In today’s business environment, sustainability isn’t just a buzzword—it’s a necessity. Circular procurement, particularly when it comes to office furniture, is emerging as a powerful way for companies to reduce waste, cut costs, and contribute to the circular economy. But how do you make this shift from traditional, all-new furnishings to a more sustainable, circular approach? It requires a mindset shift, flexibility, and a commitment to long-term impact over immediate convenience.
What is Circular Procurement?
Circular procurement focuses on reducing the lifecycle impact of products by extending their use through repair, refurbishment, and remanufacturing. Instead of buying new every time, companies can source pre-owned or remanufactured items, reducing both their environmental footprint and costs. When applied to office furnishings, this approach can significantly lower the carbon footprint associated with the extraction of raw materials required to produce new furniture.
How to Approach Pre-Owned and Remanufactured Furniture Solutions
Here are six key strategies for integrating circular procurement into your office space planning:
- Stay Open-Minded: Circular procurement may require a more flexible approach to design. Pre-owned pieces may not be exact replicas of what you’d find in a catalog of new furniture, but they offer character, uniqueness, and tell a story. Refurbished items, such as task chairs, like the iconic Herman Miller Aeron, can be in like-new condition at a fraction of the cost of new while remanufactured workstations and benching offer standardization and customizations at scale, just like new.
- Flexibility is Key: The more adaptable your design vision, the easier it will be to integrate pre-owned solutions. Instead of being fixated on specific brand-new items, focus on style, functionality, and overall aesthetic. The best place to begin is at the concept stage.
- Plan Ahead (3 Month Lead Time): Since pre-owned and remanufactured pieces are often sourced from various locations and customized to fit your needs, give yourself plenty of time to plan, curate, and finalize the selection. A lead time of 3 months is ideal for a smooth transition, although smaller projects can be done in can quickly as 3 weeks.
- Explore Cost Benefits: The primary reason many companies turn to pre-owned solutions is cost. Often, the journey starts with a company getting quotes for new furnishings, only to discover that they’re significantly over budget. Turning to circular solutions can result in savings of up to 50% while still achieving a high-quality, professional look.
- Embrace Adaptability: Each piece of pre-owned or remanufactured furniture comes with a story. These items can be tailored to your needs—whether it’s adding power modules to tables or refinishing workstations—allowing for custom solutions that align with your company’s unique vision.
- Contribute to Sustainability Goals: Many organizations, particularly after the global shifts of recent years, are prioritizing sustainability. Incorporating circular procurement helps meet corporate sustainability targets, reduces landfill waste, and supports the circular economy.
How EcoVadis Transformed Their Workspace with Circular Procurement
Let’s take a real-world example of how circular procurement transformed the workspace for EcoVadis, a company committed to sustainability.
Step 1: Initial Exploration
EcoVadis began their office redesign by looking at all-new furniture options. After receiving quotes from leading brands, they quickly realized the cost left little room for anything else. Searching for more affordable alternatives, they turned to Envirotech and were intrigued by the possibility of using pre-owned and remanufactured furniture as it further supported their sustainability values.
Step 2: Conceptualization and Design
Once EcoVadis decided to explore pre-owned options, the design process began. Envirotech worked closely with their team, Syllable Design to understand their vision which included: natural elements, rounded furniture, and neutral tones, and then started sourcing pre-owned pieces that fit these criteria. In just one month, Envirotech developed a curated plan that showcased how we could furnish their 16,000 sq/ft space using 95% pre-owned and remanufactured furniture. Below is an example of how that floor plan looked.
Step 3: Sourcing Pre-Owned Furniture Across North America
Next, our sourcing team identified high-quality pre-owned pieces from three decommission projects across North America—Philadelphia, New York, and California. These items were carefully chosen to match EcoVadis’ design goals while staying flexible and open to adjustments as inventory availability changed. We worked with their designer to ensure each piece fit seamlessly into their layout, customizing items where necessary.
Step 4: Finalizing the Selection
After a month of refining choices, EcoVadis signed off on the final selections. We carefully balanced pre-owned inventory with the few new pieces required, giving them both the sustainability impact they wanted and the polished, professional look they needed.
Step 5: Installation and Completion
From initial concept to completion, the project took just six months. The result? A stunning, modern workspace where 95% of the furnishings were pre-owned or remanufactured. EcoVadis not only stayed under budget but also achieved a new benchmark in sustainable office design. Their space is now a showcase for circular innovation and proves that sustainability can lead to beautiful, functional, and cost-effective office solutions. Below are some of the images from that project.
Want to know more about this project? See the final results here.
How to Get Started with Circular Procurement
If you’re ready to explore circular procurement for your upcoming project, here’s how to take the first steps:
- Understand Your Goals
Start by asking these key questions:
- Is cost savings a priority for your company?
- How important is sustainability in your procurement decisions?
- What is your budget, and how flexible is it?
- What is your lead time for this project? A timeline of 3-6 months is ideal for sourcing and customizing pre-owned or remanufactured furniture.
- Is your company open to new solutions, or are you standardized on all-new products?
TIP: Many organizations are standardized on new furnishings, but not on pre-owned or remanufactured options. Understanding your company’s current approach to sourcing bids is crucial. How can you introduce remanufactured, pre-owned, or refurbished items into your supplier quoting criteria?
- Work With, or Without a Designer
Whether or not you work with a designer, it’s important to have a clear vision of your space. If your company already works with a designer, involve them early in the process to help incorporate circular solutions into your office layout.
Don’t have a designer? No problem! At Envirotech, we offer complimentary space planning and design support. Our team can work with you directly to understand your needs and curate a solution that balances style, functionality, and sustainability. All you need is a floor plan or project details, and we can get started.
- Find a Circular Procurement Partner
Working with a trusted partner is essential to successfully incorporating pre-owned and remanufactured furniture into your office design. Your partner will help you navigate every step of the process—from sourcing the right pieces and customizing them to fit your vision, to coordinating the logistics and managing the installation. With the right support, you can achieve a workspace that is both cost-effective and environmentally responsible, all while meeting your company’s specific needs and sustainability goals.
- Commit to Your Sustainability Goals
Align your procurement process with your company’s sustainability objectives. Measuring the environmental impact of your choices can strengthen your organization’s commitment to reducing waste and supporting the circular economy. Each piece of pre-owned or remanufactured furniture tells a story of sustainability, and your company can proudly be part of that narrative.
By following these steps, you can make informed decisions that not only benefit your budget but also contribute to a more sustainable future.
Interested in seeing how Envirotech can help your business create a stunning, sustainable office space? Send us your project details and let’s collaborate on creating the workspace of the future!
Upcoming project? Explore our marketplace of pre-owned inventory – new items are updated daily!
