We’re all familiar with fast fashion, and the media love a story about it. In case you missed the memo, it’s the endless cycle of cheap, trend-driven clothing that fills (some of) our wardrobes at an alarming rate… then ends up in landfill. The campaign for slow fashion has helped people to shift their mindsets and instead buy clothing that lasts, or is mendable, as well as encouraging swapping, reselling and of course, renting.
But what about fast furniture? The same disposable mindset has crept into our homes, with mass-produced pieces bought on impulse and chucked out just as quickly. We’ve all seen those sheep sets of shelves and bedside tables lying in the street…
A survey by Furniture123 found that the average Brit replaces their furniture every three years. Meanwhile, the rise of self-storage companies like Big Yellow Storage and Safestore shows just how much stuff we accumulate. The answer? So much that we don’t have space for it in our homes.
It’s a problem that James Wallman explores in Stuffocation, a book about how we’re drowning in possessions. Wallman argues that we’ve reached peak consumerism and that accumulating more doesn’t make us happier – it just makes us stressed. IKEA’s own head of sustainability echoed this back in 2016, saying we’ve ‘hit peak home furnishings’. Yet the cycle continues…
The hidden costs of fast furniture
At first glance, fast furniture seems like a good deal. It’s affordable, convenient and keeps up with interior trends, which these days change as fast as clothing fashions. But the true cost of it is far higher:
- Environmental waste – Many of these pieces aren’t built to last, ending up in landfill after just a few years. In the UK alone, 22 million pieces of furniture are discarded each year.
- Hidden carbon footprint – Cheap furniture is rarely made locally and often travels thousands of miles before reaching your home, racking up a hefty carbon footprint along the way.
- Poor quality, high turnover – Unlike well-made furniture that can last decades (or even get handed down generations), fast furniture is often designed for obsolescence – falling apart just in time for the next seasonal refresh.
The shift towards less but better
Thankfully, the tide is turning. A growing number of people are choosing quality over quantity, moving away from disposable consumption. That’s the mission behind Wallman’s latest venture, the World Experience Organisation, helping people live better by focusing on moments, not material goods.
At Poppy, we’re part of that shift too. Renting furniture is about access over ownership, which means you can style your space in a way that suits your life right now, without the waste. It’s a way to refresh your home without the guilt – no landfill, no regret purchases, just beautiful, well-made pieces that move with you.
The future is circular
If we’ve truly hit peak home furnishings, then what’s next? More conscious choices. Whether it’s renting instead of buying, upcycling instead of replacing, or investing in fewer, better pieces – there’s a growing movement towards a more sustainable way of living. Fast furniture? We think it's time to slow down.