For the love of pine? New dynamics and trends in Maputo’s furniture-making business | Mozambique

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For the love of pine? New dynamics and trends in Maputo’s furniture-making business | Mozambique

3:18 CAT | 12 Jul 2022

Photo: Notícias

Driven by the dynamics of the forestry sector and the search for cheaper materials, the furniture-making business has undergone numerous transformations in recent years.

Wood is found in homes all over the world, mostly in the shape of furniture. For example, wood is highly valued in the production of beds, china cabinets, bookshelves, tables and chairs, among other items.

In Mozambique, due to their quality and durability, umbila, jambire and chanfuta are the most commonly used varieties.

However, transport difficulties faced by loggers domestically have limited furniture manufacturers’ options, and many are resorting to pine imported from South Africa to guarantee continuity of production.

Indeed, global innovations have reduced the preference for these types of wood, while globalisation, above all, has brought about a scenario where pine, a wood little valued due to its low quality, has become valuable, due to its functionality, low cost and ease of working.

Walking through the main carpentry shops in the Maputo area, especially in Junta and George Dimitrov, you can see pine replacing umbila in the manufacturing process.

Currently, in addition to the production of domestic furniture, wood is used for party decoration, which makes pine a material of choice due to its lightness and ease of treatment.

It’s a trend which, however, forces families to replace the old shelves and china cabinets made of umbila and jambirre with plain pine.

Source: Notícias