Choose Reuse

Choose Reuse

Exploring Why Sustainability Stops at the Door

There’s a significant gap between intention and action when it comes to sustainable home renovations. Many people express a desire to act more sustainably, yet reused and recycled materials rarely make it into renovation projects. Kitchens, bathrooms, and other building elements are frequently replaced with new ones — even when perfectly good materials could be reused.


Why does this happen? Why do we keep throwing away kitchens and bathrooms instead of embracing sustainable alternatives?


The Choose Reuse project, led by Netsocietal, explores this gap. By examining people’s decisions, interactions with key actors, and cultural perceptions of reused materials, the project aims to uncover what it takes for reuse to become a desirable, mainstream choice in renovation projects.

The challenge

Why Isn’t Reuse Happening?

The building industry often argues that customers simply prefer new materials. According to them, people want modern kitchens and bathrooms — not reused elements.

But is that the whole story?

Our research suggests the reality is more complex. A survey by Kantar for Bolius shows that 79% of Danes believe they already act sustainably, and 77% intend to do so in the future. Yet, fewer are making sustainable changes at home. In 2024, the number of Danes using recycled materials stagnated — only one out of three say they’ve considered sustainable materials in their renovation projects.

A survey by Epinion for Estate provides some insights into what drives the disconnect between reuse ambition and a less sustainable reality: 21% of Danes opt for new kitchens, and 17% prioritize new bathrooms when upgrading their homes. More climate-friendly renovations rank lower on the list. The market reflects this demand—around 150,000 kitchens and 250,000 toilets are thrown out each year in Denmark alone.

These numbers reveal a gap between sustainable intentions and actual choices. People want to act more sustainably, but when it comes to their own homes, their choices tell a different story.

The problem isn’t just about cost or availability. It’s about perception, culture, and behavior. Reused materials are often seen as less desirable, harder to work with, or simply not “good enough” for modern homes. This cultural resistance is a significant barrier to making reuse more common in home renovations.

Purpose

Understanding the Barriers to Reuse

The Choose Reuse project aims to understand why reused materials remain rare in renovation projects, despite growing awareness and positive examples.

Our focus is on the key moments where choices are made. Decisions about reuse are shaped by interactions with advisors, contractors, housing associations, and suppliers — crucial actors who can either promote reuse or discourage it, e.g., by reinforcing preferences for new materials.

By examining these critical interactions, we aim to identify the social and behavioral barriers that prevent people from choosing reuse and provide actionable insights to help overcome them.

Economics and logistics alone don’t explain why reuse remains rare. The issue runs deeper, touching on perceptions of value, quality, and cultural norms. Why do reused materials feel less desirable, and why do some materials feel even less desirable than others? Is it because they’re seen as harder to work with, or simply not “good enough” for our homes?

To answer these questions, the Choose Reuse project explores the social relationship between people and reused materials — a relationship shaped by more than just cost and availability.

We take an anthropological approach to examine how behavioral, emotional, and social factors influence people’s choices during renovation projects. By understanding how people perceive and interact with reused materials, we aim to uncover what it takes for reuse to become a desirable, mainstream choice in renovation projects.

Approach

Exploring the Social Relationship with Reused Materials

The project with the project

The Materiality Perspective

In collaboration with researchers and anthropology students from the University of Copenhagen, the project includes a materiality perspective that looks at the stories and social meanings of materials.

Materials — especially recycled materials — are more than objects. They have histories from their previous uses and carry social and cultural meanings.

When people choose materials for their homes, they don’t just evaluate practicality or cost. They also judge the story, value, and promise that a material offers. The project examines how these expectations shape decisions about reuse and how recycled materials can become more desirable through storytelling, perception, and cultural shifts.

Reach

Collaboration and Participants

The Choose Reuse project involves collaboration across sectors, including private homeowners, tenants, housing associations, contractors, and suppliers.


In partnership with anthropology students and researchers, the project integrates academic insights with practical industry knowledge to generate new ideas and actionable recommendations for promoting reuse in renovation projects.

 

Key collaborators include:

  • Private and business lessees
  • Homeowners
  • Housing associations
  • Building suppliers and advisors
  • Retailers
  • Material producers
  • Researchers and students from the University of Copenhagen
What

Key questions we explore

  • Why do reused materials often feel less desirable?
  • How do interactions with contractors and suppliers shape renovation decisions?
  • What cultural and emotional barriers prevent reuse from becoming a mainstream choice?
  • How can recycled materials be made more attractive through storytelling and perception?
Impact

What we aim to achieve

By understanding the social and behavioral barriers to reuse, Choose Reuse aims to:

 

 

  • Promote cultural shifts that make reuse more attractive.
  • Provide actionable insights for the building industry, housing associations, and policymakers.
  • Help individuals make more sustainable choices in renovation projects.

Our goal is to unlock the potential of reused materials, making sustainable renovation the norm rather than the exception.

Want to get involved?

If your organization is interested in promoting reuse in renovation projects, we’d love to collaborate.