Regulatory Relief for the Indian Furniture Industry

Engagement snapshot

The wins

The challenge

The Furniture (Quality Control) Order introduced mandatory BIS certification for the sector. However, two provisions created disproportionate burdens, a rigid grouping norms that failed to reflect diverse product configurations, and a mandatory in-house laboratory requirement that imposed significant capital investment on SMEs regardless of their size or existing third-party testing arrangements. Compounding this, fragmented industry voices lacked the platform to translate ground-level concerns into structured, policy-grade representation.

Our approach — collective action, structured execution

Industry input mobilisation

• We jointly gathered ground-level feedback from furniture manufacturers across India with FICCI, building breadth and evidentiary quality into the eventual representation.

Technical & policy analysis

• We conducted a detailed analysis of both contested provisions examining their technical basis, operational impact, and divergence from the QCO's stated policy intent. This formed the backbone of the formal submission.

Structured representation to government

• A comprehensive, evidence-backed representation was submitted to Government authorities clearly distinguishing industry concerns from any intent to dilute quality objectives and proposing practical, workable alternatives.

Active follow-through

• We Maintained engagement with policy authorities throughout the review process ensuring the representation remained on the agenda and supplementary inputs were provided promptly.

Impact delivered

• "When industry inputs are gathered systematically, framed technically and submitted through the right channels — governments respond."

Navigating India's regulatory landscape requires more than compliance, it demands strategy.

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