These days more and more people are beginning to realise the importance of good design of furniture in their work or living space.
For instance, those who may be suffering from skin irritation or allergy due to formaldehyde-based items which can be found in some manufactured wood products like furniture, laminate flooring, and cabinets and more.
Thus, this is why more people are opting for furniture made out of sustainable materials such as textile, bamboo, rattan and other organic wood.
In the workplace, there is a rising trend in interior design where employers and companies are opting for designed pieces such as long tables, ergonomic chairs and corporate infrastructural settings.
The setting of the workplace due to the placement and deliberate design of furniture plays a big role on redefine the concept of teamwork and encourage freedom of movement and interaction between colleagues, lead to a better collaboration of employees.
SARADEC realised the importance of creative design in furniture.
“The main role of SARADEC is to harness talent and skills of these graduates as world class furniture designers,” said the Chief Executive Officer of SARADC Management Sdn. Bhd., Dayang Nena Abang Bruce in a interview with RAKAN Sarawak.
Since the training program was introduced in 2018, it has successfully produced 32 participants.
To make the designs truly unique, Dayang Nena said that the designers are encouraged to use local wood product such as nyatuh wood and recycled belian wood.
In ensuring environment sustainability, she added that the wood used for the furniture must come from certified forest through selective cutting.
“Only those trees that has reached the proper size and diameter can be used,” she said.
In reaching the goal, by 2030, SARADEC aims to produce 100 furniture designers, which is in line with the vision of the State Government to reach the target of furniture export worth RM6 billion by 2030.
However, she lamented that the industry, particularly the export of furniture is still at a low level.
“Our contribution in terms of Malaysia export is very low, stands at less than one percent. Sarawak is only exporting at slightly more than RM40 million at furniture export annually,”
“We want to turn around the industry because we are depending too much on export of logs. Hence, this program under STIDC will slowly help the furniture industry to grow,” she said.
However, globally it is shown to be a promising industry with reports stated that the global furniture market is projected to grow from USD 493.6 billion in 2021 to USD 720.2 billion by 2028 at a CAGR of 5.5 per cent in the 2021-2028 period.
Elaborating further on the two-year training program, Dayang Nena said that it was introduced to UNIMAS fresh graduates who are interest in pursuing career in furniture designing.
During the two-year training, among the facilities the participants get includes;
- Monthly allowance for two years
- Accommodation (domestic and overseas)
- Industrial attachment
- Studio to working on assignments
- Flight ticket to Bandung, Indonesia
- Free education fee
- Participation in domestic and overseas exhibition
- Visits to furniture centres and exhibitions overseas
- Participation in the incubator program after graduation and monthly allowance
- Five days holiday
- Participation in SayD’SignersSarawak Link and Match(SLIM) program
- Opportunity for networking and marketing
- Production of furniture prototype and model
- Publicity
“Besides UNIMAS, STIDC also collaborate with Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB) in Indonesia for this program for skill training,” said Dayang Nena.
She added that, the incubator program is introduced to the participants who would like to pursue entrepreneurship in furniture designing.
“As of now, seven of our participants has been accepted to work in local furniture production company and 15 of them are participating in the incubator program where they are matched with local furniture production companies.
“As of now, the furniture industry does not employ furniture designers, except for a few and very few went for export market. What we want is for our furniture industry to aim for export with designed products,” said Dayang Nena.
Through the exposure, she added that the local companies who never work with designers before is showing interest in collaborating and working with the young designers to diversify their products and expand their market especially in product export.
