1. Overview
According to CNFA(China National Furniture Association )and CNLIC (China National Light Industry Council), from 2013 to 2017, the output of China’s furniture industry was growing. 2018 China adjusted the statistical caliber of the furniture industry, and the furniture output of enterprises above the scale in 2018 was 712.774 million pieces, down 1.27% year-on-year. 2019 furniture output was 896.985 million pieces, down 1.36%. 2020 production in the first 3 quarters was affected by the epidemic, with furniture manufacturing output of about 630 million pieces (down 5.4% year-on-year).
Broken down by material, China mainly produces Metal Furniture (50.9%) and Wood Furniture (40.5%), accounting for 90% of the overall production, followed by Upholstered Furniture at 8.6%. 2020 production of both metal and wood furniture rose 0.4% and 1.9% respectively over the previous year, but upholstered furniture fell slightly by 1.4%.
After more than 20 years of rapid development, China’s furniture industry has made China the World’s Largest Manufacturing and Exporting country. According to the CNFA, there are currently a total of 50 furniture industry clusters in China, gradually forming five major furniture industry zones in the Pearl River Delta, Yangtze River Delta, Bohai Rim, Northeast, and West.
The Pearl River Delta and Yangtze River Delta are the two major industry zones with the largest output and highest export value, with the most concentrated furniture industry, the highest output value, and the strongest comprehensive supporting capacity.
Next, there are regions such as Fujian, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Shandong, and Shanghai, which have the advantages of product quality and management. With Shanghai as the leader, the Yangtze River Delta has a rapidly developing furniture industry with the fastest average growth rate.
North China and Northeast China, with Beijing as the center, have the advantages of a furniture industry foundation and timber resources; the furniture industry in Central and Western China is actively developing by grasping the opportunities of urbanization and “BRI”(The Belt and Road Initiative ), etc.
The 4 four industrial zones are concentrated in furniture export production enterprises and large production enterprises, which are the main areas supplying China’s market and furniture exports. In contrast, the western furniture industrial zone is mainly oriented to the domestic market.
China has been built or planning to build furniture (home) industrial park (base) is mainly distributed in the eight central and western provinces, namely Jiangsu, Anhui, Henan, Hebei, Hubei, Sichuan, Yunnan, and Shaanxi. The construction of industrial parks can integrate resources and improve industrial chains; shorten production and marketing distances and save logistics costs; change the spatial distribution of labor force employment; and promote regional industrial restructuring, the industrial division of labor, and
cooperation. Considering the production cost and market factors, furniture enterprises may move to the central and western regions or even Southeast Asia in large numbers.
China’s major furniture regional specialty production bases：
| Places | Featured Bases |
| Dayong, Zhongshan City, Guangdong | The Mahogany Furniture Base |
| Longjiang, Shunde, Foshan City, Guangdong | Furniture Materials Capital of China |
| Dalingshan, Dongguan City, Guangdong | The First Furniture Export Town in China |
| Sanxiang, Zhongshan, Guangdong | Famous Classical Furniture Town in China |
| Anji, Huzhou City, Zhejiang | Home of China Chair |
| Yuhuan, Taizhou City, Zhejiang | China European Classical Furniture Base |
| Zhangshu City, Jiangxi | China Metal Furniture Industry Base |
| Zhuanghe, Dalian City, Liaoning | China Solid Wood Furniture Base |
| Shengfang, Langfang City, Hebei | Home of Steel and Glass Furniture |
2. TOP 5 China Furniture Industry Region
2.1 Pearl River Delta Furniture Industry Region
With Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Dongguan, Shunde, Foshan, and other areas in Guangdong Province as the center, it is the largest furniture industry zone in China. This area is adjacent to Hong Kong and Macao, rich in labor resources, furniture manufacturing started early, with many industrial clusters, a complete industrial supply chain, a developed sales market, and obvious brand advantages. Furniture production value accounts for one-third of the country, and most of the products are exported to the American market.
