Furniture: Chokepoints and risks
Makers and sellers of home, office and outdoor furniture, mattresses and kitchens
Chokepoints and risks
- US tariffs and trade uncertainty cut world furniture trade in 2025, hitting exporters that rely on the US, which takes about a quarter of imports1,2.
- Polyurethane foam depends on MDI and TDI from a few global producers (eight firms held all MDI capacity in 2020), so a plant outage moves foam prices worldwide4.
- EU deforestation and timber-legality rules and formaldehyde limits raise compliance costs for panel and solid-wood makers.
- Bulky goods make furniture margins very sensitive to container and fuel prices.
- Housing slowdowns cut demand quickly, since furniture purchases follow home moves and new completions.