The Furniture Re-use Network and the reuse sector are set to celebrate the first ever Buy Nothing New Day on Black Friday (Friday 24 November).
The Furniture Re-use Network (FRN) has launched “Buy Nothing New” Day to dispel the myth that second-hand, means second-best, it says.
Supporting your local furniture reuse charity by donating or buying from them allows charities to provide furniture and essential services to those in need, FRN says.
Buy Nothing New Day is set to coincide with Black Friday (November 24) and give people what the FRN is calling an “ethical shopping alternative”.
“FRN members don’t just rely on furniture donations to provide essential household goods to those in need alongside provide employment and volunteering opportunities but also rely on customers to buy from their shops to support their core activities to help people in time of crisis.”
Craig Anderson, CEO, Furniture Re-use Network says: “FRN members don’t just rely on furniture donations to provide essential household goods to those in need alongside provide employment and volunteering opportunities but also rely on customers to buy from their shops to support their core activities to help people in time of crisis.”
Together with its members, the Furniture Re-use Network believes that no-one should be without a bed to sleep on, a cooker to cook on, or a sofa to sit on, wherever they live in the UK, it says.
In 2016, shoppers were estimated to have spent £4bn over the Black Friday/Cyber Monday weekend on new goods. Imagine the impact if that were to be spent in a charity shop instead, FRN suggests?
In 2016, 3.45m items of furniture and electrical equipment were reused in the UK.
People often look for bargain Christmas presents on Black Friday, however Triodos Bank found that adults in the UK receive £2.6bn worth of unwanted gifts at Christmas. 32% of people receive at least unwanted present every year with an average value of £155.
#BuyNothingNew day design work is available to download and use here
