Welcome to Furniture Industry News.

Your go to update for what's happening across the furniture world today is October 29, 2025.

Let's dive into the latest trends, company updates and key insights shaping our industry Consumer confidence took a small step back in October.

According to the Conference board, the overall index slipped to 94.6, down just a point from September.

But consumers still reported feeling better about current business and job conditions.

The Present Situation index, which measures how people feel about today's economy, actually rose slightly to 129.3.

The future outlook, though, wasn't as bright.

The expectations index dropped to 71.5, staying below the level that often signals a recession ahead.

Inflation expectations inched up to 5.9%, and more than half of consumers still believe interest rates are likely to rise.

In short, shoppers are cautiously optimistic about their current situations, but remain uncertain about what's next.

Speaking of uncertainty, the furniture industry continues to wrestle with how well its sustainability message is landing with consumers.

And right now it seems the answer is not very A recent survey by Provoke Insights found that only 3% of consumers think furniture is among the most sustainable industries.

That's far behind sectors like skincare, VA vitamins and apparel.

Yet sustainability still matters.

Nearly 6 in 10 respondents said they'd be likely to buy eco friendly furniture, but price remains the biggest barrier.

Over half of those surveyed said they'd consider a sustainable purchase only if it didn't cost much more.

Concerns about durability, limited styles and lack of information also held people back.

Interestingly, shoppers who identify as environmentally conscious are about 43% of those surveyed are also more likely to try new brands and buy from companies that support environmental causes.

So the interest is there.

But the furniture industry still has work to do in connecting its green story to real consumer behavior.

While the industry works on messaging, sustainability brands in general might want to watch how often they message anything at all.

A global study by CSG found that seven in 10 consumers think brands are sending so many marketing messages that they've stopped paying attention.

In fact, a third of respondents said they've quit buying from brands that over communicate.

The sweet spot for frequency seems to be about once a week, and email is still the most preferred channel, far ahead of texts or social media.

Consumers say the main reasons they stay subscribed to brand communications are deals and discounts, short and easy to read messages, and personalization.

The takeaway here?

Keep it relevant, keep it simple, and resist the urge to over message your audience.

Now let's talk about how technology is reshaping our own industry, Ashley Sleep is leaning heavily into artificial intelligence to fine tune everything from sales training to marketing.

The company's senior vice president of betting, Brad Rogers, says AI is now helping Ashley analyze market territories, predict consumer preferences and even optimize merchandising on retail floors.

It's also being used to generate marketing content faster.

Rogers is clear, though AI can't replace human connection, the soft skills of sales professionals remain irreplaceable.

But AI is proving to be a valuable tool for making retailers more responsive and efficient.

At the recent with it breakfast during High Point Market, some of the most recognized women in design like Erin Napier, Egypt Sherrod, Jean Stauffer and Susan Habel shared stories about their personal and professional journeys.

They talked candidly about navigating uncertainty, scaling businesses and balancing family and work.

Napier described how she built her career from designing wedding invitations to co hosting Hometown on hgtv, while Sherrod spoke about rebranding her company Indigo Road and landing partnerships with major retailers like Target and JCPenney.

Their insights ranged from practical business advice like never invest more than you can afford to lose and to personal philosophies about embracing imperfection and taking bold risks.

It was a reminder that even the most successful people in our industry face moments of doubt and reinvention.

And speaking of stories worth learning from, Furniture Industry News is launching a brand new series called the Story of It's a documentary style show that digs into the companies ideas and decisions that shaped the furniture business as we know it.

We'll trace how the biggest names rose, stumbled, adapted and changed the way the rest of us operate.

These aren't just company profiles, they're packed with lessons for anyone who runs, sells, designs or manages in this industry.

The Story of is coming soon right here on Furniture Industry News.

Stay tuned.

On the topic of reinvention, the Dallas Market center is taking the next step in its Near Shoring America initiative.

Following a successful debut in 2024, the 2026 event will focus on matchmaking, connecting US brands with vetted factories and service providers across Mexico and Latin America.

The new format uses detailed brand criteria to create one on one supplier meetings during January's Total Home and Gift Market and Light Ovation shows the goal is to make sourcing faster, safer and more efficient while strengthening nearshore production networks.

As supply chain challenges continue to reshape global sourcing, this initiative represents a meaningful shift toward closer, more resilient manufacturing partnerships.

In the retail world, a familiar name is being recognized for innovation.

IKEA has been ranked the most innovative retail company in America, topping the latest American Innovation Index compiled by Fordham University and the Norwegian School of Economics.

The index measures how consumers perceive innovation across industries and Ikea outpaced giants like Amazon, Saks Fifth Avenue and Costco.

Shoppers cited variety, stylish design and the ability to introduce new ideas quickly as reasons for ranking Ikea so highly.

Interestingly, companies that consumers consider innovative also score well for being easy to do business with and maintaining strong digital platforms, qualities that are becoming essential for success in retail.

In manufacturing News Renegade Furniture Group has acquired Vision Contract Manufacturing in High Point, North Carolina.

Vision's president Chris Morris will continue to lead the company, which is being rebranded as Revival American Contract Furniture.

Renegade plans to invest heavily in expanding production and improving efficiency with upgrades to equipment, workflow and quality control.

The goal is to boost domestic upholstery manufacturing capacity while keeping craftsmanship and reliability intact.

With tariffs and global logistics still in flux, the timing could be ideal for renewed focus on American made furniture.

Morris says the priority is strengthening operations without raising costs, focusing on reliability, faster turnaround and consistency.

Turning to financial results, several major players reported third quarter updates that give us a snapshot of where the industry stands.

HNI Corporation posted nearly a 2% increase in total net sales, with its office furniture segment leading the way.

The company continues to prepare for its acquisition of Steelcase, and despite some one time costs tied to the deal, it remains optimistic about volume growth and margin expansion into the fourth quarter.

Leggett and Platt also delivered solid earnings gains even as sales dipped 6% year over year.

The company benefited from restructuring and the sale of its aerospace division, which sharpened its focus on core operations.

Betting related sales were down largely due to retailer adjustments and restructuring related attrition, but operating cash flow improved to $12.6 million.

The company reaffirmed its full year guidance and continues to project stability going into 226.

Wayfair, meanwhile, returned to growth with strong third quarter numbers.

Revenue climbed to $3.1 billion, up more than 8% year over year, with adjusted EBITDA soaring over 70%.

US sales led the way and the company saw steady gains in repeat orders and average order value.

CEO Neeraj Shah emphasized that Wayfair's growth isn't dependent on the housing market but on its own execution, driving efficiencies and maintaining pricing discipline even in a slow housing environment.

And finally, Bed Bath and Beyond continues its recovery.

The company cut its quarterly net loss dramatically from $61 million last year to just $4.5 million this quarter and improved its operating margins while active customer numbers dropped, revenue per customer and order value both improved.

Executive Chairman Marcus Lemanis said the company expects to return to positive revenue growth in 2026 as it pivots toward an everything Home model, an operation that aims to blend retail with home management tools and services.

That wraps up today's industry rundown.

From cautious consumer optimism to AI driven innovation and a renewed focus on near Shoring and American manufacturing, it's clear that change continues to define the furniture landscape.

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