How Furniture Distributors Can Adapt to EUDR and Stay Competitive in Europe

With the EU Deforestation Regulation confirmed to take effect next year, an increasing number of European furniture distributors are grappling with the same questions: What exactly does this regulation entail? How much will costs rise? How can risks be managed? This is not merely a concern for raw material suppliers—it will also impact furniture distributors' procurement costs, delivery reliability, and business operational risks.

What is the EUDR?

The EU Deforestation Regulation has one core objective: to prevent any goods linked to deforestation from entering the EU market. Any company placing or exporting the following seven commodities and their derivatives into the EU market must demonstrate their products are deforestation-free: cattle and cattle products (e.g., beef, leather), cocoa and chocolate products, coffee, palm oil and its industrial derivatives, rubber and tire products, soy and soy-based food/feed products, and timber and timber derivatives. Among these, timber, paper products, and furniture itself are directly relevant to the furniture industry.

The EUDR also serves as a crucial component of the European Green Deal. The EU asserts that deforestation is accelerating soil degradation, disrupting water cycles, and reducing biodiversity. These environmental challenges ultimately threaten the stability of raw material supplies and translate into long-term operational risks for businesses.

Core Compliance Requirements of the EUDR

To legally enter the EU market, regulated products must simultaneously meet the following conditions:

• No deforestation: Raw materials must originate from land that has not experienced deforestation after December 31, 2020
• Full supply chain traceability: Complete, clear, and verifiable information from raw materials to finished products
• Legally compliant production: Adherence to land use, environmental, and labor regulations in the country of origin
• Accompanied by a Due Diligence Statement (DDS): Each product batch must include DDS documentation

For products sourced from multiple origins, individual verification is required, ensuring compliant and non-compliant materials are not mixed.

Which furniture companies bear these responsibilities?

The EUDR targets not only large manufacturing groups but directly impacts small and medium-sized furniture distributors. Any enterprise introducing regulated products into the EU market or exporting them for the first time is deemed an operator. Regardless of size, they must fully fulfill due diligence obligations and provide corresponding DDS reference numbers to downstream parties. Even entities solely engaged in distribution, wholesale, or retail must permanently retain supplier and customer information, ready to provide complete documentation during regulatory audits.

Under this framework, solid wood furniture distributors face systemic challenges. First, procurement pressures have significantly increased: compliant timber costs have risen, supplier screening has become stricter, and price transparency has diminished. Second, the burden of traceability and record-keeping has substantially grown, requiring distributors to invest resources in personnel and systems to repeatedly verify raw material origins, legality, and timelines. Any issues with traceability documentation can not only delay deliveries but also directly impact project timelines, potentially triggering contract breaches or compensation claims. Concurrently, compliance costs, operational expenses, and capital tied up in compliance rise, yet the market cannot fully absorb these costs, further squeezing profit margins. For many solid wood furniture distributors, this raises the question of whether they can sustain their existing product mix and business model.

Environmental Advantages of Metal Wood Grain Furniture: Reducing Dependence on Forests

As regulations on solid wood furniture become stricter, metal wood grain commercial furniture is becoming more popular in the European market. Its main environmental advantage is reducing the use of forest resources. Unlike traditional solid wood furniture, metal wood grain furniture uses aluminum as the main material, which means no timber sourcing or logging is required. This helps reduce deforestation risks at the very beginning of the supply chain and makes compliance easier for furniture distributors dealing with traceability, due diligence, and regulatory inspections.

From a practical purchasing perspective, ordering 100 metal wood grain chairs directly replaces the need for 100 solid wood chairs. Producing 100 solid wood chairs usually requires about 3 square meters of solid wood panels, equal to the wood from 1–2 mature European beech trees. In large projects or long-term supply contracts, this impact becomes even greater. For typical banquet halls or public space projects, choosing 100 metal wood grain chairs can help prevent the cutting of around 5–6 mature beech trees.

In addition to reducing wood use, the environmental performance of raw materials also matters. Metal wood grain furniture mainly uses aluminum, which is 100% recyclable. During recycling, aluminum keeps almost all of its original properties while saving up to 95% of energy compared to primary production.

When it comes to service life, metal wood grain furniture offers a clear advantage. Its fully welded structure provides strong resistance to corrosion, moisture, and daily wear. Designed to meet commercial furniture standards, its typical lifespan is around 10 years. In contrast, even high-quality solid wood chairs often last only 3–5 years in high-traffic commercial environments. Over a 10-year period, metal wood grain chairs usually need to be recycled only once, while solid wood chairs may need to be replaced two or three times.

This lower replacement frequency not only reduces material consumption and waste but also helps distributors lower hidden operating costs, such as repeated purchasing, transportation, installation, and disposal. As a result, metal wood grain furniture offers a practical balance between sustainability, durability, and long-term business efficiency.

Aligned with Future Market Trends

In the high-end market, an increasing number of star-rated hotels and luxury venues have adopted metal wood grain chairs as part of their eco-friendly and sustainable procurement initiatives. This represents a new market trend and a fresh competitive advantage. Opting for lower-risk, more sustainable product types is inherently competitive.

If you are evaluating metal wood grain furniture solutions aligned with this trend, selecting a manufacturer with mature technology and long-term specialization in this field is crucial. As China's first manufacturer to apply metal wood grain technology to furniture, Yumeya possesses mature technology and quality standards proven through numerous projects. In practical collaborations, we have assisted many distributors and project owners in gaining a competitive edge in bidding through metal wood grain solutions. Series like the Triumphal Series and Cozy Series, for instance, have gained recognition from diverse project clients by balancing commercial durability with contemporary aesthetics. Long-term supply stability is equally vital. Yumeya plans to launch its new factory by the end of 2026, with overall production capacity set to triple, enabling better support for large-scale projects, stable delivery times, and continued business expansion for our distributors.

Currently, metal wood grain furniture is becoming a choice that balances compliance, environmental value, and commercial viability. The key to future competition in the furniture industry lies in using more advanced material solutions to help you win projects and reduce long-term risks.