According to the market research report by Fortune Business Insights published in November 2024, the global outdoor furniture market was $50.73 billion in 2023 and is projected to grow to $53.27 billion in 2024. By 2032, the market size is expected to hit $81.44 billion, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.45% over the forecast period.
The post-pandemic surge in the outdoor furniture market is driven not only by the recovery of the hospitality and food service industries but also by a growing consumer focus on outdoor living spaces and healthy lifestyles. Increasingly personalized and diverse consumer demands are pushing the industry to innovate and upgrade.
For furniture retailers, staying ahead of market trends is crucial for gaining a competitive edge in 2025. Below, LIDA OUTDOOR dives into six key trends in patio and outdoor furniture to help you identify potential products, expand market share, and strengthen your competitive position.
Material Trends: Combining Sustainability with Technological Innovation
The primary materials for global outdoor furniture remain wood, metal, and plastic. Building on these traditional materials, the market is increasingly focusing on the use of sustainable and innovative materials.
Wood, as the most traditional material for outdoor furniture, continues to hold a strong position due to its durability and natural aesthetic appeal. Metal, on the other hand, is gradually standing out for its excellent malleability and low maintenance requirements. It is becoming a trend as an alternative to wood, addressing the shortcomings of wood’s susceptibility to wear and tear. For example, aluminum or galvanized steel materials used in patio pergolas are more durable and have lower maintenance costs compared to wood. Meanwhile, plastic remains an important choice in the market due to its high versatility and lightweight characteristics.
1. Sustainable Materials: Recycled Plastic and Recycled Aluminum
As environmental awareness grows, consumers are increasingly drawn to new recycled materials, such as recycled plastic and recycled aluminum. However, it’s important to address some common market misconceptions.
1) Recycled Plastic
In some regions, consumers hold biases against recycled plastic, perceiving it as less durable than new plastic. In reality, top manufacturers adhere to stricter recycling standards, employing more complex and advanced production technologies. Through effective marketing and product demonstrations, you can help customers understand the durability, eco-friendliness, and high-tech features of recycled plastic, gradually breaking these misconceptions.
2) Recycled Aluminum
The focus should be on recycling purity and smelting processes for recycled aluminum. These factors directly determine the quality and longevity of outdoor furniture products. Collaborating with manufacturers that maintain high production standards is essential.
2. The Return of Natural Materials
In addition to recycled materials, natural materials like bamboo, wicker, and rattan are gaining popularity in the mid-to-high-end market. This trend reflects consumers’ pursuit of natural elements and high-quality living, particularly among affluent demographics.
It is worth noting that many modern manufacturers use synthetic rattan as a substitute for natural wicker in their weaving processes. Leading manufacturers have refined these techniques to perfection. Synthetic rattan not only closely resembles natural wicker in appearance but also offers superior durability and lower maintenance, making it a standout in outdoor wicker furniture.
3. Innovative Applications of Technological Materials
Beyond sustainable materials, technological materials are also gaining significant interest in the market. For example, outdoor tent coverings now utilize nano-coated waterproof fabrics, which enhance both water resistance and durability. In supporting structures, the demand for lightweight solutions has driven the adoption of ultra-light carbon fiber, meeting consumer needs for both portability and durability.
4. Recommendations
Whether focusing on recycled eco-materials or innovative technological materials, consumers ultimately prioritize low maintenance and high durability. We recommend focusing on products and manufacturers that align with these trends, as they represent the core competitive edge in the future market.
Design Trends: Simplicity, Comfort, and Modularity
1. Minimalist Style and Modern Aesthetics
Minimalist design is rapidly becoming a mainstream trend in outdoor furniture. Streamlined shapes, seamless designs, and soft tones not only highlight modern aesthetics but also appeal to the younger generation’s preference for a simpler lifestyle. Compared to traditional intricate designs, minimalist styles offer greater visual appeal and seamlessly blend into a variety of outdoor environments, including gardens, balconies, and patios.
2. Comfort and Ergonomic Design
Modern consumers not only value aesthetics but also prioritize user experience, especially comfort. Ergonomic design has become a crucial element in enhancing the appeal of furniture. Features such as chairs that align with natural body contours, thicker cushions, and breathable materials significantly improve user comfort.
Comfortable outdoor furniture encourages people to spend more time in their outdoor spaces for relaxation, leisure, and even social activities. This trend reflects the post-pandemic emphasis on healthy living and outdoor experiences.
3. Flexible Modular Design
Modular furniture is gaining rapid popularity in the market due to its flexible and versatile features that meet the needs of various scenarios. Similar to combination furniture, modular designs allow users to customize and adjust furniture layouts based on space, purpose, and personal preferences. From daily solo relaxation to hosting family gatherings, modular furniture can easily adapt by adding or removing components.
Additionally, its detachable design makes maintenance and transportation more convenient, offering practicality beyond traditional furniture. This flexibility and personalization make modular furniture particularly appealing to modern families and younger consumers seeking functionality and individuality.
4. Recommendations
Different market segments have varying preferences for design styles. Family consumers prioritize practicality, durability, and comfort, while younger generations lean towards modern minimalist styles, focusing more on visual appeal and personalized experiences. When procuring products, it is crucial to select designs and features tailored to the needs of your target audience. This approach not only better meets customer demands but also significantly enhances your product’s competitiveness in the market.
