Why buying used saves the climate?

Every time you buy a used product from us, you avoid the emissions of manufacturing an entirely new one. That is a simple fact, but measuring it is not as straightforward. In this article we explain openly how we estimate the climate impact of our product categories, which figures we rely on and where the limits lie.

What does “avoided emission” mean?

When you buy a new sofa, emissions have already been generated in its manufacture — sourcing raw materials, transport, production, storage. When you buy a used sofa, those emissions do not need to be created again. This difference is called an avoided emission.

All figures in this article are in kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent (kg CO₂e) per sold product. The numbers are indicative averages based on commonly used industry sources — we do not claim they represent every individual product's exact footprint, but they give an honest picture of typical impact.

Summary: avoided emissions by product category

Values represent avoided emissions per sold product when a used item replaces manufacturing a new equivalent.

Category-by-category rationale

Home appliances — the largest single impact

Home appliances are exceptional in climate impact. Manufacturing one new refrigerator produces roughly 300–400 kg of carbon dioxide emissions, a washing machine about 200–250 kg and a dishwasher about 200 kg. At the other end, a coffee maker or small microwave produces only about 15 kg.

This is why buying a used appliance is one of the most effective climate actions in household purchases. When you buy a working used refrigerator from us, you save hundreds of kilograms of emissions.

Important note: Electricity use during operation is not included in this calculation. A very outdated appliance may produce more emissions in use than manufacturing a new one would save, so consider energy efficiency before buying.

Hobby equipment — long lifespan, large impact

Hobby equipment covers everything from bicycles to instruments. According to the European Cyclists' Federation, manufacturing a bicycle produces about 96 kg CO₂e (an e-bike 134 kg). Small instruments use fewer materials, while a large amp or keyboard can exceed 100 kg.

Reusing hobby equipment is especially rewarding because items are often durable and long-lived. When a guitar moves to the next player, its entire manufacturing footprint is “amortised” over additional years of use.

Furniture — from sofa to chest of drawers

The furniture category is broad: stools, chairs, tables, beds, chests, shelves, cabinets and sofas. ISKU publishes product-specific carbon footprint data under SFS-EN ISO 14067:2018, giving realistic figures: a chair about 31–53 kg, a sofa 173–419 kg depending on upholstery.

Buying used furniture avoids both raw material sourcing and manufacturing energy. For antique furniture the real saving can be even greater: original manufacture happened decades or centuries ago, and its emissions are not comparable to modern production.

Tools and power tools — steel, plastic and batteries

Tools typically contain steel, electrical parts and sometimes a motor and battery. A hand tool like a hammer or screwdriver sits at the low end of the range, while a cordless drill or small electric saw can reach 40–60 kg. Lithium-ion battery manufacture is especially emission-intensive — a power tool battery alone produces about 2–4 kg CO₂e.

Hand tools often last decades, so buying used significantly extends product life.

Electronics — focus on small devices

Electronics sold at Toisen aarre are mostly small devices: chargers, cables, speakers, headphones, radios and older consumer electronics. Larger items like laptops (2–40 kg) or external monitors (5–20 kg) are exceptions, but their avoided emissions are correspondingly higher.

Inrego and Sweden's IVL Environmental Research Institute have developed a scientifically validated model for avoided emissions from IT equipment, which we rely on for this category.

Home décor — ceramics, glass, textiles

Home décor covers decorative objects, candle holders, vases, mirrors, cushions and rugs. A ceramic vase is about 3 kg, a textile cushion about 5 kg, a larger rug up to 30 kg. Heavy metal pieces (statues, lanterns) can exceed the high estimate.

Clothing — from fibres to sewing

Making a garment is a whole chain: fibres, spinning, weaving, dyeing and sewing. A typical cotton T-shirt (~200 g) produces about 3 kg CO₂e, thicker wool fabric 7 kg, workwear up to 20 kg.

Textile reuse is especially effective because manufacturing also uses significant water and chemicals — avoiding those brings benefits beyond emission reductions. Fashion is one of the world's most polluting industries, and every used garment is a direct step to reduce its impact.

Kitchen and tableware — small items, large volumes

Ceramic tableware and kitchen tools are typically light and low in material. A single piece's manufacturing emissions are usually 1–3 kg, which may sound small — but when tableware sells in large quantities, avoided emissions add up significantly over a year.

Books — a familiar benchmark

According to VTT research, a typical 300-page, 500 g hardcover book has a carbon footprint of about 1.2 kg CO₂e — the same emissions as roughly seven kilometres by car. Large art books and scientific works can be heavier and thus higher in emissions.

Music media — vinyl, CD and cassette

Keele University research found a typical LP (135 g PVC) has a footprint of about 0.5 kg CO₂e, a CD only 0.17 kg and a cassette surprisingly up to 2.8 kg because it contains magnetic tape and a multi-material case. Music media are exceptionally long-lived, and their reuse is a natural part of music culture.

Art, posters and printed products

A poster is essentially a printed product like a book. A small A2 poster's manufacturing emissions are about 0.2 kg; a framed picture with frame and glass typically 1–3 kg. Original art is outside this group because its manufacturing footprint is unique and spread over a very long time.

Crafts, sewing and yarn

Yarn balls and fabrics are textile-based products. Cotton yarn emissions are about 2–5 kg per kg, wool yarn 14–49 kg per kg and polyester yarn 1–3 kg per kg. Because a typical ball weighs only 50–100 g, a single ball's footprint stays low.

Craft hobbies are ecological in themselves: homemade clothing can stay in use much longer than industrially made garments.

Collectibles and misc. small items

Small items — stamps, cards, magnets, trinkets — do not individually produce large emissions, but their reuse is typically continuous: objects change hands many times. This is one of the most effective forms of circular economy, even when per-unit emissions are low.

What the numbers don't tell you

We are honest about what this calculation cannot say either:

• Emissions during use (e.g. electricity, washing, energy consumption) are not included.
• Transport emissions to your home are not included — walking, cycling or public transport instead of driving reduces impact further.
• End-of-life disposal emissions are a separate matter we do not address here.
• Water and chemical impacts are significant especially in textiles and electronics, but they do not appear in CO₂ figures.

What are the figures based on?

We use well-known industry sources:

• VTT (Technical Research Centre of Finland) — books and printed products
• Inrego and IVL Svenska Miljöinstitutet — avoided emissions from IT equipment
• ISKU — product-specific furniture carbon footprints under ISO standard
• Mistra Future Fashion and Wang et al. (2025) — textile and clothing LCA research
• ACEEE and Mike Berners-Lee (How Bad Are Bananas?) — home appliance manufacturing emissions
• Keele University (George & McKay 2019) — music media
• University of Bath (ICE database) — material-specific emission factors
• European Cyclists' Federation — bicycle manufacturing emissions
• Nature Communications (2024) — lithium-ion battery manufacturing emissions

Finally: a small act, a big difference

One used refrigerator. One used sofa. One used laptop. These individual choices may feel small, but together they add up to hundreds of kilograms of avoided carbon dioxide.

When you buy from us, you don't just get an affordable, personal item — you also take part in concrete climate action. Thank you for being with us.

The information in this article is suitable for general communication. An individual product's exact carbon footprint requires product-specific life cycle assessment. We update estimates as new research becomes available.