Efficient reuse of office furniture

Problem

When organisations replace their office furniture, usable furniture often ends up in recycling. The furniture is often recycled for its materials or used in energy production by being incinerated, even if it could be reused. Virgin natural resources and energy are consumed for their production, causing greenhouse gas emissions.

Solution: Efficient reuse of office furniture

Pa-Ri Materia’s circular economy concept extends the service life of office furniture: the company receives, refurbishes and sells large volumes of used office furniture. Office furniture equivalent to a thousand truckloads were forwarded for reuse via the concept in Finland in 2017. The calculated raw material savings were approximately 13 million kg and over 210 million kg of clean water were saved, when compared to producing the equivalent amount of new products. The products are sold with a two-year warranty.

Pa-Ri Materia’s revenue model and benefits

Depending on the usability of the furniture, Pa-Ri Materia either purchases the furniture for itself or the party giving up the furniture pays for its recycling and forwarding for reuse. All furniture becomes the property of Pa-Ri Materia, which makes large warehouse premises an absolute necessity. The concept of Pa-Ri Materia is the only concept in Finland to focus on the reuse of large volumes of furniture. In addition, old furniture considered by others to be waste can be put to new use.

Benefits to the customer and end user

Office furniture purchased via the Pa-Ri Materia concept is more affordable than new furniture, and it is also readily available. Furniture can be picked up quickly, and large volumes are available at any one time. Some of the customers specifically want to purchase recycled furniture. In addition to the price being lower than sending the furniture to landfill or incineration, the organisations supplying furniture to Pa-Ri Materia can be motivated by the knowledge that they are putting their goods to the most ecological use.