GERMANY –  Germany’s furniture industry showed signs of stabilization in the first quarter of 2025, with export levels nearly matching those of the same period last year.

According to preliminary foreign trade statistics from the Federal Statistical Office, furniture exports totaled approximately EUR 2 billion—just 0.5% below the 1Q-2024 figure. This comes after a sharper annual drop of 5.5% in 2024.

Export performance varied across key international markets. Shipments to France, Germany’s top export destination, declined by 2.2% to EUR 317 million. Similar downturns occurred in Austria (-0.3%), the Netherlands (-2.2%), the UK (-7.4%), and Belgium (-2.1%).

On the other hand, exports to Switzerland—Germany’s second-largest destination—grew by 2.9%. Exports to Italy and Spain rose even more significantly, by 8.9% and 11.6% respectively. The Spanish market, in particular, has become Europe’s fastest-growing housing market. Deliveries to the U.S. also saw robust growth of 9.6%, a trend potentially driven by pre-emptive purchasing ahead of anticipated tariffs, noted Jan Kurth, Managing Director of the German Furniture Industry Associations (VDM/VHK).

Kurth also highlighted the impact of U.S. trade policy on Germany’s furniture imports, which jumped by 17% in 1Q-205 to EUR 3 billion. Imports from China rose by 37% and from Vietnam by 23.5%, likely due to trade diversions stemming from U.S. tariffs. As a result, China reclaimed its spot as Germany’s top furniture supplier, overtaking Poland.

“In an already challenging domestic environment, rising import volumes from Asia are putting additional pressure on German manufacturers,” Kurth warned.