The following are Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) around GreenChair™

What is GreenChair™ ?

GreenChair™ is a furniture repurposing program helping Australian businesses to transfer furniture to NFPs, charities and community groups. Initially introduced to support the building and construction industry, due to demand, the program has evolved to include all sectors and industries.

What does GreenChair™ repurpose?

There is no limit to what we can re-purpose as long as it can be safely removed from site and accessed by the recipient, it can be repurposed. To date we have facilitated donations of carpet squares, all of your typical office furniture, whitegoods, artwork, medical beds, commercial kitchen supplies, hospitality goods and so on. Examples of things we do not repurpose are electrical hard wired items and large complex joinery (i.e. kitchen benches) etc.

Does GreenChair™ store furniture in a warehouse for NFP’s, charities and community groups to collect later?

No, GreenChair™ does not store furniture. We operate in a “real time” environment, meaning all allocated furniture for each job needs to be collected direct from site, in the timeframe given. This enables GreenChair™ to keep overheads to a minimum and in turn allows NFPs, charities and community groups to receive the items free of charge.

Where does GreenChair™ operate in Australia?

GreenChair™ operates throughout Australia in the following areas: Perth Metro, Melbourne Metro, Sydney Metro, Brisbane Metro and Adelaide Metro. We are also currently developing channels for Regional Western Australia, so stay tuned.

I am a NFP / Charity / Community Group - does the furniture cost me anything?

No. The furniture is free of charge to all NFP’s, charities and community groups. The only potential cost to a recipient may be if they require a specialist removalist to help collect the larger items of furniture. We have removalists we can recommend should you need this service.

I am a NFP / Charity / Community Group - how do I find out what’s on offer?

You simply register to be on our database by going to our Contact Us page and following the prompts. We will reply to notify you when you’ve been added and from that point on you will receive email notifications when listings become available. Once you know what you would like, you reply to the email detailing furniture code, quantity of items and key contact details and we will then advise what you’ve been successful in procuring. Items can move extremely quickly, so we suggest keeping an eye out and replying as soon as possible when you see a GreenChair™ email land in your inbox.

I am a NFP / Charity / Community Group who has offices on the East Coast of Australia. Does GreenChair™ operate there?

Yes, GreenChair™ operates nationally and has projects all over Australia. As the demand from NFPs, charities and community groups grow we will publish more projects in these regions. Please feel free to spread the word and direct interested parties to our Contact Us page.

I am a NFP / Charity / Community Group who is regionally based, can I join the GreenChair™ database?

Yes, you can. The only issue faced by some of our more regional database members is the logistics of getting to site in time to collect their furniture, as it’s a fast moving model due to furniture having to be collected direct from site. So please just be aware of this when requesting items.

How does GreenChair™ decide who the furniture goes to?

The model operates on a first come, first served basis from when the email responses are received.

I am a NFP / Charity / Community Group - are there people on site to help lift and carry items to my car/transport?

Every job is different and if help is available that will always be stated in the detail of the job. Unfortunately there are often not a lot of resources onsite to help with this, so we do ask that you are self sufficient and bring enough people to help and/or moving equipment for heavy and bulky items. We do our best to give accurate dimensions in the listings to help you plan the mode of transport required.

I am a Business and have furniture to donate - does GreenChair™ collect and take away?

No, we don’t offer a removal or collection service. We facilitate the audit and allocation of furniture in conjunction with a key contact at your company to NFP’s, charities and community groups. If you’d like more detail on this, please go to our Contact Us page and one of our friendly team will call you to discuss.

I am a Business and have furniture to donate that is broken or in poor condition - is this ok?

No, GreenChair™ do not accept broken or damaged/soiled furniture, we only repurpose items that are gently used to NFPs, charities and community groups.

I am a Business with items in storage - can GreenChair™ audit & repurpose once in storage?

We can, but ideally the audit will be done prior to furniture being taken apart & stored. We cannot photograph & list items that are not assembled, we need to show the item complete . We have successfully audited and repurposed items in storage provided there is room to move around the storage facility and heavy items are not stacked too high.

I am a Business and need my furniture gone within a week - can GreenChair™ make this happen for me?

Probably not. We need the time to audit, circulate to our database and give the recipients time to arrange their pick ups. We have tried fast turnarounds like this and they have not been as successful.

Are any jobs too big or too small for GreenChair™?

Not really, but this is determined on a case by case basis and depends on our capacity to help at the time. It is always worth reaching out to ask.

I am a Business who will re-use some of my own furniture, but will have some to donate. I am not sure what I’ll keep yet. How does this work?

Due to tight timeframes we work to with building and construction deadlines, we have found that it works well for GreenChair™ to do an audit of all furniture and then your business marks any item they are keeping. The GreenChair™ database is emailed only those items that are available. The total of all items being repurposed internally and/or externally is included in the final results we give to you.

I am a Business and would like to know the final outcome of the furniture repuposing

As part of the GreenChair™ model we offer you the final results of your job in the form of a GreenChair™ certificate that details: kgs of material waste avoided, number of items saved from landfill, how many charities were supported and the total emissions savings you achieved.

I am a Business wanting to use the GreenChair™ service - is there a cost?

We charge a nominal admin fee to the Business repurposing the goods which covers our costs and ensures the items remain free of charge to the NFP’s, charities and community groups. The fee is dependant on the scope of work and is quoted upon receipt of detail. For more information reach out to us via our Contact Us page and one of our team will be in touch.

I am a Resident and have furniture to donate - does GreenChair™ facilitate private donations?

GreenChair™ currently work within the commercial space, not residential.

I am a Resident and am looking to volunteer some time - can I get involved with GreenChair™?

Yes! We are growing rapidly and always keen to hear from people who may be interested in being part of our team. You can reach out to us via our Contact Us page. We look forward to hearing from you.