Why Second-Hand Doesn't Mean Second-Rate: How Refurbished Office Furniture Transforms Workspaces

Ida Gorecka • May 6, 2025

Still picturing dusty chairs and wobbly desks when you hear "second-hand office furniture"? That outdated image might be costing you thousands.


You're ready to upgrade or refresh your office. You need professional furniture that reflects your organisation’s standards. But £900 per chair? £2,000 per desk? And a 12-week wait? It's no wonder the market for refurbished furniture is growing 8% annually.


Modern refurbished office furniture isn't just cleaned-up used items. Premium pieces are completely restored-mechanisms rebuilt, surfaces refinished, fabrics replaced-creating furniture that looks and performs like new. The only difference? You'll pay 50-80% less and have it delivered next week, not next quarter.


In this article, we'll walk you through what today's refurbishment really involves, the surprising benefits beyond just cost savings, and how this choice could upgrade your work environment while reflecting well on your business judgment. The professional office you want might be more within reach than you realised.

Common Myths About Refurbished Office Furniture

Before exploring how refurbished office furniture can transform your professional workspace, let's address the most common concerns we hear:


Myth 1: "Refurbished furniture looks worn out."

Reality: Professional refurbishment involves complete restoration of appearance, often making pieces indistinguishable from new.


Myth 2: "It won't last as long as new furniture."

Reality: Premium office furniture is built with 15-20 year lifespans. Proper refurbishment often delivers another 10+ years of service.


Myth 3: "The warranty won't be comprehensive."

Reality: Quality refurbished furniture comes with warranties comparable to new items, typically 12 months depending on the provider.


Myth 4: "It's hard to find matching sets."

Reality: Established refurbishers like Coggin SOS maintain extensive inventories specifically organised to provide cohesive workplace solutions.


Myth 5: "It's only worth considering for back offices."

Reality: Today's refurbished furniture is suitable for any professional environment, including executive spaces and client-facing areas.


Now that we've cleared up these misconceptions, let's explore why refurbished office furniture has become the strategic choice for creating impressive professional workspaces without compromise.


Did you know that refurbishing your office furniture can help you achieve Net-Zero goals? For more information on how, go to this article.

Premium Quality Without the Hefty Price Tag

The office furniture refurbishment industry has evolved from basic cleaning to sophisticated restoration that rivals original manufacturing. At Coggin SOS, we employ skilled technicians who understand premium furniture engineering, use manufacturer-approved parts, and implement rigorous quality control.


When Herman Miller, Steelcase, or Humanscale pieces enter our workshop, we completely disassemble each item, inspect all components, pressure-test mechanisms, refinish surfaces, and replace worn parts with manufacturer-standard components.


The result meets (sometimes even exceeds!) the quality standards of new furniture. Clients consistently report that colleagues and visitors cannot tell the difference between our refurbished pieces from brand-new furniture, even when specifically looking for differences.


Skip the 12-week wait. Contact us today to see which premium refurbished pieces we can deliver to you next week.

Why Premium Brands Make Perfect Refurbishment Candidates

If you're considering refurbished office furniture, here's the key: not all pieces are built to last, but premium brands are. The difference is in the details.


Here’s what sets premium furniture apart:


  • Modular Design - Easy to repair or refresh with replaceable parts
  • Commercial-Grade Materials - Built to handle years of daily wear
  • Timeless Aesthetics - Looks that stay relevant, not trendy
  • Engineered Durability - Mechanisms designed for 15+ years of use


Take the iconic Herman Miller Aeron chair: over 200 individual parts, most of them designed to be replaceable. Its frame is typically made from high-grade aluminium and reinforced composite materials. The mesh seat is stress-tested to endure over 200,000 flexes without losing tension or support. That’s the equivalent of a decade of heavy, daily use!


For you, that means furniture that’s not only more sustainable, but more dependable. A five-year-old premium task chair, when professionally refurbished, can deliver another ten years of daily use, comfortably and confidently. That’s something no budget option can promise.


