About

We started Practical Vintage in response to a growing movement to recycle, re-use and help small repair shops to stay afloat.  We think that if at least one-in-a hundred of us agree – and plenty of people like usable vintage items – we can ultimately save good materials from landfill and help promote regular use of items that might otherwise collect dust. Now classified as ‘vintage’, there are so many items out there that have indefinite usable life in them.

You might ask: Why would I bother? Well, by looking us up you may already have something you’d like to get going – it could be anything: Household electrical appliances with a particular appearance or function you like, an old bicycle; old tools that need some work, even just kitsch items that need some reconditioning: it can be an interesting pursuit.

It’s not about changing the world or thumbing our noses at technology – there are great new things happening out there in the world of design and manufacturing – and many items can be restored better-than-new with modern technology. Replacing everything for the Next Big Thing isn’t always the way to go – in the not-too-distant future, some of today’s junk may be considered classics of our time; but not if we keep throwing it away!

Many new products are better-designed, more reliable and efficient than older versions, but what of the hidden costs in replacement? I have a friend who wants a new hybrid car because they get 4 litres to 100 k’s (fifty miles to the gallon) and blow less fumes than a conventional car. I reminded him that the entire process of manufacturing one new car – even a Hybrid – will cause more pollution than if he were to keep his current model well-maintained and drive it another five years.

Think of all the junk thrown out on council collections; is that really where we need to be heading in a world of diminishing resources? You take ownership of all the environmental pollution created in the manufacture of everything you buy, so there’s something worthwhile and satisfying about finding something old and keeping its production negatives well back in the past. Think of it as a carbon-offset – like planting a new tree every time you take a trip on an aeroplane or drive that road trip!

So take a look at our website, read some of the Q & A’s and see if you’ve got a little project in mind, or just want to find something in particular waiting for you on a shelf somewhere. We have a growing network of licenced repairers, collectors and pickers who like to share it with you!