Ethical consumption and a second chance for furniture

Consumption is all around us – it is the force that drives the economy, the cultural practice by which we shape and express ourselves, and the everyday practice by which we acquire goods.

And what does ethical consumption mean to us? The closest to us are the definitions given by Jobber (in Goworek 2011, 75), who defines ethical consumption as making purchase decisions not only based on personal interests but also on the basis of the interests of society and the environment, and Munchy and Vitell (in Joergens 2006), who write that ethical consumption is a set of moral principles and standards that guide the behaviour of individuals when acquiring, using and disposing of products.

Ethical consumption is therefore a modern phenomenon that is becoming increasingly important in the food, automotive, cosmetic, fashion and also furniture industry. We are aware and happy that consumers are becoming more and more educated and informed about issues of ethical consumption, and they want, expect and demand more responsible and sustainable business operations from companies.

Ethical consumers buy products from companies that do not harm or exploit the environment, people or animals. They may have political, religious, spiritual, environmental, social or other motivations for choosing one product over another, but what they have in common is that they are aware of the effects that their consumption choices have on them personally and also on the world around them, and are concerned about these effects (Harrison et al. 2005, 3). An ethical consumer is a consumer who, in addition to traditional selection criteria such as price, quality, appearance, usability, also considers the ethical aspect of the product when purchasing. It therefore chooses products that reflect its moral, ethical and social principles. To discover and research the topics of modern ethical consumption and how to become an ethical consumer, we advise you to visit the website Choice and their Ethical Shopping Guide.

Although there are more and more ethical consumers, consumers in Europe throw away several million tons of furniture every year, which ends up in incinerators and landfills. We are very proud of the fact that we offer you hand refurbished second-hand furniture. The Cup of Tea story intertwines our passion for furniture and a commitment to a sustainable and so-called “slow-fashion” range of armchairs and chairs.

According to Ecologists Without Borders, “reuse and use of second-hand products is growing mainly at the expense of consumer demand”. According to the portal Manj je več, there are 25 centers in Slovenia where we can bring products that we no longer need. These products are then repaired or transformed into new products. According to data from 19 centers, in 2019 more than 185,000 products that would otherwise end up in landfills or incinerators were given a new life. You can read more information about reuse in Slovenia on their blog entry Reuse — Trend of the present for the future.

Our renovation process

Our armchair renovation process consists of several phases. We start with a careful selection of discarded or old pieces of furniture that are for sale in Slovenia or that come into our hands through buyers who want to sustainably restore them. Each piece is then processed and refurbished. First, we remove the worn-out fabric, foam and the like. We start with sanding and painting of the wood or metal frame. We completely replace the filling, cushions and fabric – all so that we can ensure a long-term comfort of the refurbished armchair / chair. We measure the cushions and sew all the necessary covers by hand. For the fabric, we most often use velvet, and recently also “bouclé”, and sometimes also artificial or real leather. In all cases, all these materials are extremely grateful for long-term and daily use, and at the same time convenient for cleaning stains (with a wet cloth and natural fabric cleaners). In our processes we try to minimize the impact on the environment and also use all “leftovers” of fabric for making cushions. With a lot of love, we make sure that Cup of Tea furniture gets another chance for a second, long life in a new home.

We are extremely grateful that our efforts to produce sustainable products for the home were also noticed by the Center for Creativity, which awarded our armchairs the unique “Made in Slovenia” Selection of Design Excellence. 

Literature:

  • Goworek, Helen. 2011. Social and environmental sustainability in the clothing industry: A case study of a fair trade retailer. Social Responsibility Journal 7 (1): 74–86.
  • Harrison, Rob, Newholm Terry in Deidre Shaw. 2005. The Ethical Consumer. London: Sage Publications.
  • Joergens, Catrin. 2006. Ethical fashion: myth or future trend? Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management 10 (3): 360–371.
  • Ponovna uporaba — Trend sedanjosti za prihodnost (wwv.ebm.si).