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With the arrival of mind-blowing and bright-coloured modern furniture, bamboo- and cane-made ones took a back seat due to a lack of innovation and design development.
However, entrepreneurs in this sector have recently focused highly on bringing new designs as per the demands of consumers. As a result, such furniture is now gaining traction across residential and commercial sectors due to its eco-friendly nature, sustainability, and aesthetic look while craftsmen are cashing in on this revival.
Though such furniture is costlier compared to the conventional ones, more and more consumers are purchasing them. They are now found in many urban homes, giving a simple and elegant feel. Besides, commercial buildings, including offices, hotels, restaurants, and shops, increasingly prefer them to create a contemporary look.
Sony Chowdhury of Dhaka Cane said such furniture has great demand among the artistic-minded and high-class people both for indoor and outdoor decorations.
“Only a few items used to be made from bamboo and cane in the past. But currently, around 1,000 products of various designs are available in the market.”
Amir Hossen Siraj, an entrepreneur in Moulvibazar, said he manufactures more than 300 products in his factory and 12 workers are employed there.
“We supply products across the country and sell more than 25 lakh pieces annually.”
Md Khokan Hossain, manager of Troyee Cane Furniture Mart at Panthapath in Dhaka, said, “Such furniture is winning the hearts of consumers as they come in multiple designs, unlike the past. We can sell 2 lakh of bamboo and cane made furniture monthly.”
Jubayda Khan, a master’s student of United International University, said she has made a tea corner in the house where she will place cane-made furniture so that the place looks beautiful. “Besides, they are comfortable.”
Such furniture is priced according to quality. The price of a reading table ranges from Tk 20,000 to Tk 70,000, a dining table from Tk 40,000 to Tk 1 lakh, a sofa from Tk 30,000 to Tk 8 lakh, a chair from Tk 5,000 to Tk 35,000, and a hanging chair from Tk 8,000 to Tk 1 lakh.
But low-quality products are comparatively cheap. For example, the price of such a sofa ranges from Tk 16,000 to Tk 35,000, a chair from Tk 3,500 to Tk 8,000, a hanging chair from Tk 3,500 to Tk 16,000, and a bed from Tk 8,000 to Tk 35,000.
Speaking about product diversity, Sakib Ullah Arman, who gained a degree from the UK and started a business of such furniture after coming back to Bangladesh in 2018, said, “We have focused on product diversification and innovation.”
“Apart from serving the local market, Bangladesh has the opportunity to earn foreign currency. There is great demand for products made from natural materials among foreign consumers,” he added.
Khokan of Troyee Cane Furniture Mart, who has been involved in this sector for more than three decades, said when such furniture became less popular due to a lack of innovation, those made from plastic, wood, and metal dominated the market.
“Currently, we make bamboo and cane furniture of more than 200 designs. People are buying the products as they are aesthetic and more durable than others. The market for such furniture will not die.”
E-commerce boosting business
E-commerce platforms, including social media, are further expanding the market for such furniture, with customers ordering products from home. Consumers can choose any product and entrepreneurs try to ensure home delivery anywhere in the country.
Amir Hossen Siraj, an entrepreneur in a remote area, mainly uses Facebook to sell his products. He said he regularly gets orders on Facebook from across the country. “Facebook has made it possible for me to supply products around the country.”
Sony of Dhaka Cane said he gets five to 10 calls from potential customers daily. “We have developed an e-commerce platform, which gives us an opportunity to market our products. However, there are many fake businesses that are cheating consumers.”
Raw material crisis main challenge
Entrepreneurs said they collect bamboo from the local market but import cane, including from Indonesia, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka, as quality raw materials for cane-made furniture are not available in the country.
They said some syndicates change import prices whenever they wish as they control the business.
Kazi Sultan Ahamed, manager of Zilani Cane Museum at Banani, said, “As we have to import raw materials, product prices become higher. The quality of local cane is not suitable for making good furniture.”
“If we can produce raw materials locally, it will be highly beneficial while many businesses will be set up in the country,” he added.
Need for investment, policy support
Industry insiders said if big companies get proper policy support, Bangladesh can bring in a large amount of foreign currency by exporting such furniture.
Sakib said there are no experts and researchers in this sector in the country while the government has no plans to expand the industry either.
The industry would never flourish if the government does not take initiatives, he said.
“As the demand for eco-friendly products is increasing, we are hoping that foreign investors will invest in this sector. These products have significant demand in markets in the US, the Middle East, and Europe,” he added.
National Association of Small and Cottage Industries of Bangladesh President Mirza Nurul Ghani Shovon said some 5,000 people are directly involved in this sector, which is growing in hilly areas.
“The demand for such products is growing day by day, and there are enormous export opportunities. Training should be arranged for entrepreneurs, and such products should be exempted from VAT and tax.”
