Fast homeware is the new fast fashion

I have a confession: I used to be that person who considered a trip to IKEA a full-blown day out. I couldn’t even do my weekly Aldi shop without coming back with something from the infamous middle aisle – cheap new homewares that, at the time, felt absolutely essential. 

If you’ve bought a wreath for every season or swapped out cushions just to match the latest look… chances are you too are a fast homewares addict without even realising it. 

These days, all the major supermarkets have aisle upon aisle of budget homeware, with ever-growing ranges for every season. Halloween mugs, spring wreaths, festive little trinkets – it’s easy to feel like you have to have them, and at those prices, who wouldn’t? 

But before you know it, your cupboards are full, your space is cluttered, and the thrill of “something new” fades almost as quickly as you unpack it.

There’s a big conversation around fast fashion these days, and rightly so. But something that’s crept up almost unnoticed is the rise of fast homewares.

I first woke up to this on a sourcing trip to China when I worked in the homewares industry. Seeing the factories in person, and the scale at which items were being produced, really made me question our relationship with mindless shopping. I hadn’t given much thought to my ten sets of floral IKEA bedding before that trip, but coming home after seeing how things were made, it felt strange – alien almost – to slip back into my daily life.

As a junior buyer, I was unsettled by the hidden human cost, even though everything I saw was above board and standard industry practice. It hit me hard to realise how much pressure there was to drive prices lower, without any real consideration for the people making the products. Everything was about more, more, more. 

More items. More sales. More profit. 

And the consequences often got swept under the rug.

Fast fashion has been forced to confront its impact in recent years, particularly following the Rana Plaza factory collapse in 2013, which killed over a thousand Bangladeshi garment workers and injured at least 2,000 more. The tragedy highlighted the harsh reality of sweatshop conditions for major high street retailers and sparked a push for more mindful, responsible clothes shopping.

Homewares, however, hasn’t faced nearly the same scrutiny. Despite rapid growth over the past decade, the industry has largely flown under the radar. The UK home-decor market is valued at around USD 22 billion in 2025, and forecasts suggest it could grow to around USD 27 billion by 2030. Driving this expansion are fast home retailers such as B&M, The Range, and Dunelm, churning out cheap, trend-led products that encourage constant consumption.

And it’s not just traditional homeware brands jumping on the bandwagon: fashion retailers spotted the same opportunity. Zara launched its homewares range back in 2003, and even before that, Urban Outfitters was merchandising trendy homewares alongside clothing, selling the complete lifestyle. H&M followed suit in 2009, and soon other fast fashion giants were joining in.

Borrowing from the fast fashion playbook, these retailers tapped into the same sense of desire and urgency, offering products that allowed people to curate a look and feel for their homes – without spending a fortune. It was perfect for renters or first-time home owners, eager to personalise their space quickly and cheaply, while still feeling like it reflected their style.

Social media has only added fuel to the fire. Influencers with hundreds of thousands of followers showcasing shopping hauls and trend roundups make it easy to feel like you need the latest seasonal update for your home.

Meanwhile, amazing independent brands and makers are being undercut by cheap dupes from mass-market retailers – some even forced out of business entirely. Handcrafted designs are copied in factories and sold for a fraction of the price, and the temptation of low-cost products keeps it all going.

It’s a tricky one, because there’s something undeniably satisfying about giving your home a little refresh throughout the year. Just like your wardrobe, it’s easy to grow bored of your surroundings and want to switch things up. And you’re not alone – a recent survey found that about a quarter of Brits say keeping up with homeware trends is important to them.

But the fast homewares model thrives on encouraging constant consumption, and the environmental impact of our obsession with the latest trends is staggering. In the UK alone, nearly 70 million homeware items are thrown away every year – many still in good condition – adding up to around £2.2 billion worth of discarded household items annually.

And unlike textiles, homewares are often made from mixed materials or treated with toxic compounds, making them almost impossible to dispose of responsibly or recycle.

It’s hard to rely on government or legislation to fix the scope of the problem, and even making small changes yourself can feel like a drop in the ocean. That sense of helplessness is exactly what inspired us to create Love to Home – a space to slow down, think more deeply about what we buy, and ask the questions that often get overlooked: 

• Why do we feel the need for something new?

• What’s the story behind that item? 

• And was it made responsibly?

Buying from a small business makes a difference. Your purchase is noticed, it supports real people and their craft, and the item itself is usually made to last a lifetime. Over time, we start to build a more meaningful relationship with our things, appreciating the care and story behind each piece rather than seeing it as a disposable object.

Of course, not everyone can afford to splash out on pricier homewares, and that’s a fair point. It could be argued that this is a position reserved for the privileged few. But if you take a step back and tally up all the money spent on cheap, disposable items over a year, it often adds up to the cost of one or two well-made pieces you’d genuinely love and keep forever. Without the pressure of a sale or the lure of a bargain, you can make better choices – for yourself, for the makers, and for the planet. 

I used to be someone with cupboards overflowing with stuff. Now, I’ve become someone who actively encourages buying less, but better. 

The benefits are endless – not just for your bank balance, but for your home and your headspace too. A decluttered, thoughtfully curated space frees up room to live intentionally, the way you actually want to.

Every brand we feature on Love to Home is part of this mission: to turn the tide on fast homewares and help people reconnect with the things they buy, and the people they buy them from. By partnering with talented makers, your purchase genuinely makes a difference – supporting the craft and care behind each item rather than lining the pockets of vast corporations chasing ever more profit. 

We want to give a spotlight to the brands that truly deserve it, and help you see past the greenwashing so you can choose pieces made with honesty and intention.

Invest in pieces you love, that are made well, and that will stand the test of time. Pieces you can enjoy today and pass on tomorrow. That’s what we’re here to champion, and it feels good to know that you’re on this journey with us too.

Cover image by Daiki Sato on Unsplash. Second image by Markus Spiske on Unsplash. Third image by vianet ramos on Unsplash.