- Why choose sustainable home accessories?
- Online Second Hand Retailers
- Facebook Marketplace
- Local Tip Shops and House Clearance
- Swap With Family or Friends
- Support Independent Home Accessories Brands
- Final Thoughts
Why Choose Sustainable Home Accessories?
Choosing sustainable home accessories in 2026 is all about making more informed, better and more conscious choices when shopping for your home. Just as we have seen with fashion, home accessories are becoming more trend led. This unfortunately results in only two things: overproduction and waste.
Did you know 70 million home accessories and décor items are thrown away each year in the UK? At Sunshine Thrift, we’re on a mission to make second hand home décor mainstream, but in this guide, we’re going to explore many other ways that you can buy sustainable home accessories in 2026 and move away from mass-produced trend led homeware that ultimately ends up in landfill.
Online Second Hand Retailers
Starting off with somewhere we know best and that is the world of second hand online, especially home accessories. Choosing second hand home décor, whether that be a decorative piece or something more practical, helps to reduce the demand for new production and helps keep existing items in use.
At Sunshine Thrift we’re of course huge fans of second hand home décor but what is easy to forget is second hand simply means everything that already exists just not brand new. There are no limits. If you need to buy a new wine rack for your kitchen, you can find it second hand in the same way that if you need a new set of cushions for your couch, you can find them second hand.
Second Hand & Vintage
When searching for second hand home accessories online, there are two tips we absolutely recommend that you follow for second hand shopping success.
Be clear in your search
Get descriptive in that search bar. If you’re vague, Google simply will not show you what you are seeking. For example, you’d like to buy a pair of second hand cushion covers, therefore your search term should be “second hand [insert desired style or colour] [insert desired size] cushion covers set of 2.” It gives Google all the information it needs to bring up any relevant shopping or website listings.
Use Google Lens
If you have found a home accessories piece brand new and you would like to buy it second hand, screenshot it or take an image of it and insert that image into Google Lens, otherwise known as Google image search. This will bring up all relevant results for the same or similar items, including listings on marketplaces and online second hand retailers.
Facebook Marketplace
I want to make a song and dance about Facebook marketplace because it is bursting with second hand and vintage home accessories. Think vases, furniture, lighting, artwork and everything in-between and the best part is it is all local finds only.
Not only are you keeping existing home accessories in circulation, finding it a new home or sometimes even restoring it, but you’re also helping to reduce emissions by removing the need for a shipping company to deliver your item.
Now, I know there are other online marketplaces where you can also buy second hand and vintage home accessories Facebook Marketplace remains the hidden gem because it arguably facilitates the most sustainable home accessories purchases due to it being collection only.
Expand your search area
Go beyond your local area, expand your search to neighbouring towns and cities if you can facilitate the transport there and back. This will open up so many more interesting home accessories to you.
Local Tip Shops and House Clearance
Think outside the box, think outside the obvious places to shop for sustainable home accessories. Local tip shops and house clearance are where you will find the greatest bargains but also a lot of genuine junk.
Finding what you need in these places does require some effort and repeat visits, however, if you would like to shop for sustainable home accessories whilst on a budget then this is a must try option for you.
Some local councils have an on-site tip shop where they sell pieces that have been sorted out from the rubbish that are too good to bin. In the same ilk, house clearance companies do the same sortation exercise after going through someone’s home. Because of the high volume of items these two channels process on a daily basis, selling prices are low, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try a bit of haggling!
Do a quick Google search to find out whether your local council has a tip shop and be sure to check for local house clearance companies who frequent car boot sales or may even have their own premises that they sell from.
Swap With Family or Friends
If you have been eyeing up a fabulous home accessories piece in your friend’s house, this is your chance to make it yours. Suggest a (fair) swap with your family and friends, you could even make an evening out of it, and exchange home accessories pieces you no longer enjoy or use for something new and fresh.
No emissions, no shipping fees and no monetary cost. This is an excellent way to keep home accessories out of landfill and a great excuse to see your friends and family.
Support Independent Home Accessories Brands
Thankfully we are seeing more and more home accessories brands emerging who have sustainability at the core of their business. A great example of a home accessories and furniture brand doing it the right way is Nkuku. This UK based business are a B-Corp certified online retailer of home accessories and furniture.
We consider our environmental impact by using natural, reclaimed and recycled materials, valuing, and sustaining traditional crafts through fair and transparent relationships with our suppliers.
When searching for a sustainable home accessories retailer online, it can be hard to identify the truly sustainable organisations from the ones who are world class in green washing. To help you shop with the right businesses, look for the following three things;
B-Corp Certification
B-Corp certified businesses are part of a 6,000 strong global community of organisations aiming to demonstrate their impact on people and planet, as well as profit. An organisation that is B-Corp certified has passed a rigorous test that investigates every aspect of their business, from what suppliers they use to how they treat their staff to how they consume and reuse natural resources. It is important to note that organisations can operate sustainably without B-Corp certification, but it is a great place to start.
Transparency and honesty
When shopping for the first time with a new sustainable retailer, do a little investigating first. Do they have any information on their website about any of their sustainable practices e.g. their packaging or how they manage waste? If so, is the information clear and obviously related to that business? Greenwashing often uses buzz words and no concrete data to support their statements. Organisations that have truly made positive sustainable changes in their operations want to boast about it.
Check the press
Does this retailer have any negative press related to their sustainability practices? This may be less relevant when shopping with smaller brands, but it is always worth a quick Google search to make sure they are overstating their sustainable credentials.
Final Thoughts
Choosing sustainable home accessories in 2026 doesn’t mean compromising on style, practicality, it means shopping with eco-centred intentions. From second hand online retailers and local marketplace finds to swaps with loved ones and thoughtfully chosen independent brands, there are more ways than ever to furnish your home responsibly. By moving away from fast, trend-led homeware and embracing reuse, longevity and transparency, we can reduce waste, support ethical businesses and create homes that feel truly personal.
