That Count

If ESG reporting, Net Zero targets, or cutting embodied carbon are on your to-do list, your furniture choices should reflect it, and here’s why refurbished chairs are a powerful lever for that.

On average, a new task chair carries around 80-90 kg CO₂e, while a refurbished equivalent is typically 10-25 kg CO₂e, a saving of roughly 55-80 kg CO₂e per chair, depending on model and scope (source: Coggin SOS). At project scale, the impact adds up fast. In our 2023 Impact Report, refurbishing 1,365 chairs delivered 98,280 kg CO₂e savings. In a separate case, refurbishing 285 Steelcase Reply chairs prevented 13,965 kg CO₂e.

More broadly, choosing refurbished or remanufactured office furniture can cut emissions by 45-80%, item-dependent - a material difference many UK organisations are now measuring against their Net Zero plans (source: Coggin SOS).

But here’s why it matters for you: those numbers aren’t abstract. They’re measurable savings you can build directly into your annual ESG reporting, your Scope 3 carbon data, and your tender submissions - clear evidence that your procurement decisions are delivering on sustainability commitments, proving impact to stakeholders, clients, and your own team.

That’s why at Coggin SOS we go further than supplying furniture. Every project comes with carbon and cost savings certificates, plus detailed impact reports you can plug straight into your reporting frameworks. They give you clarity, credibility, and a competitive edge when bidding or reporting against Net Zero targets.

Want to see what that could look like for your next fit-out? Get in touch with us, and we’ll run the numbers for your project.

3. Time & Reliability: When Speed Matters, Refurbished Delivers

If you're managing a project with fixed deadlines, you don’t have the luxury of waiting 6-12 weeks for brand new chairs to arrive. And yet, that's often the lead time with many top-tier manufacturers.

That delay doesn’t just slow the install. It means staff waiting for proper seating, ESG reports held up, and projects drifting over time and budget.

Refurbished ergonomic chairs offer a much better solution. High-quality units - professionally restored and tested - are typically in stock and ready to go. That means:

No holding up your schedule waiting on factory orders
No temporary fixes or compromises for your team
No need to sacrifice comfort or compliance just to meet a deadline

At Coggin SOS, we’ve built our process to support exactly these situations. Most of our refurbished chairs are ready for dispatch in just 7-10 days, fully reconditioned, professionally tested, and backed by a 12-month warranty.

Still weighing up the pros and cons? Read our practical guide to see if refurbished really works for your needs.

4. Quality You Can Trust

It’s completely natural to hesitate with refurbishing - it may sound like “second-hand.” But when done right, refurbished chairs offer reliability that meets, or even exceeds, the new standard.

Here’s what sets properly refurbished chairs apart:

Deep Restoration, Not Quick Fixes

Refurbishment isn’t just a surface-level clean. Each chair is fully disassembled, checked for wear, and rebuilt with new components where needed - gas lifts, castors, foam, and upholstery. The result is a chair returned to manufacturer-standard performance, designed to function as it was originally intended.

Engineered for Multiple Lifecycles

High-end brands like Herman Miller and Steelcase don’t design their chairs to be disposable. They’re modular, with parts specifically built to be replaced and renewed. That means refurbishment is part of their DNA, extending their lifespan without compromising comfort or ergonomics.

Proven Reliability

Because each chair is tested after refurbishment, you’re not relying on chance. Structural integrity, moving parts, and upholstery all undergo checks before they return to the workplace, giving you confidence they’ll stand up to daily use.

Why It Matters for You

As a facilities manager or procurement lead, you’re the one accountable if seating fails. Whether that’s staff discomfort, complaints, or unexpected replacement costs. Proper refurbishment takes that risk off your plate. You get chairs that are structurally sound, ergonomically correct, and tested to perform day after day, giving you confidence that what you’ve invested in will deliver.

Want to be sure your supplier meets the right standards, and know exactly what to look for? Explore our guide on quality assurance in refurbished office furniture, created with facilities managers in mind.

5. Customisation: Chairs That Are On-Brand

One of the advantages of refurbished seating is the ability to make it your own. High-end ergonomic chairs are built with modular parts, which means they’re not only easy to restore but also to reupholster and customise.

For you, that means:

Chairs upholstered in your brand colours, so your workspace feels consistent and professional.
The ability to refresh existing stock instead of replacing it, aligning comfort and performance with your brand identity.

For fit-out teams and facilities managers, customisation also makes project delivery smoother. Instead of being locked into a narrow range of finishes from manufacturers, you can match seating to the wider design scheme and client brief, without compromising on ergonomics or timelines. That flexibility means fewer change requests, easier stakeholder sign-off, and a finished space that looks cohesive on day one. It’s a straightforward way to add value to your project while keeping control over quality and lead times.

Final Thoughts

As a facilities manager or fit-out lead, every choice you make shapes budgets, timelines, and how your workplace performs. New chairs might look like the “safe” option, but in reality they often bring higher costs, longer delays, and a heavier carbon footprint - with nothing extra to show for it. Refurbished premium chairs turn that equation on its head: the same ergonomics and design pedigree, delivered faster, at lower cost, and with carbon savings you can evidence in your ESG reporting.

If you’re ready to make your next project a proof point for smarter procurement, get in touch with us at Coggin SOS. We’ll help you realise that paying less can truly deliver more.

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Beyond Recycling: The Role of Office Furniture in a Truly Sustainable Economy

By Ida Gorecka • August 7, 2025

If you're here, you're probably managing a lot. A relocation, a refurbishment, or a growing ESG brief. Maybe you’re under pressure to meet sustainability targets, stay on budget, and deliver results your team and clients can actually see. And right now, office furniture might not be on your radar. But it should be. In most organisations, furniture is still treated as an afterthought. It’s functional, it’s bulky, and when it’s no longer needed, it’s often sent straight to landfill. But here’s the truth: when you start thinking of office furniture as a strategic asset within the circular economy , everything changes. For your budget . Your carbon reporting . Your project timelines . Your reputation . This article is for you if you’re tired of defaulting to skips. If you want smarter ways to meet ESG goals without blowing your budget. If you’re ready to make office sustainability a measurable advantage - not just a checkbox. We’ll show you just how much office furniture is wasted each year, what it’s really costing your business, and how the circular economy can apply directly to your projects. You’ll learn how organisations like yours are saving thousands, avoiding skips entirely, and turning unwanted furniture into reportable ESG wins - plus practical steps to get started today. Curious what your office clearance could be worth? Get in touch with our team for a free circular furniture audit.

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.