Antiques Save the Planet

Yes, you read that title right. Confused? I'll explain.

We've all heard the saying "reduce, reuse, recycle" at some point or another in our lives...but did you know it applies to furniture too? Not just things like bottles and cans. In fact, repurposing antique and vintage furniture is a great way to help contribute to the slowing of deforestation and decreasing your home's carbon footprint!

Antique furniture is likely to have a carbon footprint sixteen times lower than furniture that is newly manufactured, not to mention that it decreases demand for today's more environmentally-taxing furniture. Modern furniture bought from retail stores is also often mass-produced, cheaply made, and can fall apart within just a few years. That's wasted material just piling up in our already overflowing landfills. Antiques, on the other hand, are built to last — that's why they're still around! They've already stood the test of time. Plus, many handmade antiques are done by people, not machines, so owning one may guarantee you a totally one-of-a-kind piece of work. This, combined with the rich history embedded deep into every antique, makes them an incredible choice to furnish your home.

But specializing in antique and vintage pieces isn't all we do at Old Plank to try to reduce deforestation and our own carbon footprint. When it comes to furniture repairs and our custom made furniture, we try to use reclaimed wood as much as we can, such as wood from old barns that is proven to be study and has already been treated against the weather. This way, we reduce the need for outside wood as much as possible. In addition, all of our custom pieces are handcrafted in our in-house workshop, and built with the utmost care so that they stand the test of time for many, many years to come. We also offer repair services, and can build anything to your specifications, so that furniture can be repurposed instead of going through the hassle of finding something new!

A lot of people doing little things to make a difference can really add up to make a big impact. When it comes to your home, make a choice that will make both you and the planet happy.