Welcome to the BFM’s The Future of Furniture campaign
Our members are committed to offering new recruits a rewarding and interesting career path within the heart of British industry, and to a more sustainable future.
Through The Future of Furniture, our industry talks about its work in these two important areas.
On this page, stories from across our membership, and from partners within our sector, will be regularly uploaded.
They’ll paint a picture of the opportunities to carve out a thriving career in the industry, and the importance, from a sustainability perspective, of British made furniture.
There will be opportunities for all our members, and partners in the sector with a focus on education and sustainability, to get involved in the campaign.
We’ll keep you informed of the activities planned, with regular updates in this online area and on our social media channels too.
Whether you are a BFM member, someone looking for a rewarding career choice, or have a keen interest in furniture design, manufacturing and sustainability, we hope you’ll support The Future of Furniture and help spread the word about this initiative.
Education, education, education
Educating and attracting the workforce of the future is something our members feel very strongly about.
As part of The Future of Furniture, we’ll be capturing stories that show how apprentices, trainees and people of all ages and backgrounds can thrive in our industry and enjoy working in the sector.
We are also showcasing the opportunities to study, the creative opportunities on offer, and the sense of reward and pride furniture makers feel in their work.
Furniture is all around us. It makes our lives more comfortable 24 hours a day, brings style and creativity to our home and creates tidy, orderly spaces.
It supports everything we do to eat, live and sleep, brings back memories, makes us feel excited about the future and appeals across all our senses.
Despite this hugely positive impact, the industry does not get the attention it deserves as a career choice.
We want to address that with The Future of Furniture. Watch this space to hear some real- life experiences from those working and learning in our sector.
To kick off the series, Ercol's apprentices share their thoughts on being an apprentice, their hopes for the future, and why young people should consider the industry as a career choice. See also the case studies on the right hand side.
We also visited Fibreline, based in Keighley, to chat with their apprentices about their roles and the importance of the industry. You can view it below.
If you are in education, please get in touch with jane@shepherd-pr.com for our free listing of further education and universities offering furniture-based study.
Sustainability and the BFM
In 2021, research conducted by Businesswise Solutions and BFM showed that 75 percent of our industry sees the management of environmental challenges as a key priority.
Through The Future of Furniture, we are showing the steps our members are taking in this important area.
Buying British-made furniture already brings significant environmental benefits.
There’s a reduction in travel, and greater emphasis on managing the supply chain.
This is in addition to the compelling attributes associated with British-made goods, including quality, safety, standards, comfort and professionalism.
Our Future of Furniture Awards
The industry heads to the Telford International Centre for the Furniture Component Expo (FCE) in March, which is the perfect event for us to present our Future of Furniture Awards.
In 2025, we’ll be giving out four accolades to BFM members at the show in recognition of excellence in sustainability and education:
- BFM Future of Excellence in Sustainability Award
- BFM Future of Excellence in Education Award
- BFM Future of Excellence in ESG Reporting Award
- BFM Future of Excellence Sustainability Champion Award
Entry is free and we invite those eligible to send an outline of the work completed and plans for the future, in one or more categories. Please download the entry forms to find out more. Click How To Enter below.
The winners will be announced at FCE, and we’ll capture the moment on video and with photography to amplify the result across different channels.
Look out for them on our social media channels too. If you are a member wanting to get involved, please email jane@shepherd-pr.com