Old furniture, fresh impetus

‘Der Schweizerische Hausigentümer’: Vintage furniture is very much in vogue. What social and ecological factors have contributed to this trend?

Gianluca Scheidegger: The trend towards vintage furniture is being driven by a variety of factors. But it’s worth noting that this isn’t an entirely new phenomenon at all. For quite some time now, just a minority of people have only been buying brand-new items to furnish their homes. Ten years ago, this proportion stood at just 12%. In recent times, it is primarily a growing awareness of sustainability and prices, the desire for individuality and unique design, a thriving second-hand market and supply bottlenecks that have driven this trend forward.

Many people in Switzerland would prefer to continue using existing products in good working order or have damaged items repaired than buy brand-new items. This both saves money and helps to protect the environment. A preference for distinctive items over mass-produced ones and adding a personal touch to your home is another key factor for many households. This has been true especially since the COVID-19 pandemic with people spending more time at home and sometimes still doing so - for example, by working from home more often.

Buying and selling used furniture is now easier than ever before. Whereas before you had to scour various second-hand shops, flea markets or antique dealers to find the right piece of furniture, an almost endless selection of vintage furniture can now be found online. And the trend is growing: in August 2014, for example, there were 20,000 furniture adverts on tutti.ch – a popular second-hand marketplace – whereas today, ten years on, there are 173,000 such ads - an increase of 765%!​

Consumers are impatient. If they need something, they want it immediately. That’s no different when it comes to buying furniture. Recent disruptions to global supply chains have led to extremely lengthy lead times on furniture in many places, and that’s sometimes still the case today. This situation has prompted many buyers to shop on second-hand marketplaces instead where the furniture is available immediately.

Is vintage furniture a passing fad - or is it here to stay long term?

Given the many different factors behind the popularity of vintage furniture, I certainly don’t think it’s a short-term fad. However, the decline in the supply of vintage furniture may present challenges in future. Almost as a counter-trend, sales of very cheaply produced furniture have also risen over recent years. Products known as ‘fast interiors’ are often unsuitable for resale due to their poor quality. Most of it ends up in landfill after just a few years: municipal refuse per capita per year in Switzerland has climbed from 525 kg in 1985 to 704 kg in 2020. These statistics include old furniture, home furnishings and mattresses. The USA, which records refuse consisting of furniture and home furnishings separately, saw a sharp rise in furniture disposed of at municipal landfill sites between 1960 (2,150,000 kg in total) and 2018 (12,080,000 kg).

How important is awareness of sustainability for people who buy vintage furniture?

For consumers who’re highly aware of sustainability, vintage furniture provides an attractive alternative to buying brand-new items. Firstly, this avoids having to manufacture new furniture, thereby saving resources. Secondly, low-quality products are usually made from materials that are more harmful to the environment than natural ones. Unlike solid wood, chipboard sometimes contains binding agents that are detrimental to the environment. Thirdly, vintage furniture is generally more durable than mass-produced items. A piece of furniture has to stand the test of time for around 20 years to be deemed ‘vintage’. Sustainability experts indicate that most of the furniture currently ending up in landfill sites was manufactured in the past 10 to 15 years which means it never even gained ‘vintage’ status.

Read the full interview here.

Dr. Gianluca Scheidegger is Senior Researcher and Speaker at the Gottlieb Duttweiler Institute. Holding a doctorate in economics, he analyses social, economic and technological changes with a focus on retail and consumer behaviour.