Furniture

Furniture Resources

The focus of this page is to provide brief descriptions and links to key industry, government and educational resources available on the Furniture industry in general and specifically in North Carolina.

Industry Associations
  1. North American Home Furnishings Association (NAHFA): The NAHFA was founded in 2013 when three major American home furnishings retailer associations—the National Home Furnishings Association (NHFA), the Western Home Furnishings Association (WHFA), and the Home Furnishings Independents Association (HFIA)—merged together. The new partnership provides resources, support, programming and a focused voice to furniture retailers.
  2. American Home Furnishings Alliance (AHFA): The American Home Furnishings Alliance is the world's largest and most influential trade organization serving the home furnishings industry. It serves as a comprehensive source of information for furniture executives, providing surveys, statistics, and guides.
  3. Business & Institutional Furniture Manufacturers Association (BIFMA): Based in Michigan, BIFMA is the trade association focused on the office, commercial and institutional furniture industries. It acts as both a resource for manufacturers and an advocate for sustainable, safe, and efficient standards and policies.

Education & Training
  1. NC State Furniture Manufacturing and Management Center (FMM)
  2. Catawba Valley Community College Furniture Upholstery Program
  3. Fayetteville Technical Community College Continuing/Extension Education

Government Resources
  1. NC Furniture Export Office: The NC Furniture Export Office is part of the NC Department of Commerce, International Trade Division and is located in High Point, NC.
  2. Office of Household Consumer Goods (OHCG), International Trade Administration (ITA), U.S. Department of Commerce: The purpose of the OHCG is to address challenges U.S. manufacturers face domestically and internationally, by: Researching industry trade issues and publishing analyses, Contributing to the development of U.S. trade policy, Participating in trade negotiations, Organizing trade capacity building programs, Evaluating the impact of domestic and international economic and regulatory policies on U.S. manufacturers and service industries, Working with other U.S. agencies in developing a public policy environment that advances U.S. competitiveness at home and abroad.
  3. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST): U.S. Department of Commerce: A Guide to United States Furniture Compliance Requirements (2012).

Web-based Resources
  1. Furniture Today: This resource is a business newspaper operated out of Greensboro, NC that specifically focuses on the furniture industry. It is sent out both in print and online and provides up-to-date information on new products, explores marketing and financial trends, and analyzes the impact of imports on domestic markets.
  2. Furniture World: With 143 years of experience, this digital and print trade publication provides up-to-date industry news and marketing, financial, sales, and management advice to home furnishings retailers in the U.S. and Canada.
  3. Home Furnishing News (HFN): HFN provides detailed information on the key home classifications: Housewares, Floor Coverings & Rugs, Furniture, Home Textiles, Lighting, Home Decor, Mattresses & Bedding, Tabletop & Gifts, Housewares, Major Appliances, and Retail.
  4. Home Accents Today: Home Accents Today is a market-leading title in home furnishings, covering accent furniture, rugs, wall decor, decorative accessories, floral, garden, lighting, tabletop, soft goods and home fragrance. The monthly issues reach 20,000 home furnishings retailers, including furniture and gift stores, as well as interior designers, and publish 16 daily editions for the High Point, Atlanta and Las Vegas markets.
  5. High Point Market: This website not only provides preparatory and logistical information about the country’s most influential household furniture trade show, but also it serves as a valuable resource for the latest trends, industry news, and company reports.
  6. North Carolina Furniture Manufacturers directory: A database of N.C. Furniture Manufacturers compiled by the N.C. Furniture Export Office.

Books, Reports & Articles
  1. Anderson Bauman Tourtellot Vos. (Oct. 2013). "The American Furniture Industry: Industry Watch Update." Greensboro, NC: ABTV.
  2. Brun, Lukas, Giulio Buciuni, Stacey Frederick, Gary Gereffi, and Yanyun Xiao. (2013). "The Furniture Value Chain in North Carolina." Durham, NC: Center on Globalization, Governance, & Competitiveness (CGGC), Duke University.
  3. Charlotte Observer. (2013, Jan.). "NC Furniture Industry Hurting for Skilled Workers."
  4. Industry Week (2011, Oct. 28). "Rebirth of American Furniture Industry."
  5. Dugan, M. K. (2009). "The furniture wars: How America lost a fifty billion dollar industry." Conover, N.C: Goosepen Studio & Press.
  6. Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturer's Association (BIFA). (2012) "The U.S. Office Furniture Market"
  7. Bonner, Paul and Anne Krishnan (2004, Feb 15). "China's factories resemble NC's a century ago." Durham, Herald Sun.
  8. Nwagbara, Uche, Urs Buehlmann and Al Schuler. (2002). "Impact of Globalization on North Carolina’s Furniture Industries." NC Department of Commerce: Raleigh, NC.