Facing the dual challenges of economic pressure and market competition, the furniture industry, which is closely related to people's livelihood, urgently needs to win the market with quality and efficiency. In this process, the guidance and regulation of standardization are indispensable. In 2024, the State Administration for Market Regulation and the Standardization Administration of the People's Republic of China successively revised and released four mandatory national standards for furniture, including "Limits of Hazardous Substances in Furniture", "Safety Technical Specifications for Furniture for Infants and Children", "Safety Technical Specifications for Furniture Structures", and "Safety Technical Specifications for Flame Retardant Performance of Furniture". These new standards comprehensively cover the basic requirements for furniture in terms of structural safety, limits of harmful substances, safety of furniture for special groups, and flame retardant performance. Under the guidance of the new standards, furniture enterprises will pay increasing attention to product quality and safety, and strictly control the bottom line of product safety.
The mandatory national standards for furniture are the cornerstone for ensuring product quality and safety and maintaining market order. Furniture products are closely related to the daily lives of ordinary people. Only by paying attention to quality can the health of living and working environments be truly guaranteed. At present, the furniture industry is building a new mandatory national standard system for furniture by taking the formulation, implementation and application of standards as the driving force. The four mandatory national standards for furniture that were promoted and implemented this time clearly define the safety bottom line of furniture products, effectively safeguarding the personal and property safety of furniture users.
Comprehensive Interpretation of the New Standards
Facilitating the Furniture Industry to Move Toward Healthy and Orderly Development
To ensure product safety, regulate industry development, support government supervision, enhance the guiding role of standards, promote furniture enterprises to benchmark and meet standards, guarantee the accuracy and scientific nature of inspection and testing, and lead the healthy and orderly development of the furniture industry. On October 18, 2024, the National Furniture Standardization Technical Committee, in collaboration with the Shenzhen Furniture Industry Association, the Shanghai Institute of Quality Supervision and Inspection Technology, and the Zhejiang Academy of Quality Sciences, successfully held a promotion meeting for four mandatory national furniture standards at the Shenzhen Furniture Research and Development Base.
This event focuses on four mandatory national standards for furniture, including "Limits of Hazardous Substances in Furniture", aiming to enhance enterprises' understanding of quality management and correct response by deeply analyzing the content of the standards and their implementation suggestions, and to encourage enterprises to strictly follow compliance requirements in their daily operations. It is understood that this event specially invited the main drafters of national standards and senior industry experts. A total of over 140 professionals from furniture enterprises, testing institutions, universities and other units, as well as standardization organizations, participated.
At the event site The main drafters of the national standards and senior industry experts have reviewed GB 18584-2024 "Limits of Hazardous Substances in Furniture", GB 28007-2024 "Safety Technical Specifications for Furniture for Infants and Children", GB 28008-2024 "Safety Technical Specifications for Furniture Structures", and GB The 17927-2024 "Safety Technical Specification for Flame Retardant Performance of Furniture" was comprehensively interpreted, its scope of application, core technical points and key changes were deeply analyzed, and on-site Q&A was provided to help enterprises accurately understand and grasp the key points of the standard, offering practical solutions and implementation suggestions for the participating enterprises.
GB 18584-2024 "Limits of Hazardous Substances in Furniture"
Standard Interpretation
Yao Chenlan, senior engineer of Shanghai Institute of Quality Supervision and Inspection Technology
GB 28008-2024 "Technical Specification for Safety of Furniture Structures"
Standard Interpretation
Zhong Wenhuan, a senior engineer at Zhejiang Institute of Quality Science
GB 17927-2024 "Safety Technical Specification for Flame Retardant Performance of Furniture"
Standard Interpretation
Professor-level senior Engineer Gu Ming from Shanghai Institute of Quality Supervision and Inspection Technology
Interpretation of the General Part and Bunk Bed Part of GB 28007-2024 "Safety Technical Specifications for Infant and Children's Furniture"
Secretary-general of the National Furniture Standardization Technical Committee
Professor-level Senior engineer at Shanghai Institute of Quality Supervision and Inspection Technology
Luo Jufen
Interpretation of the Section on Children's High Chairs and cribs in GB 28007-2024 "Safety Technical Specifications for Infant and Children's Furniture"
Liu Chenguang, senior engineer of Shanghai Institute of Quality Supervision and Inspection Technology
Interpretation of the Section on Children's Beds and Folding Cribs in GB 28007-2024 "Safety Technical Specifications for Infant and Children's Furniture"
Shi Yuting, senior engineer of Shanghai Institute of Quality Supervision and Inspection Technology
Enterprises at the meeting site asked questions enthusiastically
The Shenzhen Furniture Industry Association organized a training effect assessment
Commend outstanding students
Through the promotion and implementation activities of four mandatory national standards for furniture, including "Limits of Hazardous Substances in Furniture", not only has the direction for furniture enterprises to respond to the new standards been pointed out, but also new ideas have been provided for relevant testing and certification institutions in expanding business areas and enhancing technical capabilities. This has played a positive role in promoting the standardization of the safety bottom line and quality red line of products in China's furniture industry.
