Does forest certification matter in furniture trade fairs? Insights from the 2025 Salone del Mobile di Milano, Italy

Authors

Abstract

Certification of sustainable forest management (SFM) is widely adopted in the forest sector, yet its marketing role in design-focused contexts remains underexplored. This study investigates the visibility and perceived value of Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and Program for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) SFM certification in the furniture sector at the 2025 Salone del Mobile di Milano, Italy, a leading trade fair. Data were collected through an in-person survey and structured observations to assess certification presence, communication practices, and exhibitors’ perceptions of wood’s ecological value. Results show that while 73% of respondents consider certification important for product valorization, the overall visibility of FSC and PEFC labels was limited. Statistical analysis showed significant differences in visibility ratings (p < 0.001), indicating a marked gap between perceived importance and actual marketing use. The findings suggest that SFM credentials are underutilized in trade fair branding, where other elements such as aesthetics tend to dominate. Integrated strategies, like combining certification with storytelling and experiential marketing, are recommended to enhance consumer engagement and strengthen competitive positioning of certified wooden furniture.

Author Biography

Pipiet Larasatie, Virginia Tech

Dr. Larasatie is an Extension Specialist and Assistant Professor of Sustainable Biomaterial Marketing at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech). She is an interdisciplinary scholar and social scientist researching forest sector competitiveness and sustainable business management of natural resources. Her current research includes engineered wood industry development and workforce dynamics in the forest sector. She holds a PhD with a focus in Forest Products Marketing/Business and a Graduate Certificate in College and University Teaching from Oregon State University, USA, a Master of Forestry Science from University of Canterbury, New Zealand, and a Bachelor of Forestry from IPB University, Indonesia. Currently, she is a refereed journal editor of BioProducts Business, managed by Society of Wood Science and Technology (SWST). She is also the coordinator of the International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) Research Group 5.10 Forest Products Marketing and Business Management. Recently, she won the IUFRO’s Outstanding Doctoral Research Award and was selected as the SWST’s Woman Ambassador.

BioProducts Business journal title superimposed over an abstract design evoking a mesh pattern of interconnected wood cells in a gradient of green and gold

Downloads

Published

2026-09-10

Issue

2026: Volume 11, Number 6

Section

Empirical Manuscripts

License

Manuscripts published in the journal are open access and copyrighted according to the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) which requires attribution to the author, but can be readily shared and adapted. BioProducts Business allows the author(s) to retain publishing rights without restrictions.