A Year’s End Reflection on High Point and What’s Next in 2025
As we prepare to head into a new year, with a new set of challenges, I find myself torn on what to write about for this final piece of the year. On the one hand, I attended High Point Market, and learned so much that I want to share with you, but the holidays hit fast after my return, and it feels a bit too late to sum up my experience. Instead I have landed on what to expect moving into 2025 and why American-made furnishings will be so important to our work.
As I reflected on the highlights of this year, one event stood out that perfectly aligns with what lies ahead in 2025: the panel I spoke on, Finding Your Go-To Vendors, hosted by Heather McManus from The Designers Collaborative.
Finding Your Go-To Vendors with Lessons from The Designers Collaborative
I would like to share the panel I spoke on called Finding your Go-To Vendors. This event was hosted by Heather McManus from The Designers Collaborative. Heather is one of our founding members, and her platform has increased profitability for hundreds of designers across North America. You can catch the replay of the panel here.
Now, let’s talk about American-made furnishings and why it is important to pay attention to what is yet to come in 2025.
How Tariffs Could Impact the Interior Design Industry
Politics aside, (I know it’s hard to do), the fact of the matter is the intention of the incoming administration is to add increasingly high tariffs to goods that come across our border. Whether those go into effect or not has yet to be discovered. If you are not paying attention to economic trends affecting the interior design industry, please start now.
When tariffs are added to imported goods, the cost of the item will increase. Short speak: our COGS will increase, which means our clients will also be paying more for all the things we procure to make their homes and businesses fabulous.
Why Domestic Sourcing Is a Smart Solution
So, what can you do about it? Well, for one, you can lean in to more USA-made furniture lines. Not only do you want to be looking for made in the US, but you also want to be on the hunt for lines that source their raw materials from the United States too.
A good example of how this could affect the interior design industry is with imported lumber. The United States’ lumber needs currently outweigh our production. We get the excess lumber needed to fulfill production in our country primarily from Canada and Europe. If our furniture manufacturers are relying on imported wood, regardless of whether they manufacture in the US, the cost of furniture will increase. So, we want to start identifying and buying from manufacturers that are getting their wood supply domestically, and preferably using sustainable forestry methods.
Of course, this example applies to any component that could be used to make anything. Think about textiles, foams, metal components, computer chips for appliances, stone slabs coming from South America, etc. It’s time to really understand how sourcing sustainably may become the most cost-effective option for your clients. Sourcing domestically = sourcing sustainably.
Balancing Cost and Quality in Your Sourcing Decisions
It’s not all about saving money though, quality USA-made products are equally important.
While many goods that come from Europe will meet our rigorous sustainability and quality criteria, it’s usually those coming from other continents that won’t be able to compete. If the cost of our lower-price point goods increases, but the quality stays the same, what is the point of paying more for those goods? Food for thought.
Lessons from HPMKT on Identifying American Brands
This is where I want to tie the topic into my trip to High Point Market, because I was so encouraged to see just how many amazing American-made furniture bands exist. Not only was it great to sit, plop, feel, touch, and swivel on these lines so that I can attest to the quality when I am sourcing for my clients, but it was a breath of fresh air knowing that we have so many options right here in our own backyard!
So how will you be able to tell who manufactures in America? It really is a leading topic of conversation when you engage with these manufacturers. They are proud to be American-made brands, employing hard-working Americans, and providing for our economy. (As they should be!) If you aren’t able to tell, a quick ask of your local showroom rep, or sales rep will give you the answer you need.
Perhaps in the new year you can start a new project at the showroom with a simple ask of your reps? “Can you point me in the direction of the lines that are USA-made furniture?” And if you want to make it easier on yourself, we tell you where each and every manufacturer has their production facilities on every profile page on The greenLIST. (We also share where items ship from so you can do some carbon footprint calculations too!)
How Interior Designers Can Source Smarter in 2025
As I mentioned earlier, we do not know what the future will hold, and many of us have mixed feelings on the topic. As hard as it might be, put your emotions aside and start thinking logically about the strategies you can use and the resources you have at your fingertips to make your interior design business run more efficiently, while you provide your clients with the best quality furnishings for their dollar.
If you are ready to take the stress and time off your plate with our done-for-you resources, we are here to help you start sourcing sustainable furniture from DAY 1, without any prior experience or education. Check out what our members have access to and join our supportive community of like-minded designers and specifiers today!
