Repair, Restore and Redefine

With plastic all but banished, the fight for waste control is upon us. Redefining the way we use and consume products is at the forefront of design and retail. Consumers are becoming more sustainably conscious, wanting products to last longer and create a less damaging impact on the environment.

Creating new pieces out of seemingly old ones is also becoming more popular. The Restoration helps redefine seemingly out dated furniture, blending history in a modern day context, creating unique pieces. Much like the The Restory in London, which aims to reconnect you to those once loved but over tired products by giving your well loved handbags and shoes a revamp.

Moreover, The Restoration Station helps both restore both products and people. Funded by Spitalfield Crypt Trust, the project helps redefine new old furniture and supports people in the latter stages of rehab. Helping them regain responsibility, it is a literal interpretation of how hard work can change and create a whole new creation.

With 80% of furniture ending up in landfills, Feather, is trying to change the landscape by giving consumers a subscription-based service, where you can rent, return, repair and buy furniture. This helps reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfills but gives buyers the options they crave.

Reaching to the Council of the European Union, there will soon be a vote to determine whether companies need to provide consumers with access to spare parts and repair documentation. This enables easier disassembly, which will force brands to look at the complete circularity of products.

The start of this new phase of conscious buying, is creating a market for innovative and sustainable companies to thrive. Sustainability is more than a trend, it’s an inevitability that forces both consumers and the wider society to look at our impact on the planet and temper our contribution to waste and repair.

Transforming the idea of a circular business will become essential. Assessing what happens during the full life span of a product in repair, recyclability and reuse will be key.

Companies can help people contextualise and reconnect with products that might seem out of date. This opens a bond between the consumer and product as a bridge into creating life long stories for products.

Transparency will become necessary for brands. Directly informing a consumer about the long term implications of products will be essential in building trust.

• Buy Less, Buy Better
• Sustainable Luxuries
• Conscious Creators
• Zero Waste is The Way Forward