The best way to illustrate this is by an example (this can be applied to many different antiques) the humble Windsor chair:

The chair parts were made by craftsmen who lived in the woods where the materials came from. The turnings were produced on treadle-operated lathes, then parts were taken on foot to a local workshop to be assembled. From there the completed chairs would be distributed around the country by horse and cart or waterways. The chair saw a hard use but is still around today. What a green product and what a life cycle! By buying this chair to use again we have conserved our natural resources and prevented the carbon footprint of another chair being produced, that possibly would come all the way from the Far East. I expect that a new mass produced chair will hit the waste tip long before the antique Windsor chair is sold again at auction, goes to the restorers to be revived and is retailed again for another 40 years use!

This is a picture of me, "Brandi" who is my dog with her back to you. The one on your right is "Dixie" and the other guy, who is a sporting breed is "Buddy". The only way I got them to sit still for a photo was to hand out cookies! 

If you have a love for English Springer Spaniels, please visit this site!!! This organization does wonderful things and I have seen it first hand.
Please help them out if you can.