Turning Black Friday green: Lynsey Ford offers sustainable alternative to Black Friday waste

Reuse Network and Lynsey Ford are calling on the public to boycott Black Friday in a bid to prevent the growing mountain of furniture ending up in landfill.  

Taking a stand for second hand

That call forms part of Buy Nothing New Day – a campaign now in its eighth year – which offers an ethical alternative to Black Friday by championing the environmental and social impact of shopping pre-loved. The campaign highlights how reuse supports people, the planet and household budgets, and encourages the public to turn to their local reuse charity instead of buying brand-new. As part of this year’s campaign, Reuse Network, Lynsey Ford and Project Colt will open a pre-loved pop-up shop at the Project Colt shop in Elland from 24 – 28 November, showcasing an affordable, curated collection of second-hand furniture and homeware. 

Lynsey Ford, winner of BBC’s Interior Design Masters, was this year announced as Reuse Network’s charity ambassador and is partnering with the organisation to promote sustainable interiors. Lynsey, an architect and interior designer, is known for her practical, thoughtful approach to interiors and regularly incorporates second-hand and upcycled items into her projects. She is also a long-time supporter of Project Colt, a Calderdale-based charity and member of Reuse Network, where she often sources pre-loved pieces for her interior design projects. 

A new shopping experience at Project Colt

To celebrate Buy Nothing New Day, Lynsey, Reuse Network, and Project Colt are collaborating to launch a pre-loved pop-up shop at Project Colt’s premises in Elland. The pop-up will feature a curated collection of second-hand furniture and homeware hand-picked by Lynsey, all available at affordable prices to encourage the public to choose reuse over buying new. 

As part of the event, Lynsey will run a daily upcycling demonstration, showing visitors how to transform a pre-loved chair using leftover fabric roll cut-offs. The aim is to inspire people to see the creative potential in reused furniture and empower more households to take simple, sustainable steps in their own homes. All proceeds from the pop-up shop will be reinvested directly into Project Colt’s vital work supporting people in recovery from addiction through counselling, recovery groups, and community programmes. 

Last year, the reuse sector as a whole reused 2.55 million furniture and electrical items, helping 1.5 million households save £321.2 million compared to buying these items new. By reusing these items, the charity reuse sector prevented 86,127 tonnes of products from being wasted which saved 92,566 tonnes of CO₂ emissions. 

Lynsey Ford said: 

“I’m thrilled to support Reuse Network this Buy Nothing New Day and to celebrate the amazing work of reuse charities like Project Colt. I’ve always believed that pre-loved pieces bring more character, warmth, and soul into a home than anything you can buy new. Project Colt has been one of my favourite places to find beautiful second hand furniture and homewares, and I’m so excited to curate this pop-up shop with them. I want people to see how fun and accessible sustainable design can be.” 

Russell Davis, Director, Project Colt said:  

“We are delighted to participate in this year’s Buy Nothing New Day and to help champion the positive impact of reuse. Pre-loved furniture offers exceptional beauty, creativity and value, and it is a privilege to collaborate with The Reuse Network and Lynsey Ford and host this special pop-up event. We look forward to demonstrating just how transformative and accessible sustainable design can be.” 

Hannah Jordan, Chief Operations Officer, Reuse Network, added:
“Buy Nothing New Day is our chance to show how powerful reuse can be. Charities like Project Colt do extraordinary work every day: keeping furniture in use, supporting people through recovery, and offering affordable essentials to local families. Having Lynsey Ford champion this message means so much; her passion for pre-loved interiors and her genuine connection with Project Colt bring this campaign to life. Reuse doesn’t just reduce waste; it strengthens communities and helps people rebuild their lives.” 

 Support your local reuse charity

Reuse charity shops provide an excellent alternative to high-street retailers, offering high-quality items from furniture to paint and everything in between, all at an affordable cost.

Find your local reuse charity shop here.