What is Hampering the Growth of Sofa Segment in India ?

FDT Bureau

Image credit: Innovation Living available at House of AC

A majority of the Indian furniture market is dominated by small and unorganized players which are hindering its growth potential. However, the introduction of global players holds a promise for a better tomorrow.

Mr Todi believes that with the growing content on social media, it becomes challenging to work on designs. “The client wants the design recreated to the dot. Due to the easily available designs and materials, many vendors are recreating similar pieces, thereby losing exclusivity.”

As the population grows and the drawing room spaces start getting smaller, it is not always advisable to have the classic bulky sofa in a space.

On the other hand, Mr Choudhary feels that product and industrial design still have a long way to go. “India relies heavily on imports from other countries like China for a lot of its products. This occurs due to price as well as a lack of options from the country internally.”

Kohli draws attention to the utilization of space as a challenge. “As the population grows and the drawing room spaces start getting smaller, it is not always advisable to have the classic bulky sofa in a space.” She further highlights another challenge that is coming about as a byproduct of accessibility and availability of furniture trends directly to the consumer is a growing demand for the current ‘in’ look rather than an understanding of a lasting look. “A sofa is an expensive piece of furniture and not one that a client expects to change often. We work with clients to marry their current idea of a picture-perfect home with the longevity one expects a sofa to provide, so the same seating in a classic room today can still look relevant in a modern setup tomorrow,” she affirms.

This article is a part of our exclusive article ‘Sofa, so Good - Understanding the Business of Sofa’ which is originally published in Furniture Design & Technology (FDT Magazine) January 2023 print issue. If you want to read the full article, please subscribe Furniture Design & Technology Magazine here:  

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