Furniture China Expo recognizes that in 2026, the furniture industry has entered a period of deep transformation and adjustment. While overall scale continues to grow steadily, the competitive landscape is increasingly diverging, and innovation has become the core driving force for development. Multiple forces—policy, consumption, and technology—are reshaping traditional growth models, and new industry trends are accelerating.

The Ministry of Commerce and the Building Materials Distribution Association forecast that home furnishing retail sales will reach RMB 4.89 trillion this year. Stock renovation, subsidized housing outfitting, and trade-in programs are driving market growth, while old residential community and age-friendly renovation projects are generating RMB 80 billion in incremental demand, offsetting the downturn in the new housing market. The custom home furnishing market is expected to exceed RMB 500–600 billion, with growth moderating to 5%–8%, officially entering the stock competition phase.

Consumer demand has shifted from mere practicality to lifestyle creation. Environmental protection has become a hard standard, with 90% of consumers prioritizing panel eco-friendliness. ENF-grade panels, formaldehyde-free adhesives, and water-based paints are being widely adopted. Leading enterprises are building green supply chains and obtaining environmental certifications. The smart home market has exceeded RMB 1.2 trillion, with AI smart beds and whole-home central control systems becoming mainstream. Products have evolved from simple interconnection to autonomous perception and adaptation to user habits. Consumers born in the 1980s and 1990s are the primary demographic, favoring natural wood and wabi-sabi minimalist styles, and willing to pay premiums for products with emotional value such as intangible cultural heritage craftsmanship and IP collaborations.

Products are moving toward integration and sustainability. Whole-home customization has upgraded to one-stop living solutions encompassing inspection, design, construction, and governance. Integrated door-wall-cabinet orders now account for over 40% of the market. The industry is continuously updating materials and processes, combining multiple finishes with metal and glass to elevate texture, while laser edge banding and premium hardware have become standard features for high-end products.

Online-offline integrated OMO new retail is being rolled out comprehensively. In 2024, Douyin home decoration orders surged 207% year-on-year, and turnkey whole-home models are rapidly capturing market share. However, homogeneous "pseudo whole-home" products are flooding the market. Standardized large-format stores exceeding 1,500 square meters can reduce operating costs by 18%–22% and significantly boost marketing conversion efficiency.

Market competition is becoming increasingly polarized. The top 10 brands now hold a combined market share (CR10) of 45%, with resources continuing to concentrate in enterprises such as Oppein, Suofeiya, and Kuka. Low-end overcapacity persists, with industry inventory up 61% year-on-year, placing immense survival pressure on a large number of small and medium-sized enterprises. Foreign trade layouts are diversifying, with the share of exports to the United States falling to 18.8%, while Europe and Southeast Asia have become new growth points.

Policy continues to guide the industry toward green and intelligent development. Green building materials and smart home appliances are being rolled out in rural areas, multiple departments are increasing trade-in subsidies, and national standards for age-friendly furniture are creating new renovation tracks. Meanwhile, financial compliance has become an entry threshold for enterprises—merchants unable to issue special VAT invoices will be excluded from various policy subsidy benefits.

Source: zzyingbao