Joyce Cho, CEO at Furnt, talks about recent investments, what’s next and its ambition to become the most trusted wholesale furniture manufacturing partner across the world.
Built on the foundations of an international background, Furnt has grown into a reliable source, providing a bridge from East to West. At heart of its operations is Joyce Cho, CEO at Furnt. “My husband and I come from two different parts of the world – America and China – and we have both lived in the UK for over a decade.
“I was born in Guangdong, one of the leading furniture manufacturing regions in the world, so I grew up understanding production, materials and factory standards from the source. Living in the UK for many years has helped us fully understand what British and European clients truly value – design, quality, consistency and service.
“Our international background gives us a unique perspective in the furniture industry, with our combination allowing us to bridge East and West perfectly. We know how to manufacture at the highest standard and we know exactly what our clients expect in terms of style and quality
“This cultural and industry understanding is one of Furnt’s greatest strengths, and it is a major reason why our trade clients trust us. Furnt is not just a business to us, it is deeply personal.”
Playing on its strengths, Furnt has delivered a positive year, despite challenging economic circumstances, while also experiencing growth within the interior design sector as well as trade clients. “Thanks to our long-term relationships with trusted manufacturers, we have continued to offer high-quality products at strong value, which keeps us competitive even as costs rise across the market,” Joyce said.
“We have seen steady growth from interior designers, developers and trade clients who value our consistency, flexibility and reliable lead times. We have also focused on strengthening partnerships, improving internal operations and enhancing customer experience. As a result, we have maintained resilience and continued to expand our presence within the trade sector.”
Alongside its growth, Furnt has been busy investing in the company too. During the year, the company has implemented a dedicated in-house Quality Control team, enhanced packaging and perfected product photography.
“We have made several strategic investments to improve product quality, reduce operational issues and better support our trade partners,” Joyce added. “We now have our own dedicated in-house QC team. Every item is thoroughly inspected before dispatch, reducing defects and protecting our clients’ reputation.
“We work with many dropshippers and we understand how costly returns and damages can be. Our philosophy is simple: ‘If we minimise your problems, we minimise your operational costs’. By improving quality control, packaging and communication, we help our partners run smoother and more profitably.
“On packaging, we have upgraded packaging by using reinforced cardboard and stronger internal protective materials. This helps protect products from rough handling during transit and significantly reduces damage and replacement rates.
“Finally, we’ve invested to provide professional white background photos and lifestyle/scene images for every product. This allows our customers to list, market and sell products quickly without extra photography costs, improving speed to market and conversion rates.”
Keeping the conversation on products, the business has also been developing its offering to meet evolving trade demand. This includes new bespoke and modular ranges, contract-grade products, eco-friendly designs and an expanded range of finishes and options.
“We are developing new collections with more flexibility in size, design and finish to support designers and developers who require tailored solutions,” Joyce said. “We are introducing more contract-grade furniture suitable for commercial and hospitality projects, where durability and compliance are essential.
“We are also developing more sustainable and environmentally conscious options, including responsibly sourced materials, longer-lasting construction to reduce waste, cleaner and more efficient production processes and further recyclable and reusable packaging components.
“There is a strong shift towards long-lasting, responsibly produced furniture rather than mass-market, disposable items. Sustainability is now a major purchasing factor, and we are committed to supporting greener design projects.
“We are increasing our range of finishes, materials and custom specifications to give our clients even greater creative control without compromising lead time. Designers and developers want products tailored to specific spaces and aesthetics, rather than standard sizes.
“Overall, the market is moving towards quality, flexibility and trustworthy partnerships, which aligns perfectly with our approach at Furnt.”
As highlighted, sustainability is a key focus for Furnt and will remain so in the year ahead alongside continued investment in its manufacturing network. “This year, we spent significant time working directly with our factories,” Joyce added. “We understand that each factory has its own strengths and specialises in certain product categories – whether it’s upholstery, woodwork, metalwork or bespoke pieces.
“Rather than using one factory for everything, we carefully select the right factory for the right product, ensuring higher quality, consistency and cost efficiency.
“Moving forward, we will deepen partnerships with specialised factories, increase production efficiency and capacity, develop exclusive trade-only collections, strengthen logistics and supply chain management, and continue to support designers, developers and dropshippers with tailored, scalable solutions.
“Our long-term goal is to become the most trusted wholesale furniture manufacturing partner in the UK and internationally. We are proud of our journey so far and excited to continue building Furnt with a global mindset and local understanding. We look forward to exhibiting at the January Furniture Show 2026 to present our products.”