Color and Decoration Trends: From Natural to Bold
1. Bold Colors with Subtle Accents
In recent years, bold color schemes have emerged as a highlight in outdoor furniture design. Vibrant shades like powder blue and orange-red have become key design elements. However, these bold colors are primarily used in small, replaceable decorative items such as cushions, throws, and sofa covers. This approach adds vibrancy and personality to outdoor spaces without overwhelming the overall aesthetic or disrupting harmony.
2. Natural Tones Remain Dominant
For larger furniture pieces, natural tones continue to dominate the market. Colors like sandy white, warm brown, cream, and neutral shades are widely favored for their versatility and natural appeal. These hues not only blend seamlessly with outdoor environments but also align with consumers’ desire for relaxation and comfort in outdoor spaces.
3. Mixed Styles and Functional Integration
As the demand for personalization and practicality grows, mixed styles are becoming a popular trend. For instance, traditional decorative styles are now being paired with modern technological features. Visually, natural tones in traditional designs create a tranquil atmosphere. Functionally, modern materials and technological innovations provide users with enhanced convenience and durability.
This combination enhances the practicality of outdoor furniture while enriching its decorative appeal. It allows users to enjoy the convenience brought by modern technology while experiencing the warmth and natural beauty of traditional designs.
4. Recommendations
Consider incorporating bold color accents and multifunctional designs into your outdoor furniture offerings. This approach will help create products that are both practical and unique, meeting the diverse needs of different consumer groups.
Functionality and Smart Features: Essential for 2025
Multifunctional outdoor furniture, such as designs that integrate storage solutions, adjustable tables and chairs, and combination furniture with built-in shading, is increasingly enhancing consumer convenience. These designs not only maximize the use of outdoor spaces but also meet users’ needs for functionality and practicality, making them a crucial component of modern outdoor living.
At the same time, the trend toward smart outdoor furniture design is becoming more evident. The combination of technology and practicality is attracting more and more consumers. Examples include solar-powered lighting and wireless charging outdoor tables and chairs, as well as seats with built-in heating systems that effectively address winter market demands. Moreover, innovative products like solar-powered fully intelligent retractable awnings and pergolas with smart louvers are setting the benchmark for upgrades in smart outdoor furniture, gaining increasing favor in the market.
From a market positioning perspective, smart outdoor furniture aligns more closely with the demands of the high-end market. These products not only enhance the user experience but also provide retailers with higher profit margins. If you can capitalize on this trend and enter the high-end market, your business growth and profitability will likely reach new heights.
Recommendations
In planning your 2025 market strategy, we recommend focusing on products that combine functionality and smart features. For example, multifunctional furniture, intelligent shading systems, and solar-powered technology-enhanced products will become the cornerstone of the future outdoor furniture market’s competitive edge.
Outdoor Lifestyle Leadership: Creating “A Home Outside”
Modern consumers increasingly prefer one-stop combinations that allow them to purchase complete outdoor scene sets in one go. These sets often include sofas, dining tables, umbrellas, decorative lights, and more. Such designs seamlessly blend indoor and outdoor styles, making them adaptable to balconies, patios, and terraces. A unified style enhances the overall harmony and appeal of these spaces.
Take, for example, a customizable integrated hardtop gazebo. As a comprehensive and structurally stable outdoor furniture setup, it combines decking, tables, benches, charging stations, lighting systems, and storage shelves. This design offers consumers a complete outdoor living experience, creating a fully functional “outdoor living space” while fostering a more comfortable and relaxing atmosphere.
Recommendations
As a retailer, it’s essential to understand that you’re not just selling individual outdoor furniture pieces — you’re promoting a lifestyle. To simplify future sales, consider choosing suppliers that offer one-stop sets during wholesale procurement. This allows you to upgrade from single-item sales to full-scene marketing, making your offerings more attractive to consumers.
Capturing the Key Products of 2025
If your goal is to meet the needs of families or friends gathering outdoors, prioritizing complete outdoor furniture sets is a smart choice. These could include outdoor dining table sets, integrated hardtop gazebos, or fully furnished outdoor setups beneath retractable awnings. Additionally, patio and outdoor umbrellas with built-in seating and solar lighting are ideal for such scenarios, combining functionality with comfort to create the perfect outdoor leisure and gathering space.
For younger generations or consumers living in smaller spaces, foldable and portable furniture should be your go-to option. For instance, pop-up gazebos are lightweight, easy to set up, and simple to store, aligning with the market trends of “fast consumption, portability, and multi-scene application.” These features make them particularly appealing to users with limited outdoor space who enjoy outdoor living. This flexible and convenient design perfectly meets the practical needs of the younger demographic.
Customization: A 2025 Market Highlight
Another standout trend for 2025 is customized outdoor furniture. As consumers increasingly seek personalized designs, customized furniture can better cater to diverse aesthetic preferences and spatial needs. This not only adds value to your products but also enhances your competitive edge in the market.
Conclusion
The outdoor furniture market is embracing new opportunities in 2025. From sustainable materials and technological innovation to minimalist designs, modular functionality, and smart features, the industry is evolving to meet diverse consumer demands. Complete scene designs, portable foldable furniture, and customized products are becoming key drivers of market growth. Accurately identifying and leveraging these trends will help you stand out in the competitive landscape of 2025.
For over 20 years, our factory, LIDA OUTDOOR, has been a trusted supplier of premium outdoor and patio furniture for global brands, retailers, and distributors. If you are planning to wholesale outdoor and patio furniture from China, feel free to contact us or visit our factory directly.
