For South Africa’s furniture manufacturing sector, 2025 was not a year of standing still. It was a year of recalibration, resilience and real progress in an industry under pressure from imports, rising compliance demands and shifting global markets.
Against this backdrop, the South African Furniture Initiative (SAFI) has emerged as a central force in turning industry challenges into practical opportunities for manufacturers.
Over the past year, SAFI has shifted decisively beyond advocacy into execution. Its work has translated into export access, training pathways, compliance support and digital tools that directly affect how manufacturers operate, compete and grow.
“Manufacturers are under no illusions about how tough the operating environment is,” says SAFI CEO, Greg Boulle. “What has changed this year is that businesses are no longer simply being told to ‘be resilient’.
“They are being given real structures to compete, through export access, skills development, compliance support and market intelligence.”
Turning export ambition into market access
In 2025, SAFI moved export growth from theory into action. This was evident in South Africa’s debut participation at Index Saudi Arabia, where local manufacturers were introduced to international buyers actively seeking new supply partners.
At a regional level, SAFI also strengthened market connections through Engage Trade Africa, enabling engagement with retailers, procurement groups and e-commerce platforms.
“Our focus is not on exposure for exposure’s sake,” says SAFI Marketing Relationship Manager, Tracy Symons. “It’s about informed market entry. Manufacturers need to know the market before they ship product, and SAFI’s job is to replace guesswork with strategy.”
With domestic demand under pressure, access to overseas markets offers manufacturers stability, growth and protection against relying on a single economy.
“Exporting isn’t just about sales,” Symons adds. “It’s about long-term security and building a sustainable future for South African manufacturing.”
Skills development that strengthens
If export access is the growth engine, skills development is the chassis. In 2025, SAFI intensified its investment in artisan training, accreditation support and qualification alignment across the sector.
“Skills development is not a tick-box exercise – it is a commercial strategy,” says Lynn Adonis, SAFI’s Qualifications Manager. “Factories with trained, competent staff produce better quality, deliver faster and waste less. That improves margins, reputation and sustainability.”
Throughout the year, SAFI expanded partnerships with technical colleges, universities and manufacturers, fast-tracked QCTO accreditation processes and rolled out facilitator and assessment training programmes nationwide.
For many businesses, this has translated into improved audit readiness, higher eligibility for training grants, and structured workplace learning models.
“We are building a skilled workforce that supports production from the inside out,” Adonis says. “This is not theory – it is about creating confident artisans who add real value on the factory floor.”
A stronger industry starts with fair conditions
SAFI’s work in 2025 extended well beyond markets and manuals. At an industry level, the organisation continues to push for fair trade conditions, proper enforcement and realistic procurement policies through the Furniture Industry Master Plan.
“Local manufacturers cannot compete against under-declared imports and uneven regulation,” Boulle explains. “Our role is to ensure furniture manufacturing is treated as a strategic economic sector, not as an afterthought.”
From lobbying for local procurement to highlighting irregular trade practices, SAFI’s work behind the scenes has focused on restoring commercial fairness to the industry. “Manufacturing only works if the playing field is level,” Boulle adds. “Advocacy still matters, but today it is about outcomes, not meetings.”
Digital tools designed for real business decisions
This year also marked SAFI’s formal step into digital enablement with the rollout of its new website and the development of its upcoming Export Markets Platform.
“This tool will be transformational,” says Symons. “For the first time, furniture manufacturers will have access to live market intelligence specific to their product categories.”
The platform will provide country-level trade insights, product demand patterns and export signals, allowing manufacturers to plan international growth based on data, not guesswork.
“This is not a marketing tool,” Symons emphasises. “It is a planning resource. It gives businesses the information they need to make informed decisions about where to invest, what to produce and who to engage.”
Why SAFI membership matters more than ever
For manufacturers considering the value of SAFI membership, 2025 has clarified its role within the industry, not only as a support structure, but as part of the formal regulatory framework governing the sector. With Furniture Bargaining Councils now covering the entire country, registration is a legal requirement for all furniture manufacturers, and this registration automatically includes SAFI membership as part of formal industry participation.
But beyond compliance, membership now delivers tangible commercial advantages. SAFI members gain access to structured export programmes, funded trade platforms, skills and qualification support, compliance guidance, market intelligence tools and active representation at policy level – all of which directly influence a manufacturer’s ability to compete, grow and remain sustainable.
“Being part of SAFI is about positioning your business properly for the next phase of manufacturing in South Africa,” says Greg Boulle. “That means higher operational standards, wider market access and stronger systems that support long-term growth.”
In a sector facing tightening regulation and rising global competition, SAFI membership is no longer just representation, it is protection, progression and opportunity built into one framework.
As the industry looks ahead, 2026 promises not only activity, but impact, Boulle concludes: “We look forward to the year ahead. It will test the industry, but it will also reward those who are prepared, connected and adaptive.
SAFI is committed to ensuring that South African manufacturers enter 2026 with confidence and leave it stronger.”
For more information, visit www.southafricanfurnitureinitiative.co.za
