Ergonomics is the science of designing furniture so that it conforms comfortably to the body and reduces the risk of injury from stress and strain.

Various international companies have entered the Nepal market in recent years with their range of products for corporate executives. Premium chairs are priced between Rs 35,000 and Rs 300,000.

Newly arrived Indian furniture brand HOF offers a wide selection of premium office furniture. “Before the launch, we were sceptical about sales of expensive furniture items, but we have received very encouraging response from customers within one and a half months,” said Ankush Agrawal, proprietor of PD Impex, the authorised distributor of HOF chairs in Nepal.

He added that people presently were particular about the design, fabric and colour options of the chairs they plan to buy. The company has launched various chairs in 26 colour options.

“Some companies use their furniture as a representation of their brand,” said Agrawal. “High profile people of big organisations like Dabur Nepal, Jyoti Group, Shivam Cement, Vaidya’s Organisation and most embassies are using our furniture systems.”

HOF provides a two-year warranty on its top-end furniture systems and a one-year warranty on mid-segment products. The company also provides an option on fabrics like Rexine and leather. According to company, chairs with leather would cost up to Rs 300,000. “We have sold around 500 chairs in the five months

since the launch in the Nepal market,” said Aditya Murarka, director of Parth International, the authorised distributor of Featherlite furniture in Nepal.

He added that corporate houses had been changing the way they see furniture products.

“Various companies have been seeking modern and ergonomically designed furniture for their staff,” he said.

Featherlite offers a complete range of furniture like chairs, desks, conference tables and educational furnishings, among others. Its chairs cost Rs 7,800 to Rs 40,000 while tables carry price tags of Rs 21,000 to Rs 150,000.

“Demand for international designs and quality furniture from corporate houses has been rising as they are realising the importance of equipping their offices with the best furniture, so we hope to see higher growth in the days to come,” said Murarka.