Children's bedroom furniture

	The C023 from Onsmei Furniture Co. Ltd is a crib model with drawers and casters.

Designers combine aesthetics and function in recent releases. Storage and occupied floor area are also factored in.

Multifunction designs, many of which are also visually pleasing and space-saving, continue to dominate exports of children’s furniture in China.

Commonly seen in products for children 8 years old and below, the trend is not exactly new in the industry. Models with this characteristic, however, remain as marketable.

Multifunctionality is typical in bunk beds, although more products are now being designed with the feature in mind. Tables, for instance, are made with extendable segments and hinged desktop lids to expand the surface or give extra storage space.

Racks are incorporated in the lower deck of cribs and beds. Some models boast pullout trundles, while others have bottom compartments with removable doors.

Platform and captain’s beds have headboards that function as shelves. They can also be detached as standalone bookcases. Cribs and toddler beds may be reassembled into full-size or daybeds. Closets and chests are usually designed as a wide chair with a moveable seat board.

	Zhejiang Orient Import & Export Co. Ltd’s model ORT9524 is a 70x38.5x47cm chest with frog prince theme.

Themed designs are popular, particularly in children’s furniture ensembles. Many China makers offer sets with a bunk bed, wardrobe and chair or sofa, in a bus or firetruck motif. Some of the pieces even have realistic details such as steering wheels.

Targeted at children above 8 years old, country-style bedroom sets are also best-sellers. Onsmei Furniture Co. Ltd has released a furniture ensemble consisting of a bed, wardrobe, nightstand and bookcase. All pieces are painted white and decorated with a classic pattern.

China suppliers continue to adopt novelty shapes and offbeat colors. Some sofas, for example, come in the shape of a football or fruit such as a banana or an apple.

Models with printed flowers, animals, and fairy tale or cartoon characters are also increasing.

	The WJ277479 children’s furniture set from Wenzhou Times Co. Ltd consists of a bunk bed, desk and clothespress.

Suppliers of children’s furniture in China are facing stricter export requirements. The Consumer Product Safety Commission has recently launched the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act. It aims to lower the lead content in the paint used in children’s products from the previous 600 to 90ppm.

Worried that noncompliance would become an entry barrier to key markets, many makers were forced to shift to environment-friendly alternatives. Among these is water-based paint, which contains less volatile organic compounds.

An increasing number of companies are adopting these nontoxic finishes, especially for designs targeting the US, the EU and Japan.

Models are also certified by SGS or Intertek for compliance with ASTM D4236 and BS5852, and EN 71 Parts 1, 2 and 3. Products shipped to Japan bear the ST2002 mark.

Shifting to nontoxic paint and third-party testing will increase cost by 20 to 30 percent.

China manufacturers offer a range of children’s furniture. This includes beds, cribs and cradles, closets, table and chair sets, toy boxes and chests. Most releases are low-end and midrange.

MDF is the primary material used. Makers utilize the E0, E1 and E2 grades, which have formaldehyde emission levels of ≤ 5, ≤ 9 and ≤ 30mg/100g, respectively.

Of these, the first is rarely adopted due to its high cost. Many companies opt for the E1 and E2 versions. Such types are quoted at $18 and $14 per 2,440x1,220x25mm piece.

Some suppliers employ CARB-certified, E1-grade MDF from Southeast Asia. At $32 per 2,440x1,220x25mm piece, the material costs 70 percent more than domestic counterparts.

Makers also consider the type of furniture when choosing which MDF grade to use. For beds and cribs, they generally go for E1. The material’s lower formaldehyde emission is deemed necessary as children spend most of their time on these.

Tables, chairs, toy boxes and chests, and closets adopt E2. This choice renders the products more suitable for price-sensitive buyers. For example, a 70x38.2x47cm toy chest made of E2-grade MDF is about $10. A version utilizing E1, on the other hand, would top $15.

In general, solid wood designs have simple and classic styles. They are rarely printed with any type of pattern and are usually coated with clear lacquer to emphasize the grain.

Models in this material are significantly more expensive than those in E2-grade MDF.

Paint is another factor affecting price. Compared with local oil-based counterparts, domestic water-based solutions are 20 to 30 percent more costly. Versions sourced from Germany are quoted up to 50 percent higher. A 55x46cm, E1-grade MDF table would go for $9, $10 or $12, when finished with local oil-, water- or imported water-based paint, respectively.

In addition to material, the design and production procedure are also price differentiators.

A 1,250x730x1,060mm crib of basic structure is quoted at $44. Versions having drawers and an adjustable bed board reach $88.

Expensive models usually feature multiple combinations. In children’s bunk beds, the lower deck is replaced with a computer desk, a small wardrobe and bookshelves. MDF versions in this configuration are between $250 and $350.

More-complex structures also add to the cost. Additional fittings include a storage drawer and a staircase with safety handles. Such models also boast detailed processing. Edges are polished and rounded, and rivets are covered in soft rubber pads.

MDF bunk beds go for $350 and above. Basic tables for 3 to 6 years old are priced at $9 or $10. Versions with tops adjustable to the children’s height can exceed $15.

Upscale designs usually boast a stable center of gravity that prevents overturning.

The US, the EU and Asia are the key markets for China-made children’s furniture. OEM and ODM orders account for the bulk of shipments.

The country has 150 to 200 exporters. While some companies closed down due to the economic crisis, a number have also entered the industry.

Only a few suppliers specialize in the line. The majority mainly manufactures regular furniture and diversified into children’s models.

Others are originally makers of related products such as wooden toys and puzzles. These include Zhejiang Orient Import & Export Co. Ltd and Wenzhou Times Co. Ltd, which shifted to children’s furniture because of the industry’s less-demanding requirements.

About 70 percent of suppliers are private and locally owned. The rest are foreign-invested enterprises. Most of these are midrange to large and have Hong Kong and Taiwan financiers.

Locally owned companies are generally small and midsize with 70 to 600 employees. The total annual sales range from less than $1 million to as much as $6 million.

The few large players have more than 1,000 employees, of which about 500 are assigned to children’s furniture production. These boast three to five factories for various processes and can reach sales of $30 million each year.

Small companies rarely have in-house R&D teams. They usually subcontract two or three engineers to do a prototype for OEM orders. Most target the low end.

Midsize makers have up to 10 designers. These offer children’s furniture across all price points and can release more than 10 models each year.

With more than 15 people in R&D, large enterprises generally create 20 designs annually. Products are mostly upscale. To stay abreast of the trends, makers send their designers abroad regularly.

Guangdong province is China’s largest sourcing center for children’s furniture. The hub has about 50 locally owned and 20 foreign-invested companies. Suppliers are mostly located in the cities of Dongguan, Shunde and Shenzhen.

Makers in the province generally have the experience and capability to develop their own designs. Many can create prototypes from buyers’ concepts and are adept in producing models that require complex cutting and finishing techniques.

Zhejiang province is also a major hub for children’s furniture. Suppliers are clustered in Wenzhou and mostly produce children’s storage units and accessories.

Manufacturers offer pieces at the most competitive prices. Similar designs are sometimes quoted 10 to 15 percent lower than in rival hubs.

Makers in Fujian province, another significant sourcing center, are mainly based in Xiamen city. The majority offers low-end and midrange models.

Less-costly labor and production there enable companies to offer similar products at prices that are 10 percent lower than in Guangdong.