In a small North Carolina town that has long been the heart of American furniture making, Fairfield Chair is doubling down on what it does best: Handcrafted pieces touched by more than 100 pairs of hands before they leave the factory floor.
As the U.S. furniture market grapples with a new 30% tariff on upholstered imports, the family-owned company, now in its second century, sees an opportunity for its “Made in America” brand.
“I remember going on vacations as a child and in hotels, my dad flipping the cushions up so that he could see who made the furniture wherever we were,” said Anne-Lindsay Beall, lead director at Fairfield Chair. “It was really embarrassing at the time. Now I get it.”
Beall’s home is like a mini Fairfield showroom.
“I’ve got this couch that I’ve had for years and I won’t replace it because it’s so deep and comfortable and perfect. And it’s a Fairfield piece from 15 years ago. And I just love it,” Beall said.
Beall’s great-great-grandfather started the company more than a century ago.
The soundtrack of machines humming, workers sawing and needles clacking from sewing machines plays out in the factories where more than 400 employees craft pieces.
Employees have worked at the company for decades and don’t want to leave, said Dixon Mitchell, the company’s CEO.
“That’s a good thing. Is it not? That means that people like where they work,” Mitchell said.
Mitchell said the company has staying power.
“The thing about furniture, people are always going to need something to sit on, eat on, and sleep on,” Mitchell said.
The craftsmanship is a quality Fairfield hopes buyers appreciate. The U.S. imported more than $25 billion in furniture last year: up 7% from 2023 with most products coming from Vietnam and China, according to Furniture Today.
President Trump announced that his administration would levy a 30% tariff on upholstered furniture from abroad this month, which Mitchell says will have an impact on the business. But he said Fairfield is agile and will continue to be a reliable option for customers.
“We have a very strong supply network, supply chain network. We do all-shore products. Like, a lot of textiles we import are made in Asia, areas like that. So, that has impacted us,” said Mitchell about the tariffs.
Fairfield, however, is sticking to what it knows best while also embracing new technology. Though a personal touch is a cornerstone for the company’s brand.
“That is all hand-done. And that’s the balance, I think, this handcrafted product. Somebody asked me one time, how many hands touch a chair as it goes through this factory? How many hands?” Mitchell said. “I would say over 100.”
Fairfield Chair helped furnish the brand new “CBS Mornings” set and green room as the morning show returned to the all-new Studio 57 inside the historic CBS News’ Broadcast Center.
