Furniture startup Sabai’s sales are up 30% as it plays up affordability and sustainability
Sabai, a furniture company that specializes in natural and recycled materials and manufactures out of North Carolina, highlights its products as “affordable, sustainable and convenient.”
When co-founders Phantila Phataraprasit and Caitlin Ellen started the company in 2019, they sought to promote these value props in a few different ways. The company began with a line of sofas, sectionals and ottomans focused on using high-quality, recycled materials like velvet made out of old plastic water bottles and upcycled poly. And they expressly chose to build Sabai products in a domestic manufacturing site in North Carolina to both limit emissions from overseas shipments and emphasize Sabai’s commitment to quality.
But this also means that Sabai has had the added benefit of being insulated from any tariffs that have been issued on new finished products this year; President Donald Trump has also said he is considering new tariffs on imported furniture. In turn, Sabai has continued to report solid double-digit growth in 2025, a rarity in an industry that’s also currently struggling with tepid housing demand.
Since launch, Sabai has grown an average of 35% year-over-year, and in 2025, the company’s sales are up 30% year-to-date. So far this year, the sector is up around 3.2% year-over-year, according to Fiserv data from July. But more broadly, Sabai’s growth points to how brands can differentiate themselves at a time when value — which isn’t always about price — is top of mind for American shoppers who are cautious with disposable income. On its website, Sabai promotes its products as ones that won’t force consumers to “sacrifice your values” and promotes “luxury furniture for less – without the stress.”
“A lot of people are looking for alternatives to synthetics, and they’re willing to pay for quality and longevity if it means it’s healthier and more sustainable,” said Sabai co-founder and CEO Phantila Phataraprasit. “If you can do it with natural materials, if you can do it in a way that doesn’t harm the planet and doesn’t harm the customer, that’s what wins.”
Amar Singh, a senior director with Kantar, said the full brunt of tariffs has yet to hit U.S. retail markets. That may be particularly true in furniture, where brands are selling out their existing inventory before importing more. “In this category, you need to drive it out ASAP because it takes a lot of warehouse space. Holding costs will damage the price over the long term, and it’s not as profitable if you don’t sell it quickly,” he said.
But new tariffs could put further pressure on pricing. In general, shoppers aren’t always willing to shell out more money for a more sustainable brand, and it could even be considered a luxury to do so. But at a moment when imported furniture from overseas is getting hit with tariffs, it may have an edge.
“‘Made in America’ has goodwill benefits, but when it comes to sourcing, dollars for value in another region often make more sense,” Singh said. “Value is a better play, given the macro environment we’re in.”
Beyond its focus on sustainable, high-quality materials, Phataraprasit said another key to Sabai’s growth is competitive pricing. Sleeper sofas, one of Sabai’s hero products, start around $2,345 and go up to $2,895 — on par with or even more affordable than what’s found at West Elm, Joybird or Pottery Barn, but with the added aspects of being plastic-free and domestically manufactured. And though some consumers may see sustainability as a luxury, others are increasingly seeing it as a necessity — and those are the shoppers who are driving much of Sabai’s growth.
Despite its growth spurt, the company is watching for any tariff-related announcements that may affect operations. Even though its products are made in North Carolina, many of its materials and components come from overseas. Its cactus leather is made in Mexico, and the coconut husk used as padding comes from the Netherlands. “We’ll have to wait and see how the furniture tariff policy shakes out and whether it will be applied to materials and/or full products,” Phataraprasit said.
In the meantime, Sabai is keeping its operations lean. It doesn’t hold inventory, and it remains focused on its main suppliers where it can afford to innovate with new fabrics. “We have the flexibility of not doing mass production, so there’s not as much risk involved in trying something new or that hasn’t been tested out yet,” said Jess Fügler, Sabai’s product lead and designer.
Fügler also said the company’s bespoke suppliers can also work with its lower costs while maintaining — or even increasing — its sustainability goals. For example, it worked with the makers of its coconut husk filler material to reduce the amount of latex in it. “That reduced the cost for us, but it also made a product that doesn’t have as much material, and it had the same result at the end,” she said.
To acquire customers, many of Sabai’s ads and taglines focus on the affordability and sustainability of the pieces, as well as their overall aesthetic. “Never replace your sofa again,” says one ad showing a Sabai loveseat staged in an outdoor setting. It advertises replaceable warts, washable slipcovers and expansion kits. Sabai leans heavily into the power of design — it even features an interior design tool on its website, plus it sells slipcovers to help refresh a look without making a new furniture purchase. It also offers repair and resale services to help keep its items in circulation and to emphasize its focus on creating products that will last for a long time.
Fügler also said more people are discovering Sabai while looking for PFAS-free furniture through Google and ChatGPT. “It’s very much a trend we’re seeing, around natural materials and chemical sensitivity,” she said.
From a marketing standpoint, Phataraprasit said Sabai has focused on diversified and efficient spending. That includes paid ads on places like Google, Meta, Pinterest, TikTok, Reddit and connected TV.
In August, Sabai partnered with home content creators Ethan Gaskill and Rob Gagliotti to create new versions of its Bacana line of chairs and seating — a first go at influencer partnerships that Phataraprasit said brought an awareness boost.
Overall, she said the company is looking to juggle multiple marketing balls at once to ensure it is top-of-mind for the buyers who are in the furniture market.
“People really do a lot of research before buying a product like a sofa, and it’s a long-term investment,” she said. “So it’s important to understand that that decision for our customer is very considered. And, for us, what’s really worked is being diversified.”