Building It Right: The Next Step in SFC's Journey with Cascale

Cascale Acquisition

Last year, I shared that the Sustainable Furnishings Council (SFC) was embarking on an exciting new chapter, joining forces with Cascale to bring the home furnishings sector to a global stage. Today, on behalf of the SFC Board of Directors, I would like to share an update on that journey.

Twenty Years of Leadership, Carried Forward
This October marks 20 years since a group of concerned furnishings stakeholders at High Point Market founded SFC. Our work in carbon, waste, healthier materials, and responsible sourcing is not being replaced. It is being upheld and scaled globally. Taking the time to build the right foundation is how we honor that legacy.

Home Furnishings Needs
The Home Furnishings sector has complex needs when it comes to measurable, meaningful sustainability. At SFC, we have long guided our members through what we call the Sustainability Six: carbon, health, waste, water, social, and circularity. In our industry, these six are closely connected. A single sofa can involve responsibly sourced wood, foam and finishes free of chemicals of concern, textiles that need water to produce, workers across several countries, and a life of fifteen years or more before it has to be repaired, resold, or recycled. Our supply chains, our materials, and the long life of our products call for an approach built for this sector. Together with you, we are building a stronger coalition that will address all six aspects in a way that fits how home furnishings are made, sold, delivered, and used.

We’ve also made a deliberate choice to build a Cascale membership offering designed specifically for this industry — not a retrofit of the apparel-and-footwear model. Home Furnishings, as pointed out, has distinct needs, and building and creating value that truly fits the sector is the priority.

What Is Happening Now
Ying McGuire joined Cascale as CEO in June 2026. During her first months, she met every member of the Cascale team and spoke with nearly 150 organizations across the value chain, asking what is working, what is getting in the way, and what members would change. The answers were consistent: members value Cascale’s convening power and the shared infrastructure built over fifteen years, and they want a sharper value proposition, clearer roles across a fragmented field of initiatives, and manufacturers treated as partners rather than measured from a distance.

That input now feeds a systems-mapping exercise, in which members at the recent annual meeting in Athens and online were asked to identify where the system is working, where it is stuck, and which levers matter most. The output and results of these sessions will shape Cascale’s 2030 strategy and 2027 priorities directly. Read more about Cascale’s Annual Meeting and Ying’s remarks here.

What This Means for SFC Members
For our members, nothing changes right now. Your SFC membership continues exactly as it is today, with the same tools, the same support, and the same community, delivered by Cascale. Benefits carry on without interruption, and when renewal time arrives, it's your chance to keep building on the momentum we're creating together.

SFC will continue as a membership organization during this transitional period. The Sustainable Furnishings Council remains the trusted organization you know, now powered by Cascale's expanded global support.

Looking Forward: A Call to Action
Over the next few months, our teams are listening to SFC and Cascale members, engaging with stakeholders in the Cascale Connect Home Furnishings Group, and exploring the path forward. I invite every one of you — members, sponsors, friends, and supporters of SFC — to stay engaged with us as we shape this next chapter. Your membership keeps your seat at the table and your voice heard, while the future of home furnishings within Cascale takes shape.

We will also be offering virtual member engagement opportunities, webinars, workshops, and courses for credit. Members are still represented with company profiles on the SFC website. Additionally, SFC will continue to engage members and stakeholders live at High Point Market, the Las Vegas Market, and the Dallas Market / ARTS Awards.

I am grateful for your patience, your partnership, and your continued commitment. Together, we will make sure that the future of the SFC is built with care, and built to last.

With gratitude,