The Australian Furnishing Industry Stewardship Council (AFISC) is driving the transformation of Australia’s furnishing sector toward a circular, more sustainable future. One perspective that strongly aligns with this mission comes from a recent article from TCO Development, which explored carbon footprinting through the concept of “annualising” emissions—that is, looking at a product’s impact over its full lifecycle rather than just at the point of manufacture. While TCO’s focus was on IT equipment, the same principle applies to furniture, where product longevity plays a defining role in reducing emissions.
In the furniture industry, this perspective holds true. Fast furniture—often cheaply made and designed for short use—may need to be replaced quickly due to wear or breakages, fuelling additional consumption and waste. Approximately 30,000 tonnes of commercial furniture are discarded each year in Australia, with as much as 95% ending up in landfill. Each time a piece of furniture is discarded early, the embedded carbon, materials, and labour that went into its production are effectively wasted. By contrast, well-made, repairable, and responsibly sourced furniture can remain in use for decades, spreading its carbon footprint across many more years of useful life.
What longevity can mean in practice
- Durability and quality: Designing furniture to last can significantly reduce the annualised carbon footprint compared to pieces with shorter lifespans.
- Repair and maintenance: Making spare parts and services available may extend product life, keeping items in use longer.
- Refurbishment and remanufacturing: Refurbishing or repurposing furniture can delay the need for new production and reduce waste.
- Responsibly sourced materials: Choosing materials from certified, transparent, or local supply chains may lower transport emissions, avoid high-carbon inputs, and ensure sustainably harvested timber continues to store, rather than release, carbon.
- Circular procurement: Globally, procurement policies are increasingly requiring whole-of-life thinking—shifting decision-making away from lowest upfront cost and toward long-term value and sustainability.
Why this matters
We can learn a lot from the TCO approach. By including product lifespan in carbon accounting, they show how industry can be incentivised to design for longevity and encourage purchasers to extend use. Applied to furniture, this lesson is powerful.
- Annualised carbon footprint reminds us that a sofa or chair that lasts 20 years has a far smaller footprint per year than one that breaks or is replaced after three.
- Sharing best practices is equally relevant — when furniture makers collaborate on sustainable materials, repair systems, or take-back programs, the whole industry advances more quickly.
- Supporting longer lifetimes speaks directly to design and craftsmanship. Furniture built to be repaired, refurbished, and loved for decades delivers the greatest environmental benefit.
The bigger message is that climate action requires more than reporting. It calls for durable design, transparent supply chains, and systems that keep furniture in use longer. For our sector, this is the clearest pathway away from disposable “fast furniture” and toward a truly circular model.
AFISC’s role
The Australian Furnishing Industry Stewardship Council supports the furnishing sector through initiatives such as guidance on chemicals of concern, responsible procurement frameworks, and industry collaboration to extend product lifecycles, eliminate waste, and reduce environmental impact.
Conclusion
As TCO reminds us, if products last longer, their climate impact per year drops—and furniture is no exception. Longevity can mean lower carbon footprints. That’s why AFISC continues to advocate for durable, repairable, circular solutions — delivering environmental and economic benefits well beyond the first purchase.
To learn more or to get involved with AFISC’s work, visit us at www.afisc.eco or contact us directly at care@afisc.eco. Together, we can create a more sustainable future for the furniture industry.