Readymade furniture, usually imported, has caught the imagination of the people of Lucknow in a big way. Sleek designs, bright colours and easy maintenance have given it an edge over age-old traditional wooden furniture.
Lucknow is witnessing a steady surge in furniture imports from countries like China, Malaysia, Singapore and Germany. While imports from China and Malaysia cater for the middle class, those from Germany are for the higher end of the market.
“Heavy and compact furniture of yesteryear, much sought after for its quality, is no longer in demand. The problem of carrying such furniture and the difficulties in re-assembling are the main reasons for people doing away with it,” Sheebu Khan from Malaysian Furniture told Business Standard.
“Carpenters are difficult to find these days. In the age of computers, it is an easy option to go for readymade and customised furniture,” he added.
Imported items include sofa, beds, chairs, dining tables, and cupboards.
The sofa sets range from Rs 30,000 to Rs 80,000, depending upon the design and seating capacity. Likewise, a double bed set will cost Rs 15,000-35,000.
However, a local furniture manufacturer can provide a similar sofa set for Rs 6,000-10,000 only. Then what is the reason for these imported items to be a hit? “Style, quality and better finish are the distinguishing criteria. Moreover, synthetic leather, the main raw material used, is easy to clean and durable,” a salesman from Godrej Interio said.
“We import items from Malaysia because they make our products in the way we specify. These are a hit these days,” he added.
“Wood, which used to be the an important and most usable raw material for furniture some years ago, is still one of the items used for manufacturing, besides iron, plastic, synthetic leather and fibre. Moreover, the shortage of quality wood has led to this development,” the salesman added.
He further said foreign countries had developed high-density fibre wood, which is better than ordinary wood. It provides better quality and finish, which is again an added advantage for these imported items.
“The customers look for design and style, which these imported items offer in a wide range. Most of them hardly have information about the quality of items used,” said N Singh from Bhadawar Furnishers.
