1 category
The U.S. Census classification for used merchandise retailers covers used merchandise stores and used merchandise auction houses.
U.S. Census Bureau, NAICS 2022Reference desk
Vintage, Reuse and Glassware Statistics
Reliable U.S. figures for writers, collectors, and anyone curious about the objects that stay in use.
Last updated August 13, 2026. This page gathers the clearest available public figures related to used merchandise, durable goods, glass, and household furnishings. Each figure links directly to the source that published it, with the data year shown beside the statistic.
57.1 million
Tons of durable goods entered the U.S. municipal waste stream in 2018, representing 19.5% of all municipal solid waste generated that year.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2018 data10.6 million
Tons of durable goods were recycled in the United States in 2018, an 18.5% recycling rate for that product category.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2018 data37.4 million
Tons of durable goods were sent to U.S. landfills in 2018, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2018 data12.3 million
Tons of glass were generated in the United States in 2018. The Environmental Protection Agency notes that glass can be recycled repeatedly.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2018 data3.1 million
Tons of glass containers were recycled in 2018, for a 31.3% recycling rate. This figure refers to containers, not collectible glassware.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2018 data$2,978
Average annual household spending on furnishings and equipment in the West, based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics' 2023-24 regional average.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2023-24 averageWhat these figures do and do not measure
Vintage collecting does not fit neatly into one national data set. A cherished goblet, discontinued china pattern, or art-glass bowl may change hands through dealers, estate sales, auctions, online shops, and private collections. For that reason, this page does not try to manufacture a single market-size number for vintage collectibles.
Instead, it uses public data that gives useful context: the federal retail category that includes antiques and secondhand goods, the scale of durable goods and glass in the waste stream, and current household furnishings spending in the West. The glass figures concern containers and recycling, not the condition or value of collectible glassware.
Methodology and sources
All statistics are drawn from U.S. government sources and use the latest year published on the linked source page as of August 13, 2026. The Environmental Protection Agency figures on durable goods and glass are for 2018. The Bureau of Labor Statistics furnishings figure is a 2023-24 regional average. The Census classification explains which businesses are included in the used merchandise retail category.
- U.S. Census Bureau, North American Industry Classification System, 2022
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Durable Goods: Product-Specific Data
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Glass: Material-Specific Data
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Expenditures for the U.S., Regions, and Selected Areas
Cite this page
Tucson Tiques Collectibles. “Vintage, Reuse and Glassware Statistics.” Updated August 13, 2026. tucsoncollectibles.com/vintage-reuse-statistics.