Huge local market for second hand furniture: Good for the environment and for the wallet

July 2014

People are starting to understand that everything we do has an impact on the planet, which is why many of us are starting to truly live our lives cognisant of the “three Rs” of protecting and preserving the environment: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.

While it’s easy to become overwhelmed, it’s also possible to make a positive impact by simply changing a few small habits one at a time. “One of the things we can look at is our purchasing decisions, especially when it comes to buying new furniture and electronic goods,” explains Hayley Kingaby & Maureen Gordon, mom and daughter owners of the new Cash Converters in Oxford Village, Hillcrest. “The manufacturing of new furniture has a considerable carbon impact, especially when you consider that packaging, storage and shipping form part of the lifecycle of new furniture. There’s a long supply chain that we have no influence over, but we can reduce our carbon footprint by adjusting our buying habits,” says Maureen.

Selling old furniture or buying “pre-loved” furniture keeps it out of the landfill. It’s also one less item that has to be manufactured from scratch, thereby saving raw materials, reducing your carbon footprint and lowering CO2 emissions.

With just a week of trading under the belt, Maureen says already the response from the Hillcrest community has been amazing and shows a real appetite for second hand goods. “It is so good to see our society is slowly becoming less of a disposable society and it is a great way to upcycle one’s goods,” she says.

Many people change their home décor every few years in order to keep up with the latest trends, or their requirements change as their lifestyle changes – and the furniture is often still in excellent condition. “Nearly new’ or ‘previously loved’ furniture loses value in the resale market, which is a major plus for those who are looking to purchase second hand goods. Many pieces are still in excellent condition and can be purchased at a bargain price. Additionally, when you buy pre-loved furniture, you can often buy much better quality than you would be able to if you were buying brand new. Your purchasing power is extended.”

We are steadily growing our stock of “previously loved” and are releasing this stock to the retail department daily.

“We know the demand is there and with Spring just around the corner Spring cleaning has just become a win-win!”

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