Upholsterers Falkirk Taught Us About Upcycling
We all realise the importance of sustainability, especially in an age when waste produce has reached unacceptable limits. We are trying to spread the message of reuse and recycling where ever possible, and for schools this should start in the school itself. We live in culture that has become increasingly disengaged in the impact we are having on the planet in terms of the amount of waste that we are producing. We feel wholeheartedly that we need to increase the next generation’s awareness of this problem, and start leading by example, rather than simply trying to lecture students about this issue. For our school this has already begun, with the recent reupholstery of our school chairs by upholsterers Falkirk.
Our Story With Upholsterers Falkirk
Our sitting area in the school was designed with parents, teachers and pupils in mind. It is an area where even the younger pupils can go and feel comfortable relaxing with friends. The chairs and seating are all somewhat mismatched, having been compiled through generous donations from parents and teachers. A few of the chairs were looking a little tired, and on a couple of them the fabric was ripped and starting to come way from the chair itself. We contacted upholsterers Falkirk had to offer to get the fabric on the chairs redone in the same colour and pattern so that they all looked the same.
Getting the Pupils Involved
Any opportunity for engagement and learning with the pupils is always good, so when we approached this opportunity, we were pleased that we could include the children. We asked each class to come up with a colour and finish for the chairs that they thought best reflected the school and the sitting area. They set about the task with great enthusiasm, and we had some very interesting responses. One of the classes wanted to use old curtain fabric from our assembly hall, in keeping with the reuse and recycle theme.
The Final Design
In the end we opted for our school colours, navy blue and yellow, and decided that plain fabric was the best. We upholstered half the chairs in yellow and half of them in navy blue. The seating area was already decorated with navy blue elements, so it all tied together very nicely. We also made plans to add some extra furniture, like a few tables so that people could use the space to its full potential. Like a lot of things, it is still a work in progress, however the reupholstery of the chairs has already made it look much better and more inviting.
The Message For Society
There is a great underlying message in all of this. We should be encouraging the reuse of items that don’t need to be thrown away. Furniture is the perfect example, as usually the frame is in good condition and it is only the foam and fabric that has worn out and needs replacing. Instead of throwing them away and getting new ones, we gave them a new lease of life, and tough our pupils a valuable lesson.
