Show, tell, and build: Inside FII Vietnam’s showroom
Education and market awareness are key factors in influencing material selection. But beyond general understanding, buyers need to see, touch and feel materials for themselves. In the furniture industry, this is often done through finished products, helping manufacturers assess suitability for specific applications and identify opportunities for new designs.
For B.C. wood products, the Canadian Wood showroom and resource centre in Vietnam helps meet this need, combining education with practical examples of how B.C. wood can be used in finished products.
Built into the Canadian Wood office in Ho Chi Minh City, close to a key furniture manufacturing hub, the showroom welcomes buyers such as furniture manufacturers, designers, importers and distributers. Meetings and events take place throughout the year, providing a space to discuss projects, explore applications and learn about current design trends. It also serves as a venue for seminars, workshops, and industry events.
Throughout the space, visitors explore B.C. wood species in a practical setting, with furniture collections that are updated regularly to reflect current design trends and applications. Many of the collections were created by internationally recognized designers and manufactured in Vietnam, linking B.C. materials with local manufacturing expertise. The office itself also demonstrates applications for B.C. wood, from ceilings and flooring to wall panelling, doors and workspaces.
Finishes, stains and appearance often influence species selection just as much as technical performance in the furniture sector. That’s why the showroom’s colour panel library includes about 100 custom finishes, allowing visitors to see how different B.C. wood species respond to a range of stains and finishes.
The Canadian Wood showroom is helping buyers evaluate B.C. wood products in a way that aligns with industry expectations. By providing an opportunity to see and compare finished applications, it is helping inspire new product ideas and identify opportunities for B.C. wood.