Over the past decade, the number of pet-owning households worldwide has grown at a pace that has surprised even the industry itself. Across multiple international market studies, a clear shift has emerged: pets are no longer regarded simply as animals being cared for, but are increasingly recognised as integral members of the household.
This change is particularly evident in China. According to the 2025 China Pet Industry White Paper (Consumer Report), released under the guidance of the China Animal Agriculture Association’s Pet Industry Branch, the country’s pet population surpassed 100 million in 2024. More than a statistic, this figure signals a deeper transformation in everyday living.
As pets become part of the family structure, domestic spaces can no longer be designed solely around human needs. Movement, emotional comfort and safety for animals are now factored into spatial decisions. Gradually, familiar elements of the home begin to shift.
Sofas are no longer exclusive seating for people, but shared resting platforms for humans and pets alike. The space beneath coffee tables becomes a passageway or temporary shelter. Storage systems are reconfigured to accommodate both household items and pet essentials. Flooring is expected to resist scratches, reduce slipping and support stable movement, while circulation routes are no longer designed purely for human traffic, but also for the safety of animals moving through the home.
A new reality for the furniture industry
Within this context, pet furniture has moved decisively away from the margins of the furniture industry, emerging as a rapidly forming and increasingly significant sector. No longer limited to providing a bed or feeding bowl, pet furniture is evolving into a more comprehensive spatial solution—one that allows humans and animals to share space comfortably while remaining coherent with the overall language of the interior.
Brands are beginning to integrate pet furniture into the domestic system itself, considering it alongside sofas, beds, storage and lighting as part of a unified spatial framework. As a result, even the most familiar object—the pet bed—has undergone a notable shift in design priorities.
Where durability and ease of cleaning once dominated, greater emphasis is now placed on health and sensory comfort. Breathable, skin-friendly materials that minimise allergic reactions while remaining resistant to wear have become standard expectations. Sustainability has also entered the conversation, with recyclable and environmentally responsible materials increasingly adopted. In this recalibration, a pet’s comfort is treated with a level of seriousness comparable to that of human users.
Mature pet furniture design, therefore, no longer revolves around simple questions of placement or convenience. Instead, it returns to the core issue of co-living: how design can reduce the psychological distance between humans and animals, allowing furniture to function not merely as an object, but as a mediator of shared domestic life.
Bringing human–pet co-living to the main stage
This shift is clearly reflected in the curatorial direction of CIFF Guangzhou. In March, the fair will introduce its first dedicated Pet Furniture and Accessories Exhibition – Companion Living, located in Hall D of the Home Furniture Exhibition at the Canton Fair Complex. Curated by Liang Chen and Chen Xiaoshuo, the exhibition responds directly to the growing reality of human–pet co-living.
The showcase spans three key categories—human–pet shared furniture, pet furniture and pet products—grounding design exploration in everyday domestic scenarios. Participating brands including Tianyuan, Purr Mello, Flytech, Tengye, Sinomax, ax’L, MZEN, Gulu Box, Gaofeiya and Juyuan will each present their interpretations of pet-inclusive living, collectively offering a vision that balances function, aesthetics and emotional consideration.
Also taking place during the fair are a series of themed talks focused on human–pet living. Rather than addressing design at an abstract level, these discussions return to lived experience: how design can soften physical boundaries between humans and animals, how shared needs can be resolved through spatial thinking, and how the home might truly become a place where all its inhabitants—regardless of species—can feel at ease.
Click the image to explore CIFF Guangzhou this March:
