According to the article Megatrends for the furniture industry by Alessandra Tracogna, CSIL Industry Studies, issued in the nr 71 of “World Furniture” magazine, there are some rising megatrends affecting the way people live globally, particularly in the advanced economies.

They include, among others

• • Growing mobility, with families and/or individuals moving from one place to another and changing home more frequently than in the past, with urbanization process leading to less house availability;
  • Spreading of web connectivity implying that a wider range of diverse activities is conducted at home, from home office to entertainment;
  • More importance attributed to personal healthcare and wellness, increasing environmental consciousness.

All these factors are drivers of change in furniture consumption too and manufacturers are targeting to meet emerging and changing demand through an evolving offer of products.

Lots of innovations and product trends have been seen at the main fairs, that CSIL has been attending this year.

Some examples

• • • Multi-functionality of products, extendable and adaptable furniture, often with invisible or one-hand mechanisms
    • Lightweight furniture easy to manage and easy to assemble (even without tools)
    • Performing surfaces, for tables that are used for dining, working, playing and even cooking. Anti-scratch, anti-finger print, with auto-curing properties
    • Comfort in soft furnishings: hybrid mattresses, adjustable bed bases and motion upholstery
    • A trend toward natural wood, as if there were no surface treatment
    • Increasing attention to certified ecolabel, not only for the furniture structure but also for the finishing material. Eco-friendly materials, like natural fibers in fabrics, more cotton and wool fabrics are offered to the market.

These keywords can be used by furniture manufacturers in their communication strategies, in order to better reach consumers in a crowded business environment and keep the competitive edge in a global market, where competition keeps growing day by day.