At Coggin SOS, this is exactly why we focus our refurbishment efforts on top-tier brands. Their thoughtful engineering, quality materials, and timeless design give us the foundation to deliver furniture that feels and performs like new.


Click here to browse through our inventory of premium office furniture brands.

What You Really Gain by Choosing Refurbished Office Furniture

Beyond the obvious advantages, refurbished furniture offers benefits that might surprise you:


Immediate Availability


Waiting 10-14 weeks, or even up to 20, for new office furniture is still the norm. That’s a long time to keep your team waiting or delay a move-in.


With Coggin SOS, that timeline shrinks drastically. We hold a large inventory of high-quality refurbished furniture that’s ready to go-most deliveries happen within 7-10 working days. Our warehouse stocks thousands of items across desks, chairs, storage, and more, so you can get what you need, when you need it.


Need to get your team set up quickly? Get in touch and let’s check what’s available for immediate delivery.


Customisation Options


Think refurbished means ‘one-size-fits-all’? Think again.


Because we disassemble and rebuild each piece during our process, we can also customise to your specs-whether that means desks in non-standard sizes or chairs reupholstered in your brand colours. Unlike most new furniture providers locked into fixed configurations, we offer flexibility. That means a workspace that reflects your brand, fits your floorplan, and works for your team.


Proven Durability


One overlooked advantage of refurbished furniture? It’s already passed the test of time.


Premium office furniture is designed to endure. When you choose refurbished, you’re not gambling on how it will hold up-you’re getting pieces that have already demonstrated their durability in working environments. This is especially valuable because manufacturing defects and weaknesses often show up in the first year of use. Refurbished furniture from top-tier brands has already cleared that hurdle. 


Measurable Environmental Impact


Choosing refurbished isn’t just a smart operational decision; it’s an environmental one, too. And at Coggin SOS, we give you the data to prove it.


Every purchase includes a Savings Certificate that quantifies your environmental contribution, including:


  • Carbon emissions saved
  • Materials diverted from landfill
  • Cost savings compared to new


These numbers count. They're ready to be included in ESG reports, sustainability updates, and stakeholder briefings.


Curious what else you might be missing? Read our top five reasons to go green this year.

The Professional Process Behind Quality Furniture Refurbishment

When you're choosing refurbished office furniture, it's natural to wonder: how do I know it's actually reliable?


The answer lies in the process. At Coggin SOS, we’ve spent years refining every step of our refurbishment workflow, because quality outcomes don’t happen by accident. They’re built in.


Here’s what that process looks like from start to finish:


Selection: Only premium commercial-grade furniture enters our workshop

Disassembly: Complete breakdown of each piece for thorough inspection

Deep Cleaning: Industrial processes remove all traces of previous use

Component Testing: Every mechanism and structural element is evaluated

Replacement: Any worn parts are replaced with manufacturer-standard components

Refinishing: Surfaces restored to original appearance

Reupholstery: New commercial-grade fabrics applied where needed

Quality Control: Rigorous testing ensures like-new performance

Certification: Each piece receives our quality guarantee


The attention to detail at each stage ensures that what leaves our workshop isn't merely "refurbished" but genuinely restored to original performance standards.


If you're still weighing the pros and cons...


Read: “Is Refurbished Furniture Right for You? Here’s What You Need to Know”

The Role of Office Furniture in The Circular Economy 

The circular economy isn’t simply a trend, it’s quickly becoming a core part of modern business strategy. Instead of the old linear model (take → make → dispose), circular systems are designed to keep resources in use longer, extracting more value while reducing waste.


And office furniture? It’s one of the easiest and most meaningful places to start.


Every high-quality chair or desk is made from materials like aluminium, steel, advanced plastics, and durable textiles-materials that take lots of energy and resources to produce. When these items are refurbished instead of thrown away, all of that embedded value is preserved. Keeping resources in circulation, avoiding unnecessary waste, and reducing environmental strain.


