Adnkronos (Adnkronos) – "In June, exports in the wood-furniture sector fell by 1,4% after a sharp slowdown in May (-10,1%), bringing the cumulative figure for the period to -4,5%, with a value of 9,2 billion euros. The domestic market remained stable (-0,7%), at least for furniture," Claudio Feltrin, president of FederlegnoArredo, said in commenting on export data compiled by the Federation's research center, based on Istat data.
Among the main countries with negative performances are the top four destinations for Italian wood and furniture exports: the United States, with a -11,3% drop, slips from second to third place in the top ten; Germany, -7,8%; France, -4,6%; and the United Kingdom, -5,3%. The United Arab Emirates, with a -15,2% drop, drops out of the top ten.
“For a supply chain that exports more than half of its production, foreign trade data represents the main indicator of the sector's health.
Unfortunately, despite some positive indicators, the June 26 versus June 25 data and the cumulative data for the first six months of the year tell us that the critical phase is not over, but that geopolitical instability and the numerous variables that are impacting the performance of international markets continue to put our companies in difficulty", highlights Feltrin.
According to the president of FederlegnoArredo, to overcome this critical phase, "it will be essential to continue supporting internationalization processes and strengthening our companies' presence in foreign markets. The goal remains to preserve the supply chain's international competitiveness, including through European energy policies that protect production."
Looking specifically at furniture exports, they totaled €6,38 billion in the first seven months of 2026, down 5,7% compared to the same period of the previous year. Some of the main destinations for Italian furniture are weighing heavily on the cumulative result. Germany recorded a 10,5% decline, the United Kingdom dropped 7,1%, and France 5%. The decline was even more pronounced in the United States (-12,9%), a strategic market for the sector, and in China (-17,7%), which continues to suffer from its economic cycle difficulties. On the other hand, Spain (+2,7%) and Switzerland (+5,5%) performed well: overall, EU countries closed with a -4,3%.
In July alone, Italian furniture exports (worth €1,1 billion) declined 1,3% compared to the same month in 2025, confirming, however, the Federation emphasizes in a statement, "the best monthly result of the first seven months of the year. This figure, while keeping the sector in negative territory, we hope will at least indicate a gradual slowdown in the contraction, albeit in an international context still characterized by strong economic and geopolitical uncertainties." The main markets remain weak: Germany and the United Kingdom both recorded declines of 10,1%, France -1,9%, and the United States -2,5%. The American market, however, showed a positive trend, with the smallest decline since the beginning of 2026.
"Alongside the difficulties in traditional markets, however, there are signs of vibrancy emerging from some destinations, which are helping to mitigate the overall decline in furniture exports. In July," explains the president of FederlegnoArredo, "the performances of the Netherlands (+19,7%), Spain (+10,6%), and Switzerland (+4%) stood out, confirming how market diversification represents a key strategic lever for the competitiveness of Italian companies." The United Arab Emirates' recovery, already highlighted in June, also continues, contributing to growth in the OPEC area, which recorded a +12,6% in July, despite the cumulative year-to-date decline (-13,1%). China is still in the red, with a -23,4% drop in July, bringing the cumulative decline for the first seven months of the year to -17,7%.
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