Circular economy

Making a new piece sets off a whole chain: raw materials, factory, finishing, packaging, logistics. For a sofa or a shelving system, most of the carbon footprint comes from manufacturing.

A vintage piece has already paid that bill. When we put a 1973 Togo, a 1980s USM Haller or a 1970s rosewood sideboard back into circulation, the only thing added is the transport from one owner to the next.

Refurbishment brings recent pieces back to as-new on a short cycle. High-end vintage works on a long one: our pieces are twenty to sixty years old and can serve for decades more with proper care.

We source in France and across Europe through three channels: collectors and closed inventories, for coherent ensembles; regional auction houses and specialist sales, for signed pieces; and private sellers, through our buyback program. They are often the ones who bring us the best finds.

Before a piece goes on sale, we authenticate it from its markings, serial numbers, period technical sheets and, when needed, the manufacturer's archives. See, for example, how to identify a genuine USM Haller. Until authenticity is established, we don't sell.

We would rather conserve than refinish. The patina of a leather or fine scratches on oak are described and photographed as they are.

When work is needed, we do it properly: a collapsed Togo foam goes to a specialist Ligne Roset upholsterer, a USM Haller frame gets a fresh coat in its original RAL when its condition warrants it, and dry leather is nourished but never tinted to hide wear.

Pieces from 1955 to 1990 were built with solid wood, welded steel tube, full-grain vegetable-tanned leather and high-density fillings. A reissue sometimes matches that and sometimes doesn't: its technical sheet will tell you.

They can also be repaired. A high-end vintage piece can be taken apart, re-covered and restored, whereas many new pieces rely on glued joints and moulded foams that cannot be replaced.

Finally, an LC4, an Eames 670 or a first-edition Mah Jong holds its value in good condition, while a new sofa resells for far less within a few years.

In Paris and the inner suburbs (the bordering parts of 92, 93 and 94), we deliver ourselves by electric cargo bike, with no subcontracting: chairs, lamps, small storage, tableware, even USM configurations over several trips. Last-mile emissions are close to zero.

For the rest of mainland France, we use Cocolis, a parcel ride-sharing service: the piece travels on a trip that is happening anyway. Sofas, sideboards and large modular ensembles go with specialist art-furniture carriers.

Lead times and rates are on our delivery page. Once our showroom at the Puces de Saint-Ouen (Marché Malassis, stand 112/113) opens, you will be able to see a piece there before buying it.

Is vintage greener than eco-designed new furniture? In most cases, yes, because most of a piece of furniture's impact comes from making it. A vintage piece has already paid that cost; a new one generates it, even when eco-designed.

How do you guarantee authenticity? We check every piece before listing it, and the product page shows the visible authentication details.

What if a piece arrives damaged? Deliveries are insured. Report the damage within 48 hours, with photographs, and depending on how serious it is, we have the piece repaired by a qualified craftsperson or refund you. Details are in our terms of sale.

If, in ten or twenty years, a piece you bought from us no longer suits your interior, we would like you to be able to offer it back to us rather than sell it on a generalist platform. The program isn't formalised yet, so for now we handle each request case by case. To offer us a piece, the resale form takes three minutes.

The catalogue includes USM Haller, Ligne Roset, Cassina, Knoll, Vitra and Artemide. To start, see USM Haller vintage or all collections.