The Upholstery Forum

I have been wondering if it's possible to resuse or recycle old foams,leather and other materials from old works.
This is as a result of realizing that we could become a big contributer to waste in our various communities.

So the question is, how long can a foam be use in a sofa, automotives etc.?
How do we recycle old materials either fabric,leather, vinyl etc.?

Is it possible to achieve 80-100% recycling status as trimmers,upholster etc?

Ive always wondered the same thing. I feel so guilty throwing all that in the trash after a job is done....

In the past, if for whatever reason the foam was going to be reused, my dad and I always steamed the foam with a industrial steamer. Simply put, the corners/edges which over time became rounded would get steamed. As the steamer was ran along the foam, the foam would almost immediately spring back to its original size and shape. Now is this as good as new foam? Absolutely not but it’s a budget minded environmentally friendly idea to “buy” some extra time.Especially if it’s more of a decorative piece that doesn’t see heavy usage. Do this and re wrap the foam with a layer of Dacron and you are good to go. (Never charge for new foam when taking this route and let the customer know what they are getting).

Reach out to a local animal shelter. They love old foam and use it to make beds for the animals.

Always keep a few pieces of old foam around. You never know when someone is going to come in with a cushion that the dog ripped the corner off. You can always splice foam together and make an acceptable repair as long as the densities are similar. Save the day with a temporary fix and earn their return business down the road.

Same goes with repairs to worn out atv and motorcycle seats. Old foam always comes in handy.

Lastly. List all scraps and used materials online (FB market place, craigslist, etc) you would be surprised how fast that stuff stuff goes.....even if to us, it’s useless.

@ Kuph....great advice. Think we are at a better place making use the way you said it.

Taking old stuff apart and salvage what you can and reuse is very responsible. In the commercial industrial world the amount of stuff that goes into the garbage is mind boggling. If you can do a tiny bit it may be helpful from an environmental standpoint.

Here’s a quick before and after of the foam steaming process I mentioned before.

@kuph, in your experience do you pattern make before steaming? I have had some poor fitting covers making a pattern after steaming. Once the water evaporates out of the foam it has shrunk.

Good point. Yes I do. I always like to pattern beforehand. Also usually like to keep my patterns on the tight side for that reason. The additional layer of Dacron tends to smooth things out and add additional support. This also helps the foam conform to the minor differences in the new cover And take on the new “shape” of the material.

Again, this isn’t for every application but in the case of something that gets a pretty tight pull For the budget minded customer it just adds a little body to the foam.

Thanks for all the great advice @Kuph! Happy to have you on the forum! That steamer sure looks like it has gotten some use over the years.

I always think about that. I don't like the fact I throw out materials.

I agree with salvage but tell guys your using old stuff or recycled material in their seat and let me know the reaction you get. I have tried this before ha ha

Rule of thumb: give a quote with and without new foam. If their jaw hits the floor at that point there’s your answer. (New cheap foam is in some cases no better than good used stuff. If you replace foam get quality).

Grandmas 100 year old foot stool that’s purely decorative - advise reusing

The main cushion on a high use sofa - new.

The used foam you took out of a expensive sofa might be in better shape then the foam on another job you are doing for someone on a budget. In that case it’s a all around win.

Great advice @Kuph !