Safegaurding Your Pets Against Air Pollution Vol XII , Issue No 12 , Dec 2019 | Page 34

Industry Insight
CHANGING
FACE OF THE
INDIAN PET
FURNITURE
INDUSTRY
By Priyanka Tanwar*
T
asteful furniture for pets is not
a recent phenomenon. The
Metropolitan Museum of Art
displays an 18th century dog kennel
created by Fresh artist Claude I Sené for
queen Marie Antoinette’s royal canine
companion Coco. The opulent piece
has been crafted from gilded beech and
pine, and draped in the fi nest silk and
velvet.
Classy pet furniture is back in vogue after
global home decor giant Ikea unveiled a
pawdorable line of furniture designed
for pets in 2017. The collection, which
became an instant rage, was designed
with inputs from trained veterinarians.
Other International purveyors such
as Pottery Barn, Crate and Barrel, and
Casper mattresses followed suit with
lines for feline and canine companions.
Pet furniture refers to any piece of
specialised furniture that is created
keeping in mind the particular needs
and requirements of different types of
companion animals like dogs and cats.
According to a recent study by market
research fi rm Statista, the Global Pet
34
Furniture industry was valued at US $
2.21Billion in 2019 and is estimated to
reach US $ 3 Billion by 2025. REASONS FOR RISING
POPULARITY OF PET
FURNITURE
The Pet furniture market has been
segmented into Feeding Tables, Beds,
Sofas, Houses, Trees and Condos on
the basis of product type. It is divided
into 3 major categories namely –
canine, feline and other pets, based on
application. 1. Social Media Engagement
The new generation of pet owners
carefully curate their life for digital
media. Pets have their own accounts
on Instagram, with celebrity pooches
and kitties enjoying a fan following of
millions. This desire for Internet star-
dom has sparked the sale of picture
purrfect pet accessories. Social media
also serves as a platform for direct in-
teraction between manufacturers and
end users. Srishti Sharma, Founder –
Petarchi opines, “Since pets have be-
come an inseparable part in a human's
life, our aim is to provide a furniture
module that works for both. And, I feel
social media is a great platform to in-
troduce and promote such a concept
as it will be the fastest way of reaching
out to a wider audience considering it's
ever growing popularity amongst the
majority of people these days.”
Traditionally, furniture designs for
companion animals have given
preference to function over form.
However, the pet furniture space is
rapidly evolving and pet parents are no
longer content with a plain mattress
or cushion to serve their pet’s bedding
and lounging needs. Young owners are
now looking for sophisticated pieces
that complement their pad’s overall
colour scheme and craftsmanship of
other furniture articles while serving
functional requirements. International
pet furniture manufacturers are
investing huge amounts in R & D to
come up with designs that appeal to
millennials.
Creature Companion | December 2019 • Vol. XII • Issue 12 • Noida
2. Increase in Pet Adoptions
The rise in pet ownership in urban areas