In 2023, the trend of eco-friendly is re-emerging, and consumers are starting to take "sustainability" back into consideration when purchasing furniture. Sustainable furniture is commonly produced from recycled elements or biodegradable wood such as bamboo or acacia. Reclaimed lumber has widely used in manufacturing. This material is usually obtained from old equipment or removed from other pl...

The new regulations on shipping carbon emissions are set to come into effect next year, and with the number of global container ships over 20 years old will reach 8.2%, experts warn there will be a wave of elimination of old ships starting as early as this year. However, the supply and production of these ships have been hampered by China's strict zero-COVID policy and the Russian-Ukrainian wa...

Chung-Hua Institution For Economic Research (CIER) announced October's Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) of Taiwan's manufacturing industry today, which increased slightly by 0.5 to 58.3 after two months of decline. CIER President Chang Chuan-zhang said that although the PMI index has expanded for 16 consecutive months, port congestion, freight delays, shortage of key components, and delivery ...

The global transportation peak season is expected to worsen the port congestion problem, presented in how the global large container carrier's general rate increase (GRI) is slated for an uptick growth again in October, pushing shipping prices between East Asia and North America to an all-time high. Freight companies moving to increase prices include Evergreen, Yangming, COSCO, HMM, Hapag-Lloy...

The U.S. consumer market is preparing for peak season in Q4, and this has led to a situation where global entities are charting shipping containers to ensure delivery. International e-commerce giant Alibaba recently announced that it would begin operating a chartered shipping route initiative between East Asia and the U.S. western coast. Each week would see around 3,000 TEU and a monthly 12,00...

With port traffic at an all-time high, causing shipping congestion in the U.S., foreign media reported that the Union Pacific Railroad would be pausing its harbor transportation services last Friday, effective as of July 19. The affected regions include Los Angeles, Long Beach, Oakland, Washington, and Tacoma. The suspension is slated to last for a week in hopes of easing inventory backing up ...

The COVID-19 pandemic has rekindled investment and focus on suitable working spaces at home in times of quarantines and lockdowns. As students have no other choice but to return home, many families have found that existing home spaces often do not have the necessary desks or chairs to provide better learning environments for their children. News reports see students studying from their bed, atten...

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the public's awareness of clean, quality air and other related health issues, accelerating Taiwan's architecture industry's foray into the latest global trend: "healthy buildings." In response to the government's pandemic-prevention regulations, the Taiwan Architecture & Building Center (TABC), Taiwan Wellness Building Association, SEED, International WELL B...

The COVID-19 pandemic has deeply affected global and Taiwan's political and economic landscapes. Unlike some industries, the furniture sector did not escape unscathed, facing a squeeze from management and costs. While Taiwan continues to implement a stable, successful outbreak response, the industry has also misjudged the economic downturn duration. The furniture industry has yet to fully recover...

The 2020 edition of imm cologne wrapped up on January 19, just before the COVID-19 pandemic peaked in Europe. The show saw over 128,000 visitors, as many regard imm cologne as the most important date on the industry's calendar. Among the approximate 82,000 buyers who visited the show grounds, around 50% are from outside of Germany. Expo statistics indicate that visitor numbers still saw a small g...