Ukrainian Furniture Designers Ready for Las Vegas Fair Amid Increased Pressures
MILAN — Amid an era marked by war and destruction, the strength of Ukraine’s creative industries and the progress its leaders have made in design and tech before the Russian invasion may be forgotten. But Ukrainian furniture manufacturers are not giving up.
A consortium of high-end companies are gearing up to showcase their latest collections at the summer edition of Las Vegas Market, a five-day event that will kick off Sunday. Supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), this marks the third season the delegation has participated at the Las Vegas Market, as a part of a larger effort to raise global visibility for local manufacturers. Las Vegas Market, hosted at World Market Center, showcases thousands of wholesale furniture, gift, home decor, apparel and business-to-business brands.
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Tivoli, a contemporary high quality maker of wooden chairs and tables, is organizing these missions, ensuring these companies can operate amid the conflict, said Kiko Gaspar Communications, the firm representing the delegation that includes upholstery and sofa makers U-MA and Veko, tables and chair maker Tivoli, and home and commercial furnishing makers Garant and Richman.
“These companies face numerous challenges, including a decline in the workforce, frequent power outages and a decrease in domestic demand. Nevertheless, they persist in producing high-quality furniture at fair prices and finding ways to export their products from war-torn countries,” said Kiko Gaspar.
The Ukrainian economy fell by a third last year, the largest decline since Ukraine declared independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.
According to Californian hôtelier Jeff Michels, who visited Ukraine manufacturers during the war and has firsthand experience collaborating with the country’s furniture manufacturers on hospitality projects, USAID approached him after the completion of the Hotel Lumberjack. Located in Sonora, California, in an old gold mining town near Yosemite Park, it was fully designed by a Ukrainian architectural firm.
Michels, a furniture manufacturing and tourism expert for USAID’s Competitive Economy Program (CEP), also leads their participation in international furnishing exhibits. He pointed out that USAID has been active in supporting the Ukrainian tech community as well as fashion industry initiatives like Jen Sidary’s Angel for Fashion platform, which received a grant from CEP to take designers to major fashion weeks around the world. CEP is assisting Ukrainian furniture factories across the board by helping them with technical assistance and access to international markets.
“This support has not only boosted the exports of Ukrainian furniture but has also facilitated the exchange of knowledge and enhanced capacity building within the industry,” Michels said.
Similar U.S. events include the debut of I Am U Are Ukrainian Creators Fair, a design expo representing the work of modern Ukrainian makers from the fields of art, fashion, home and technology, which was held from March 24 to 26 at the Skylight at Essex Crossing venue on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. More than 120 makers were present at the fair.
Before the war, the Ukrainian furniture industry was booming and is still operating and exporting under the EU Free Trade agreement. The Ukrainian Association of Furniture Manufacturers, which brings together 90 percent of the furniture market companies in the country, said by 2025 its members are expected to generate $15 billion in turnover a year. A country of which 16 percent is covered by lush forest is an artisan heartland employing craftspeople with an eye on the future and modern techniques.
Exports of Ukrainian furniture products hit the $750 million mark twice between 2016 and 2020, said Ukrainian Invest. In addition, Ukraine is 15th on the list of suppliers of wood products to Italy, home to the some of the world’s top design and furnishings firms.
“Ukrainian furniture manufacturing spans several sectors from wholesale, retail, hospitality, residential, kitchen and bath, lighting and more. Most designers and consumers outside of Ukraine are unaware of the incredible quality and design available by Ukrainian manufacturers at reasonable prices that rival other producers,” Michels added, claiming that the Russian invasion has only brought furniture makers together and fortified the supply chain.
The international community has played a crucial role in supporting the Ukrainian economy by implementing zero taxes on Ukrainian goods worldwide and promoting Ukrainian products. Notably, the furniture industry has become the seventh-largest export industry in Ukraine, with the total value of exported goods surpassing that of 2021, reaching $806 million in 2022, Kiko Gaspar Communications said.
Tivoli’s sales director Julia Lisovska said the Las Vegas Market appeals as one of the biggest furniture fairs in the U.S. Finding new customers is vital for the nation’s medium-sized firms, which were hit by the European recession and the drop in domestic spending. Glimmers of hope, Lisovska said, emanated from the U.S., a market from which new customers sprouted during the war. “The U.S. is open to new contracts and suppliers from Ukraine. Also, there are no duties on the goods made in Ukraine,” she said.
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