The China Furniture Association has released its economic operations brief, providing authoritative data to help the industry grasp market dynamics and achieve stable, high-quality development.
In August 2025, the furniture industry saw widening declines in key indicators like production, import-export volume, and profitability. However, domestic consumption and investment maintained positive growth, with the profit margin on revenues remaining stable. Amid a complex external environment, weak global growth, and increasing trade policy uncertainties, the industry is under significant pressure. Driven by national policies, the domestic consumer market remains active and has achieved positive growth, even though overall industry revenue has not yet fully reversed its downward trend.
Production: From January to August 2025, there were 7,424 large-scale furniture enterprises (with annual main business revenue of ¥20 million or more), a decrease of 4 from the January-July period. Total operating revenue reached ¥403.83 billion, down 6.0% year-on-year. Furniture output in August alone fell by 4.9% compared to the same month last year. Cumulative output from January to August saw a slight increase of 0.6%. Specifically, wooden furniture production decreased by 3.4%, metal furniture production increased by 2.6%, and upholstered furniture production declined by 3.8%.
Profitability: In the first eight months of 2025, large-scale furniture enterprises achieved a total profit of ¥17.10 billion, a decrease of 16.7% year-on-year. The profit margin on operating revenue was 4.1%, which is 0.4 percentage points lower than the manufacturing industry average but stable compared to the January-July period.
Domestic Sales: In August 2025, China's total retail sales of consumer goods reached ¥3,966.76 billion, up 3.4% year-on-year. Retail sales of furniture products by larger enterprises totaled ¥16.85 billion, showing strong growth of 18.6%, though the growth rate slowed by 2.0 percentage points compared to July.
From January to August, the cumulative retail sales of furniture by these larger enterprises amounted to ¥133.53 billion, marking a significant 22.0% increase compared to the same period in 2024. This growth rate is 17.4 percentage points higher than the overall growth rate for total retail sales of consumer goods, underscoring the vitality of the domestic market.
Exports: Furniture exports in August 2025 were $5.03 billion, down 2.3% year-on-year. Cumulative exports for January-August reached $45.18 billion, a decrease of 5.2% from the same period in 2024.
Imports: Furniture imports in August 2025 were $130 million, down 7.5% year-on-year. The cumulative import value for January-August was $990 million, a decrease of 7.9%.
Investment: Fixed asset investment in the furniture industry grew by 14.8% year-on-year from January to August 2025, maintaining positive growth for the eighth consecutive month. However, investment income saw a significant decline of 21.1% to ¥3.58 billion during the same period.
The industry is currently at a critical stage of transformation and upgrading. To navigate this period, companies are advised to consolidate their presence in the domestic market while addressing export challenges through product innovation and diversifying into new markets. Optimizing business strategies, focusing on cost reduction and efficiency gains, avoiding internalized competition, and pursuing differentiation and brand-building are essential pathways for fostering a healthy and sustainable industry.
