A selection of miniature chairs, designed and upholstered by students, is the latest addition to the Innovation Showcase at the home of the UK’s largest furniture association.
The chairs – examples from a project where students were tasked with using Heico's range of decorative nails and crystal buttons in an innovative and creative way – are currently on display at the FIRA headquarters.
The project is part of the Association of Master Upholsterers and Soft Furnishers (AMUSF) Stage Three qualification run by Wendy Shorter Interiors, an upholstery and soft furnishings training centre that delivers a wide range of professional accredited qualifications and leisure courses.
Representatives from across the furniture industry supply chain visit the headquarters on a regular basis and members of the association have the opportunity to display new and innovative products on the showcase.
Wendy Shorter, fellow and director of AMUSF, says: “Students work on a variety of traditional and modern upholstered frames as part of their qualification. This gives them a broad range of techniques and experience, readying them for a career in the furniture and furnishings industry.
“These miniature chairs are fantastic examples of our students’ creativity and workmanship. I am very proud to be able to display them at the Furniture Industry Research Association headquarters to provide its visitors with an insight into the skill involved in AMUSF qualifications.”
Products are showcased for a four-month period and this offers companies a unique opportunity to gain extra media coverage when launching new products, as well as a way to display the product to others within the furniture industry.
