China's Wood Furniture Manufacturing Industry: Industrial Cluster and Export Competitiveness

Abstract

Abstract:China is the largest furniture exporter in the world. Its wood furniture industry has become an important part of the country's forestry economic development. Hence, investigating China's furniture industry cluster and export competitiveness is favorable for the sustainable development of China's forestry industry. This study indicates that, under the guidance of the export-oriented strategy of China's reform and opening up for 30 years, the country's furniture industry has formed three big industry areas, namely, the Eastern Pearl River Delta, the Yangtze River Delta, and the Bohai Rim Region. As the strategy shifts from export orientation to a focus on domestic demand, the Midwest area will take over China's industrial transfer. At present, China's furniture products have an important position in the world market. In 2010, furniture exports accounted for 27% of the world's total exports, with wood furniture accounting for $10.6 billion worth of exports, or 58% of China's total exports of furniture. Among the main export markets, the United States accounted for 39% of China's total exports. In terms of international furniture trade, an important mutual influence exists between China and the United States. China's office furniture and kitchen furniture have price advantages, whereas the bedroom furniture lacks price advantages. The production and export of mahogany furniture face the pressure of raw material shortage because of the protection of tropical forest resources. Hence, this challenge puts China's furniture industry in future competition from emerging countries such as Malaysia.

Using Augmented Reality Technology to Construct a Wood Furniture Sampling Platform for Designers and Sample Makers to Narrow the Gap between Judgment and Prototype

“…Now that multinational design and manufacturing procedures have become an inevitable trend in the current furniture sampling production [20], furniture designers are facing the need for cross-country or off-site cooperation to discuss furniture sampling with the sampling factory [21]. However, due to the absence of actual space comparison, discussions on the 2D drawing will be more difficult because the sample maker cannot precisely grasp what the designer wants to present [9], and only oral dictation or repeated styling corrections are used in the furniture sampling [18].…”

Research on the Production Process Optimization of Special Shaped Parts of Wood Furniture and Automatic Milling Technology

“…During production process in wood furniture enterprises, to meet the functional and modeling requirements, furniture parts required to be made into various shaped or curved surfaces are called special shaped parts [1]. Figure. During practical application, special shaped parts exist in all aspects of furniture products, such as legs of desks or chairs, back rail of chairs, head board of beds, chair arms, table top of end tables and top panel, end panel and door panel of cabinets.…”

A Review on Sustainability Characteristics Development for Wooden Furniture Design

“…It was anticipated that the global furniture market's export values would grow by 12% in the next five years [6], with Asian countries set to lead as producers of furniture [7]. One of the current competitive furniture exporters is Malaysia; however, it has yet to actively focus on sustainability characteristics [8]. Western European countries, meanwhile, are leaders in new designs, environmental approaches, sustainable natural materials, highvalue-added furniture production, and new technology [7].…”