OAK DESIGNS INC OAK DESIGNS INC

It may seem like ancient history, but not more than twenty years ago locally and regionally made furniture was the standard fare for families across the country. North Carolina was considered by many as the Furniture Capital of the World, and several regional furniture hubs thrived in places like New York, New England, and beyond. Quality and craftsmanship were the cornerstones of the industry a high bar held high by customers that brought furniture into their homes with the expectation that the pieces would outlast their use for them, often finding their way passed on between family and friends or sold though secondary markets locally. And then came the imports. In the late 90s and early 00s, China and a selection of its neighbors gained an appetite for the American furniture market. They were able to produce furniture in larger quantities under less regulation while paying their workers far less than the domestic standard. It was a recipe for landing products on our shores at more attractive prices than the domestic alternatives. While some of Chinas actions were criminal, the value-conscious American Consumer had an appetite for a bargain and gladly took the bait. With price suddenly on center stage and consumers responding in lock step, many manufacturers reacted by answering the call to compete on price. We now know how that story ended the domestic furniture industry was turned on its head, with hundreds of manufacturers closing their doors. Many that survived did so by offshoring their production, choosing to cook with the same ingredients as the rest of the imports in an attempt to compete. Somewhere along the way in those battles for the American consumer, the consumers themselves were forgotten. Although, to be completely fair, even the consumer lost sight of what value meant to them. In the race to the bottom, the idea of quality and craftsmanship having a role in the value equation was cast aside. Entire new market channels were born, including fast furniture furniture made in such haste from ...