This is what makes urban India hooked to quirky furniture

With the young urban India in charge of the major chunk of economy of the country, disposable income has set a new benchmark. And with that has arrived the inclination to buy things that stand out. This is where quirks started entering Indian households. Quirky key chains and coasters soon gave way to furniture and bigger stuff that have some crazy element in it.

And this is where young entrepreneur Natasha Jain came with her venture Bent Chair. A young and rapidly growing Indian furniture and accessories, Bent Chair has exhibited tremendous growth and potential in a short span of 10 months, gaining a strong customer base in its home market.

Bent Chair has its roots in engineering and technology and follows a very methodological approach towards its products. The production also involves a cooperative of skilled artisans. All of the magic takes place at 5 manufacturing facilities in Ambala that houses the latest woodworking machinery as well as a huge space for assembly, storage, and testing of finished products. In addition to the primary manufacturing unit, four facilities have been set up for polishing, carving, weaving, and painting of Bent Chair products.

The home furnishing market is quite competitive with established brands already and then Ikea is also making its way. But Bent Chair is confident of its own game. “We have exhibited tremendous growth and potential in just within a year since our inception, gaining a strong customer base in India.This is why we think we will survive the big waves. We are self funded and profitable, while most startups these days are not We have already expanded to international markets, with customers appreciating our products abroad as well We are delving into online customization of products, which is a rare trend among Indian companies Our focus is on design and aesthetics while keeping products affordable,” said Jain.

Talking about quirks, Jain said, “almost 30% of our sales is for quirks. Being one of the few brands catering to this product range, we think there is still a huge scope and a market for the same in India.”

Usually, 28-40 years old opt for quirks. In descending order of Volume Mumbai, Bangalore, Kolkata, Delhi are the major buyers of quirks.

The buying behaviour of people opting for quirks is impulsive and customers like keeping themselves updated on recent products. They mostly buy furniture that's also eclectic and modern.

“ Most of our products are modern and quirky, yet traditional. For example our signature Maharaja Chair is a modern take on the traditional design. The local artisans are much involved in making such products. The bent man table is a quirky table which is made by local artisans and craftsmen in our factory in Ambala. Similarly a lot of our products have involvement of local artisans in manufacturing them,” Jain told Business Insider.

While quirks are always expensive online, Jain says, “Most of our accessories are under 5000 which seems to be an affordable price range for quirky products. The mass appeal and the customer response we have been getting is a testimony to the same. So we believe that we are in the 'affordable price tag' bracket however a constant endeavour is to optimize our costs in a way that we maintain the same.”