Chan Furniture At DeFu Brazil 2026: 100+ Buyer Contacts And Rising Demand For Recliner Chairs Across South America

From September 16 to 18, 2026, Chan Furniture exhibited at the 13th DeFu Brazil Furniture Expo in São Paulo. Over three days, our team collected more than 100 buyer business cards and opened over 50 WhatsApp conversations with importers, retailers, interior project buyers and senior-living distributors from Brazil and across South America. This post-show report explains what those buyers asked for, what our factory can supply, and how to receive a quotation.

The organiser reported more than 33,000 trade visitors across the three days, with buyers from Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador and Mexico among the main groups on the floor. For a recliner manufacturer, that is a concentrated audience of exactly the people who place container orders.

Industry figures discussed around the show put the Brazilian furniture market at roughly USD 15.8 billion in 2025, with annual growth of about 5.5% forecast through 2034. Import demand is growing faster than the market itself: Brazilian furniture imports rose 27.2% in 2024, and China accounted for 73.8% of the import volume.

Three structural drivers matter specifically for upholstered seating. First, housing programmes and urbanisation keep adding households while apartment footprints keep shrinking, which favours wall-hugger and swivel recliners that need less wall clearance. Second, Brazil's population is ageing, and lift chairs are moving out of the medical niche into mainstream home furniture. Third, hotel, short-let and workspace expansion continues to pull contract volumes of reclining sofas.

For an importer, that combination means demand spread across several price points rather than one single bestseller - which is a reason to build a range, not a single SKU.

Our booth focused on the four categories South American buyers ask for most often:

• Power lift chairs and stand-up recliners - quiet dual-motor lift mechanisms with hand control, aimed at the senior-living and home-care channel.
• Swivel recliners and wall-hugger recliners - narrow, standard and extra-wide versions for apartment living rooms.
• Rocking and glider recliners - manual and power versions for the residential mid-market.
• Reclining sofa sets - including heat and massage models and USB-equipped consoles for higher-ticket retail.

Every powered model on the stand was demonstrated with a bivolt motor, so the same chair can be configured for 127V or 220V markets. Structural ratings typically run from 300 to 400 lbs (136 to 181 kg) depending on frame and mechanism, and upholstery is available in fabric, microfibre, faux leather and genuine leather.

Footprint and carton dimensions are confirmed per model on the specification sheet, so importers can calculate container loads and landed cost before placing an order.

Across three days of conversations, the same six questions came up again and again. They are worth knowing before you request a quotation, because they determine what we need from you.

1. Bivolt power and Brazilian plugs. Brazil runs 127V and 220V at 60 Hz, and wall sockets follow the Type N (NBR 14136) standard. Buyers wanted confirmation that motors, transformers and power leads are specified for Brazil from the start, not adapted after arrival.
2. Smaller footprints. Apartments in São Paulo and Rio are tight, so buyers favoured wall-hugger mechanisms and narrower frames over oversized models.
3. Humidity and heat resistance. Coastal and tropical climates punish cheap foam and untreated frames. Buyers asked about foam density, fabric treatment and rust protection on the frame.
4. Container flexibility. Most importers wanted to mix three to four colours, or two to three models, in a single 40HQ container so they can test the market before committing to volume in one SKU.
5. Spare parts and after-sales. Motors, hand controls, transformers and mechanisms - buyers judge a supplier on what happens in year two, not on the showroom unit.
6. Clear import documentation. Upholstered recliner chairs are typically classified under HS 9401.61; our export team prepares the commercial invoice, packing list and product data so your customs broker can map the shipment to the correct NCM code.

Chan Furniture is the export brand of Anji Qianyuan Furniture Co., Ltd., a recliner and lift chair manufacturer based in Anji County, Zhejiang Province - the Chinese county that produces the largest share of the country's seating. We are a factory, not a trading company, and that difference shows up in the quotation.

Manufacturing stays in-house. Steel frames are cut, welded and powder-coated on site. Foam is moulded to the density each market requires. Motors, hand controls and control electronics are assembled and tested before they reach the assembly line. Upholstery is cut and sewn in our own workshop, and every finished unit goes through a functional test and aging cycle before it is packed.

Because our cost is set by production rather than by negotiation, buying factory-direct changes four things for an importer:

• Stable price ladder. Quotes are built from our own bill of materials, so they do not move every time a third party re-prices.
• Customisation that actually gets built. OEM and ODM programmes, private label, custom cartons and manuals - specification changes go to the line, not into an email chain.
• Spare parts that exist after the order. We keep service components for models we have shipped.
• Capacity you can plan around. Production runs across two manufacturing bases with capacity for roughly 200 containers a month.

Buying direct also means a problem is fixed at its source instead of being forwarded up a supply chain. For an importer building a recliner programme in Brazil, that is usually the deciding factor.

If you visited our booth in São Paulo, the fastest route is to send us the model number written on your card, together with your target quantity and destination port. If you did not attend the show, send your requirement instead: product type, preferred size, voltage, upholstery, quantity and port of discharge. We will come back with a quotation and a recommended container configuration.

We can also arrange a video walkthrough of the production line, and - with Brazil's 2026 visa-free entry for Chinese citizens - our export team can travel to meet you in person. For buyers who want to inspect before committing, a visit to our Anji factory is always welcome.

South American importers are a priority for the 2027 season, and we are building our programme in the region around long-term distribution partners rather than one-off orders.

Are you a manufacturer or a trading company?
We are a manufacturer. Chan Furniture is the export brand of Anji Qianyuan Furniture Co., Ltd., with production in Anji, Zhejiang Province, China. Frames, foam, electronics, upholstery and final testing are all handled in our own facilities.

What is the minimum order quantity for a first order?
First orders typically start from one 40HQ container, and you can mix three to four colours or several models in that container. This lets you test the market before committing to volume in a single SKU.

Can you supply chairs for Brazil's 127V and 220V power supply?
Yes. Powered recliners and lift chairs can be built with bivolt motors and power leads specified for the Brazilian Type N socket standard.

How quickly will I receive a quotation?
Send your specification - model or product type, size, voltage, upholstery, quantity and port - and we aim to return a formal quotation within 12 business hours.

Do you accept OEM and private label orders?
Yes. We build OEM and ODM programmes with private label, custom cartons and custom user manuals.

Can we visit the factory?
Yes. Buyers are welcome to visit our Anji production base, and we can arrange a video walkthrough if travel is not practical.