As the Ellen MacArthur Foundation notes, organisations embracing circular principles often benefit from:


  • Stronger customer trust and loyalty
  • Greater regulatory and sustainability readiness
  • Increased supply chain resilience
  • Real environmental metrics to back your claims


Want to dive deeper into the circular economy in the workplace? Check out our Learning Centre for practical insights, data, and examples.

Isn't It Time to Rethink Your Office Upgrade?

As you plan your next office refresh, ask yourself: Does it make sense to pay premium prices and wait months for new furniture when professionally refurbished alternatives offer comparable quality, immediate availability, and major cost savings?


The perfect office set-up could already be sitting in our inventory, ready for you. Stop settling for delays and high costs. Contact us today to see how refurbished furniture can change the way you work, with a solution that’s ready to go now.

Beyond the Skip: How Recycling Office Furniture Saves Money and the Planet

By Ida Gorecka • June 17, 2025
Are you still throwing perfectly good office furniture into skips? Every year, millions of pieces of furniture are discarded in the UK, with the majority going directly to landfill. Meanwhile, the standard landfill tax rate in the UK is currently £103.70 per tonne, and it's only getting more expensive. But what if there was a better way? What if that "outdated" desk or those "worn" chairs could actually save you money while keeping valuable resources in circulation ? Recycling old office furniture isn't just about doing the right thing environmentally; it's about making smart financial decisions that protect your finances. According to recent statistics , office furniture accounts for an estimated 8.5 million tons of furniture waste per year globally, yet 51% of furniture is reusable if we take into account items requiring slight repair. You're facing a choice every time you clear out your office. The skip route costs money and harms the environment. The recycling route saves money and creates value. Here's how recycling old office furniture can transform your business operations while delivering measurable savings. Want to see how much you could save by recycling your office furniture? Contact our team for a free assessment and quote.

Reworking Workspaces: How Refurbished and Resized Office Desks Save Money and the Planet

By Ida Gorecka • June 2, 2025
Our approach to workspace design is evolving as organisations recognise the enormous waste and environmental impact of the traditional "buy new, dispose later" furniture cycle. Every year, organisations across the UK retire thousands of perfectly usable office desks-not because they’re damaged, but due to layout changes, branding updates, or relocations. These desks often end up in landfills , despite being made from valuable materials that require large amounts of energy and resources to produce. This disposable mentality is costing your business money AND damaging the planet by wasting valuable resources. But what if there was a solution that saved you money while reducing your carbon footprint ? By choosing refurbished and resized office desks, you can make smarter, more sustainable choices that help reduce waste , cut costs , and create premium-quality offices - all without the lengthy lead times that accompany new furniture purchases. If you've never considered refurbished desks before, you're in the right place to learn why they should be your obvious choice for your next project. But even if you have, keep reading for valuable insights into how refurbished and resized desks can improve sustainability initiatives, maximise cost savings, and support long-term business goals. Curious to see what’s available? Browse our current inventory of high-quality refurbished desks-updated daily and ready for fast delivery.

Finding the Balance: Quality Seating Without the Environmental Cost

By Ida Gorecka • May 25, 2025
Did you know that the average office worker spends around 1,700 hours a year sitting in their chair? That's a staggering 70% of your working life spent in a single piece of furniture. Yet many organisations overlook the importance of quality seating, either settling for cheap chairs that quickly deteriorate or spending a fortune on brand new premium options. Refurbished office chairs offer the perfect balance of comfort , quality , and sustainability that today's offices need. At Coggin SOS, we've helped hundreds of organisations discover that you don't need to compromise on quality to make environmentally conscious choices. In fact, opting for refurbished office chairs can provide high-quality seating at up to 80% less than the cost of buying new. In this article, we’ll explore why refurbished office chairs aren’t just a good option-they're often the smarter one. From environmental impact that can tick off your ESG targets to ergonomic design and cost savings, this is your guide to finding the perfect seat. Our warehouse is stocked with top-brand refurbished chairs - ready to deliver in days, not weeks. Get in touch to check availability.