Foam is an essential material used in the manufacture of sofas, sectionals, and chairs.\u00a0 Foam is used on the seat and back cushions and the arms of any upholstered piece of furniture.\u00a0 If you want your sofa, sectional, or recliner to last longer than two or three years, knowing which foam it is made with is critical.\u00a0 Foam is also, unquestionably, the material that determines its comfort.<\/p>\n
Some manufacturers and retailers will tell you their furniture is made with high-density foam.\u00a0 Each foam has a weight, and generally, the higher the weight, the better it is.\u00a0 This information is not accurate when it comes to your sofa or sectional.\u00a0 The best foam, without question, is an HR or High Resiliency foam.\u00a0 HR foam is one of the heaviest foams for density, but what makes it superior is its ability to regain its original shape after you sit on it.\u00a0 A sofa with an HR foam for a seat cushion will be super comfortable with good support and last the longest.\u00a0 This foam is not only used in household furniture but also in cushions on yachts.<\/p>\n
The foam used by most sofa manufacturers in Mexico is NOT HR or high resiliency foam.\u00a0 The foam they use is either HD (high density) foam or polyurethane foam.\u00a0 Both are widely used because they are low-cost.\u00a0 These are low to medium-quality foams that are uncomfortable and will not last.\u00a0 At best, your sofa will hold up for two to three years.\u00a0 High density and polyurethane foam get softer over time and pack down as they deteriorate.\u00a0 Unlike HR foam, they do not spring back to their original shape.<\/p>\n
When you sit on the sofa, do not let the firmness of the foam fool you into thinking it is durable.\u00a0 One sales trick is to use cheap foam that is extra firm, so it feels well-made when you sit on it in the store.\u00a0 Cheap, low-density foam will not last any longer than its warranty, leaving you to purchase a sofa again within one to two years.\u00a0 These manufacturers do not offer replacement foam or cushions, meaning you must buy the entire sofa, sectional, or recliner again.\u00a0 Upholsterers can replace the foam and the cover; however, the cost to do so will be almost the same as buying another new item.<\/p>\n
Here is a furniture insider’s tip:\u00a0 Many manufacturers and retailers know that furniture buyers place more of their buying decision on the item’s look and price instead of researching the materials.\u00a0 They rely on uneducated consumers to get excited about the design and the color.\u00a0 The worst way to make your buying decision regarding any furniture is based solely on its look and color.\u00a0 If you purchase a sofa at a low price or what seems like a great deal, the chances are the manufacturer made it with polyurethane or low-density foam.<\/p>\n
For those planning to purchase furniture for their home in Puerto Vallarta in the next twelve months, please be cautious.\u00a0 The furniture industry is suffering from a global foam shortage.<\/p>\n
When and how did this shortage occur?\u00a0 In November 2020, furniture manufacturers started to experience a severe reduction in foam supply.\u00a0 This shortage was due mainly to last year’s COVID-19 shut down of foam manufacturing plants.\u00a0 Once foam manufacturers reopened, most operated at one-third their standard capacity.\u00a0 The reduction in production was due to COVID health and safety protocols and continues today.<\/p>\n
Another impact causing a global shortage of foam comes from the shipping industry.\u00a0 When COVID-19 shut down manufacturing plants and suppliers, it also reduced the number of shipping vessels at sea.\u00a0 Those shipping vessels then faced a massive backlog once they hit port due to the reduced number of workers to offload containers.\u00a0 The congestion of containers at North American ports is also causing significant delays since there are fewer customs and imports officers.\u00a0 Experts predict that this disruption will continue throughout the rest of 2021 and into 2022.<\/p>\n
As if this was not enough, yet another issue adding to the shortage of foam is the current imbalance of shipping containers in the world.\u00a0 North America currently faces a 40% imbalance.\u00a0 For every 100 containers that arrive at North American ports, only 40 are exported.\u00a0 This disparity means fewer shipping containers are available to bring raw goods and manufactured products such as foam through the China – USA trade route.<\/p>\n
The severe weather in the South and Northeast United States this past winter also contributed.\u00a0 Most of the companies that produce the chemicals required for foam are in Texas and Louisiana.\u00a0 The storms and cold weather shut down the export and transport overseas to manufacturers of foam.<\/p>\n
With the supplies of foam low, the demand increased exponentially.\u00a0 With more people working from home and not traveling, the North American furniture industry has seen an unprecedented boom in demand for new furniture.\u00a0 Warehouses and retail floors are empty.\u00a0 Delivery dates are delayed by an average of six to nine months with no guarantee of the delivery date.<\/p>\n
The bottom line is that no manufacturer can build furniture such as sofas and sectionals if they cannot get foam.\u00a0 Manufacturers who take pride in their products find alternative sources, reduce their production schedule, and delay delivery dates.\u00a0 They know that the proper foam is critical to ensure the comfort and lifespan of a sofa.\u00a0 The best manufacturer of upholstered furniture (sofas, sectionals, sofa beds, and recliners) in Mexico is Palliser (www.palliser.com).\u00a0 They are working hard to reduce production timelines while ensuring they continue to build their furniture with the proper foam.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, other sofa manufacturers will need to settle for whatever foam is available to continue production and remain in business.\u00a0 This increase in low-quality foam on the market means that consumers need to be even more cautious when purchasing sofas, sectionals, and chairs.<\/p>\n
Sheryl Novak<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Sheryl Novak is the owner of SOLutions Mexico, which is consistently voted Vallarta’s favorite furniture store.\u00a0 For over 13 years, she has helped hundreds of homeowners find furniture in Mexico that will hold up best in the humid, termite-prone, salty-aired environment.<\/p>\n
Visit her and her team at our Puerto Vallarta store: 363A Constitucion just off of Basilio Badillo (Open Mon through Fri 10 to 2).\u00a0 Their Bucerias store is at Heroes de Nacozari 126 (Open Tues, Thurs, and Sat 10 to 2).\u00a0 If you are not currently in Mexico, email them at furniture@solutionsmexico.com or Whatsapp them at +52 322 136 5156.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Foam is an essential material used in the manufacture of sofas, sectionals, and chairs.\u00a0 Foam is used on the seat and back cushions and the arms of any upholstered piece of furniture.\u00a0 If you want your sofa, sectional, or recliner to last longer than two or three years, knowing which foam it is made with […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":1074,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_joinchat":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[328],"tags":[309],"class_list":["post-1077","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-deco-eng","tag-deco"],"yoast_head":"\n