Meet the Caerphilly reuse businesses stopping unwanted items going to landfill

Some places feel like home and Retro Revivals, a reuse and revival shop in Trethomas, might just smell like one too. “It smells like your Nana’s house when you walk in,” said shop owner Helen Evans.

It’s also cluttered like Nana’s house too, according to Helen, with vintage items from the early 90s to furniture such as chairs and sideboards. The big difference is that at Retro Revivals, these items are being reused, saved from the landfill and sold to customers at a fair price. 

For Helen, not contributing to waste is a huge part of the shop’s ethos. “Everything is getting wasted. Everything is getting thrown away,” she said of the current consumer culture.

In fact, research from The British Heart Foundation in 2019 shows that nearly a third of people in the UK have thrown away household items such as furniture or electricals that could have been reused, sold or donated.

The idea of reusing items and of upcycling, taking an old item and making them different and new again, is, ironically, not new but is better known in some areas than others. 

“I like old stuff and I thought ‘well, surely there’s got to be a way to rebrand stuff and make it more modern?’” Helen said. “There [are] people doing this in London.” 

But Caerphilly, after all, is different to London. “It’s a different community,” she said, adding that it’s taken a while for people to get the idea behind the shop. But the fact the area is different is also where its strength lies. 

“I have old dears come in,” she said. “[They] come and have a sit-down and a chat. I know everyone in the village now.”

In the north of the borough, The Furniture Revival in Rhymney is also connecting with people in the community.

The large warehouse building on the Lawn Industrial Estate is tucked away from view but people across the local community, from councillors to customers, value the organisation, according to Rachael Smith, the assistant manager.

“We’ve had feedback from local councillors, they love it,” said Rachael. “Customers say ‘I don’t know what [else] I would’ve done.’” 

The social enterprise is run by Groundwork and recently won Reuse Organisation of the Year 2022. Though ‘revival’ is in the name, most items are received in good condition and only minor repairs are made on-site. 

There are a variety of items for sale, from furniture to white goods sold at a fraction of the original price. Most items are donated but some are factory returns and are practically new including beds from retailers like John Lewis and Argos.

The discounted prices are helping to bring people in. “Our numbers have been higher into winter. I think part of that is people feeling the pinch,” said Rachael, referring to the cost-of-living crisis. 

The impact of the store extends deeper into the community as they offer support by providing beds to a domestic abuse charity when people are being rehoused. There are also general volunteering opportunities.

“A lot of people around here are out of work or lonely,” said Rachael. “We’re open to anybody looking to improve [their] skills or spend time with people.” 

There are volunteering opportunities such as admin, cleaning, customer service and helping in the warehouse. There’s even an understanding that if the volunteers themselves are affected by financial difficulties they can use the washing machines being tested in the shop.

“All of them are very proud,” said Rachael. “They wouldn’t probably admit if they were struggling. But we try to make sure that they know – you can come to us if [you] need anything.”

People are feeling the bite with rising gas and electricity prices and inflation increasing food prices. In fact, 93% of adults in Great Britain reported an increase in their cost of living in August to September 2022, according to the Office for National Statistics. 

In Wales, disposable incomes are expected to fall by £800 next year according to Senedd Research meaning that people will need to look for alternatives to buy household items.

There are several other places around the borough of Caerphilly which can help customers save money including 2good2throwaway in Bedwas, a reuse shop on Penallta Industrial estate as well as more focused enterprises like The Toy Box Project, which helps rehouse used and unwanted toys for disadvantaged children across south Wales. 

The owner, James Morgan, set it up because of personal experience. “I grew up in deprivation so I know what it’s like to have no toys,” he said. 

Despite these efforts, overall reusing has declined over the last two years. According to the Reuse Social Impact Report 2021, there was a 60% drop in the number of items reused by social enterprises and reuse charities in the UK as a result of the pandemic.

With cutting costs and counting pennies more necessary than ever, reuse shops are key but so are the people who run them, because they often do it for more than money.

“To make a few quid, it’s hard work,” said Helen. “I want to keep it fair for people to come back.”

It’s not just furniture and a lick of paint, community is at the heart of it. “Anyone can paint furniture,” she said. “It is bringing people together.”