Multiple Parties Join Forces for Scientific Response and Strengthening Standard Leadership
Safeguarding National Health and Safety Through Standardization
For enterprises, before the implementation of standards, it is necessary to carry out product compliance checks and make full preparations during the standard transition period. Special attention should be paid to products that follow the old version of the standard, such as children's furniture produced in accordance with the GB 28007-2011 standard. Inventory should be cleared before the official implementation of the new version of the standard GB 28007-2024. Secondly, select high-risk products and entrust institutions with testing capabilities to conduct product testing. Conduct quality risk assessments on product lines, raw materials, etc., promptly identify quality issues in the test results, and improve and perfect the processes. Fully consider the new product research and development cycle to ensure that the products produced next can meet the requirements of the mandatory national standards for furniture.
For quality inspection institutions, the new standards will put forward new requirements for the testing environment and equipment. It is recommended to do a good job in laboratory planning, purchase appropriate equipment, conduct a comprehensive self-examination of the qualification scope, expand the testing capabilities in a timely manner, and do a good job in personnel training to ensure standardized operation and testing accuracy. At the same time, during the sample testing process, help enterprises understand the current quality status of their products, promptly carry out standard promotion and implementation, and help enterprises and consumers understand the new requirements of the mandatory national standards for furniture.
The Standardization of the Furniture Industry Still Has a Long Way to Go
Shenzhen Home Furnishing Association Helps Improve Standard Systems and Promote High-Quality Development
At present, China's furniture industry has basically established a scientific, efficient and complementary standardized system. This system not only achieves a balance between the government and the market in terms of products and quality in supply, but also promotes the mutual integration and development of international standards and domestic standards. Such a development model has played a crucial role in enhancing the overall quality of China's furniture industry and promoting its development to a higher level.
During this process, the Shenzhen Furniture Industry Association has played a significant role, sparing no effort to promote the standardization of the industry and facilitating its continuous progress on the path of high-quality development. As early as 2014, for different types of furniture products, it was the first in the entire Chinese region to create the highest domestic environmental protection group standard - "Evaluation Specification for Green Furniture Quality Products", which is "higher than national standards and on par with international standards", and made it a hard environmental protection requirement for five-star enterprises in the quality star rating of the Shenzhen International Furniture Fair. In 2016, under the guidance of the Shenzhen Municipal Ecology and Environment Bureau (formerly the Shenzhen Municipal Commission of Human Settlements and Environment), the SZJG 52-2016 "Limits of Hazardous Substances in Furniture Finished Products and Raw Materials" was issued and implemented. The climate chamber detection method for hazardous substances in furniture was fully implemented in the Shenzhen Pilot Demonstration Zone. The first-tier enterprises that made early preparations have already achieved a leap-up.
The release of this mandatory national standard for furniture undoubtedly sends a strong signal to the industry that the furniture industry will accelerate the process of survival of the fittest and face a major reshuffle. At a stage when the price war in the industry is about to turn white, the state has given a reassurance and hit the pause button on the vicious competition where bad money drives out good, creating a healthier consumption environment for buyers.
As Hou Kepeng, the chairman of the Shenzhen Furniture Industry Association, pointed out, furniture enterprises represented by Shenzhen Quality have always adhered to high quality and high standards in the economic environment, without giving up the bottom line or lowering quality. The implementation of the mandatory national standards for furniture requires all major enterprises in the furniture field to implement them even more. Next, the Shenzhen Furniture Industry Association will also join hands with Sede Testing, Shenzhen Furniture Research and Development Institute and others to continue promoting the furniture industry to develop in a more environmentally friendly and healthy direction. With professionalism and science and technology, it will constantly improve the standards of the furniture industry, help enterprises enhance the quality and safety level of their products, accelerate the transformation and upgrading of production processes and equipment in the furniture industry, and promote the healthy and orderly development of the industry. Support the smooth flow of industrial circulation.