Guangdong is the country’s leading furniture production and marketing, its full use of its own advantages, the use of modern information technology, and constantly transforming and improving the technical level of the furniture industry, to maintain the industry’s production and sales advantages, Dongguan Houjie furniture manufacturing and exhibition services most prestigious, Foshan Shunde into furniture production, sales, supporting, wholesale integration base, Le Cong town has become China’s largest furniture distribution center, Dongguan Dalingshan, and Foshan Longjiang become the production of furniture and supporting materials for furniture production town.
2.2 Yangtze River Delta Furniture Industry Region
Centered around Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai, it is the fastest-growing region for furniture. The region has developed information, convenient transportation, deep regional culture, a good manufacturing industry base, and relatively concentrated talent. Furniture market capacity is large, product quality and grade are high, and business management is good. The furniture output value is also one-third of the country, mainly exported, with Europe and the United States as its main export markets.
In Zhejiang, for example, in recent years, the province’s furniture industry has shown rapid expansion in scale, structural adjustment prominent, block pattern obvious, rich sales model, brand awareness, and other five characteristics, the formation of Hangzhou‘s office furniture and Xiaoshan‘s export of outdoor furniture, Wenzhou‘s modern panel furniture, Yuhuan‘s European classical furniture, Anji‘s swivel chair, Shaoxing‘s soft mattress, Yiwu and Huzhou‘s mahogany traditional furniture, Ningbo‘s cabinet furniture, Haining‘s export of sofa furniture and Jiashan‘s export of solid wood furniture and other nine major industrial regions with regional characteristics.
2.3 Bohai Rim Furniture Industry Region
With Beijing as the center, it radiates Tianjin, Hebei, and Shandong, relying on the Bohai Sea economic circle for development. This region has a long history of furniture manufacturing, rich resources, and a superior geographical location. The scale of furniture enterprises and consumer groups is large, the mature furniture professional sales market and furniture marketing enterprises are concentrated, the industrial chain is becoming more and more perfect, and the products are mainly for domestic sales.
Industrial zone in Hebei’s Xianghe, Shengfang two characteristics of the furniture base has laid the Jipai furniture in the country’s position, especially Shengfang’s glass and steel furniture is known throughout the country sold in Southeast Asia; Beijing furniture companies understand the local market demand, occupy a certain regional advantage, the use of home furnishing stores chain features to expand brand influence; Shandong will be planned for Jinan upholstered furniture, solid wood furniture, panel furniture focus on the development of the region, giving full play to the advantages of industrial clusters to enhance the overall level and competitiveness.
2.4 Northeast Furniture Industry Region
Shenyang and Dalian along with the main, radiation Heilongjiang and other old industrial bases in Northeast China, mainly relied on the rich timber resources of the Greater and Lesser Hinggan Mountains and imported wood from Russia to develop solid wood furniture production, solid wood furniture enterprises production strength in the national leading position, concentrating on exports to Northeast Asia and the European market, the domestic market share is relatively small.
Shenyang furniture market is not only Liaoning’s furniture distribution center but also the country’s distribution center in Northeast and even Inner Mongolia, With the implementation of “China’s solid wood furniture capital” strategic construction; Dalian Zhuanghe has the country’s largest solid wood furniture export production base, the initial formation of intensive, clustered development of industry, a wide range of products, complete; Heilongjiang has basically formed to Harbin, Qiqihar, Jiamusi, Yichun, Qitaihe, Mudanjiang six cities and surrounding areas as the leading furniture manufacturing industry group, the construction of solid wood furniture, panel furniture-based diversified variety of structures.
2.5 West Furniture Industry Region
With Chengdu, Sichuan as the key development area, the supply of furniture products is oriented to the three-tier market in the central and western regions. The local government classifies the furniture industry as a pillar industry, increases support, in addition to the introduction of various preferential policies, and also timely solves the furniture enterprises in land acquisition, loans, labor, and other aspects of the problem.
The industrial zone’s mature and convenient logistics base, etc. is favored by coastal enterprises, a couple of industrial zone’s mature and convenient logistics base etc. is favored by coastal enterprises, coupled with the expanding demand for furniture with the development of inland cities, making the local furniture industry in the development of gradually undertaking the gradient transfer of industries in coastal areas, enterprises to logistical advantages to gain market share and the formation of the industrial park as a strong basis for industrial planning.
