The 20th anniversary edition of Furniture China ran from 10-14th September, presenting an impressive array of Chinese and international exhibitors and special features, attracting visitors from around the world. Victoria Noakes paid the Shanghai-based show a visit to discover more about its global appeal ...

“Central to the event is the desire to increase the competitiveness of the furniture industry in China, by striving to keep up with today’s growing lifestyle expectations”

As I took my seat at the opening ceremony of this year’s edition of Furniture China, surrounded by the crème de la crème of the Chinese furniture industry – and having just been greeted by a full brass band, no less – I was struck by the unusal mix of the grandeur of my surroundings and a sense of warm hospitality. As a first-time visitor to the event, attending with fresh eyes and an open mind, this initial impression set the tone for the exhibition – and the rest of my visit.

Imparting some interesting insight into history of the Chinese market, the opening ceremony revealed that despite facing a challenging marketplace over the last 20 years, the Chinese furniture industry has seen steady growth and development, with around $53b having been made through furniture exports alone. With this in mind, Furniture China aims to provide a platform to boost this progress and to promote high levels of innovation and originality within the market.

Central to the event is the desire to increase the competitiveness of the furniture industry in China, by striving to keep up with today’s growing lifestyle expectations. As a result, the exhibition encourages sourcing for high quality designs and presents high-end furniture and fashionable home furnishings.

Hosting a mixture of key domestic Chinese and international industry names, this year’s edition of Furniture China brought together an impressive 2685 exhibitors – with just over 300 from overseas, from countries including France, Belgium, Spain, Germany, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and the US, along with newcomers Brazil and Poland – catering to diverse consumer needs. In addition, the exhibition reported a staggering 98,400 visitors – a 15% increase on last year’s footfall.

Major European brands held a strong position at the show, displaying the creativity and originality for which they are well known. High-end Belgian brand Zymbioz – now available in 50 stores in China – presented its new Mikado table, with a unique adjustable system and a simple wooden frame, which has become a popular choice with retailers. Scandinavian player Rowico’s Akeno table, featuring a white HPL scratch-free top surface and solid oak legs, also made a definite impact.

“I was struck by the unusal mix of the grandeur of my surroundings and a sense of warm hospitality”

However, something which really caught my attention was French brand Gautier’s bold and contemporary Preface collection, designed to enhance space with its bookcase and cubic storage unit options. The collection is distinguished by its modularity and room for personalisation – Preface allows the consumer to structure their interior to their own tastes – and the design possibilities are seemingly endless.

This unsurprisingly proved extremely successful with visitors, who claimed that having the choice of a TV unit, space optimiser, room divider and bookcase in one was something they had not come across before.

This year’s exhibition boasted a variety of special features to bring something extra for its visitors, including Home Plus, which incorporated several different lifestyle concepts designed by exhibitors which aimed to cater to varying stages of life. The 100 Sofa Show also presented 100 new designs of fabric sofas and a dedicated seminar programme which aimed to pass on important information about how to source better fabric, as well as other essential design tips and inspiration.

What is more, Design of Designers brought together the work of 60 talented designers – some new, some well established and internationally sought after – alongside a series of design forums to boost communication between designers and consumers. Whilst many designers caught my eye, for me, the Chinese and Dutch designers stole the limelight without a doubt.

One of my personal highlights was the Home exhibit by Peixin Li Design, which drew inspiration from the desire to create a relaxing atmosphere for the home and to bring people closer to nature, using solid wood in a range of shapes, sizes and structures. The main goal of this design was to promote freedom, leisure and simplicity.

In addition, I was intrigued by Chen Min’s Hangzhou Stool, a compact piece of furniture made of bamboo veneers, which took advantage of the varied qualities of the material. Its flexibility provides comfort, but is also claimed to reflect the relaxed and free atmosphere of Hangzhou city.

Considering the sheer scale and diversity of this Shanghai-based exhibition, it is easy to see why Furniture China retains such a positive reputation within the international furniture industry, and why it continues to attract exhibitors and visitors from around the world every year. Needless to say, for a new visitor, the event certainly did not disappoint – exceeding my expectations and making for a memorable and impressive experience.

The next edition will be held from 9-12th September 2015 at Shanghai New International Expo Centre and Shanghai World Expo Exhibition & Convention Centre (SWEECC).

The Sofa & Bed Show – a brand new upholstery exhibition – will debut concurrently with Furniture China 2015, occupying 40,000m² at SWEECC.

(Source: Furniture News Magazine October 2014)