Trend/theme of the year: I believe the trend will be towards furniture with a strong sense of harmony with the natural world and sustainable sourcing. Consumers want to know that they are purchasing items with a low environmental impact, so they will be looking for long-life products, with local sourcing from companies that can clearly show their measures to reduce waste and create circularity.
Challenge of the year: Cost of living remains a concern for people, and large luxury purchases take careful consideration. As such, we expect there to still be a strong market for low-cost furniture. However, this will become more challenging to produce while companies also strive to make investments in new, responsible manufacturing techniques. It is clear that the market will need to consciously accept these higher costs in order to create a pipeline of genuinely sustainable furniture products, and not just a series of nice-sounding promises with no substance behind them.
Opportunity of the year: This year represents a great opportunity for the wood furniture industry to take the lead as consumers move away from plastic and “throw-away” items while looking to UK manufacturers to set the tone for what a truly sustainable home will look like. We are already seeing more popularity in recycled solid surface materials, recycled boards and long-life wood products. Any company that can’t demonstrate their actions to address sustainability will likely be left behind as industry regulations tighten up to ensure the UK continues to make positive contributions towards global targets.
