Buy a sofa, help the planet
You may have heard of fast fashion and the cost it has on the environment, but there’s a similar trend going on in the world of interior design - fast furniture. The EPA estimates that 9 million tons of furniture are tossed every single year. That's roughly 5% of everything brought to landfills and most of this is estimated to have been made in the last 10-15 years. That’s because these items are not being built to last and the minute something breaks, we toss it.
(Source: Architectural Digest)
When it comes to my business, I’ve always been an advocate of incorporating existing pieces and although it’s not my focus, I’ve been known to do a few DIY projects that bring new life into an old piece rather than getting rid of it all together. But I also recognize that there’s a LOT of room for improvement, so I’ve been researching and focusing on promoting more climate conscious and sustainable brands.
Enter, LoveSac. I know what you’re thinking: “the company that makes giant bean bags, right?” Yep, that’s the one. But it turns out, they do way more than that and are tackling the fast furniture crisis with their focus on sustainable, designed for life sofas called “sactionals.”
These modular sofas are not only built to last, but they are also designed to evolve with you and never go out of style. At any time, you can update the color, the fabric, replace cushions or armrests or even change the configuration if you move into a new home and need the chaise on the opposite side.
Through a circular business model, LoveSac’s goal is to stop selling couches completely by 2040. The idea is that customers will keep the same couch for many years, but continue paying to replace elements or make updates. And in the end, if you do get tired of your couch, they will sell it for you second hand so nothing ends up in the landfill.
Sactionals use upholstery fabric made from 100% Repreve certified recycled yarns
For every purchase of a “sactional” you save 4 couches from going into a landfill).
The best part? You can design and purchase your entire custom sofa online, meaning there are no massive warehouses or store rooms and therefore a smaller carbon footprint. But for those of you who want to try before you buy, LoveSac has partnered with Costco so you can find the sofas there and test them out.
Other benefits:
Patented interlocking system
Under couch storage
Embedded speakers and charging capabilities
Add-ons like coasters and cup holders
If you’ve heard of other environmentally conscious brands with good products, let me know in the comments below! I’d love to feature them in future posts.
PS. This is not sponsored content.
