Furniture News’ spotlight is on upholstery this month, as one of the biggest players changes hands and others make key hires, establish new footholds, and emerge victorious as our readers’ favourites.
There are serious gains to be made in this sector, but as the manufacturer/supplier landscape evolves and the battle for retail market share heats up, an inescapable truth remains – that upholstery requires skilled hands, and recruiting, training and retaining suitable craftspeople is no mean feat.
Maybe it’s time for more joined-up (sewn-up?) thinking. This month, we turn to upholsterer, teacher, author and podcast host Vicky Grubb for her take on the disconnect between big business, smaller enterprises and solo artisans, and how bringing the craft into greater focus could benefit everyone.
You’ll also find our interview with Loom Loft’s Katie Neary, advice on handling losses, planning for Christmas, holding the line and AI search strategy, and our bumper Readers’ Choice Awards feature, in which we celebrate
