They began with sofas, now they rule a furnishings empire spanning 50 international locations

HomesToLife grew from a Singapore couch workshop to a worldwide furnishings powerhouse

Once you consider luxurious leather-based sofas or modern furnishings, Singaporean manufacturers may not instantly come to thoughts. But, HomesToLife—the family-run furnishings model with a legacy spanning over 50 years—has quietly constructed a transnational empire throughout Asia, Europe, and North America. 

From leather-based hides sourced in Australia and South America to customisable sofas delivered to greater than 5,000 retail factors worldwide, the corporate has grown into a worldwide furnishings model—a far attain from its beginnings as an area upholstery workshop.

We spoke with Phua Mei Ming, CEO of HomesToLife and the daughter of founder Phua Yong Tat, who has been immersed within the enterprise for over 25 years, to be taught extra concerning the enterprise’s journey. She now runs the corporate alongside her sister, Celeste Phua, Head of Communications and Retail Branding, and their cousin Phua Jing Yuh, who oversees procurement for the leather-based enterprise unit. 

Collectively, they’re carrying ahead the household legacy, with six retail manufacturers underneath their belt and being a big provider of white-label furnishings worldwide.

A household enterprise rooted in craftsmanship

HomesToLife started as Hwa Tat Lee in 1976, when Phua Yong and his brothers Yong Pin and Yong Sin opened a settee upholstery workshop on Lowland Street, turning into amongst Singapore’s first couch makers.

Recognising rising native demand for upholstered furnishings, the brothers provided white-label PVC sofas to retailers reminiscent of Courts by the next yr, establishing a repute for high quality craftsmanship that might change into the muse of their household enterprise.

Within the Eighties, they cast a producing partnership with one of many oldest producers of leather-based sofas in Germany, Laauser GmbH, the place they acquired technical experience for manufacturing and product improvement. The corporate additionally formalised its operations underneath the identify Hwa Tat Lee Leather-based, marking a transfer from home gross sales into exporting, with its first vital deal supplying furnishings to Brunei.

Over the many years, the corporate advanced via a number of identify adjustments earlier than selecting HomesToLife Ltd because the holding firm overseeing a portfolio of subsidiaries. Its tannery operations—the place animal hides are processed into leather-based—had been initially based mostly in Singapore however relocated to China within the early 2000s to strengthen its export capabilities.

Its different subsidiaries embrace German furnishings model Domicil, which the model acquired distribution rights in 2005. Fabbrica and Corium Italia had been later added, opening doorways to the higher-end furnishings section in its choices.

After years of sourcing and processing leather-based and B2B furnishings manufacturing for its retail companions throughout the globe, HomesToLife’s first direct-to-consumer retail model was launched in 2013. Only a yr later, it launched two different manufacturers, Gallery and RelaxStudio, to deal with modern and motion-focused furnishings, respectively.

Initially, the corporate offered its merchandise on-line and thru abroad retail companions, with devoted in-store sections showcasing its manufacturers. In 2015, it examined direct-to-consumer retail with a pop-up on the former 112 Katong shopping center, earlier than constructing its first flagship retailer, measuring 4 storeys excessive and seven,000 sq. toes at Mohamed Sultan Street in Jul 2016. 

This strategy allowed the crew to collect buyer insights, refine operations, and form the retail expertise that might later outline the model. 

At its peak in 2024, HomesToLife operated six shops throughout Singapore earlier than streamlining to 4 key areas to deal with each native and worldwide markets. Every retailer showcases all six of the corporate’s manufacturers, together with these it has acquired.

Enlargement into abroad markets

Past Singapore, HomesToLife had established a strong presence in numerous Asian markets by 2020, together with Japan, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. A key driver of HomesToLife’s growth lies in its distinction as an built-in supply-chain supplier.

It coordinates all facets of its merchandise’ journey, from design and product improvement for each its personal manufacturers and white-label choices, to administration of sourcing and manufacturing companions, and logistics and distribution companies, together with channel administration.

We perceive your complete built-in chain — from product design to manufacturing to supply. That’s our benefit; it permits us to talk within the language of our companions and prospects. We’re the one furnishings firm that controls the leather-based provide chain utterly.

Phua Mei Ming, CEO of HomesToLife

In 2021, the corporate started exploring growth in India, following suggestions from EnterpriseSG as a part of a bilateral collaboration. Via consultations with EnterpriseSG, HomesToLife gained invaluable insights into native enterprise practices, market compliance necessities, and potential manufacturing companions by way of the company’s workplaces in Delhi and Mumbai.

That very same yr, the corporate established a manufacturing unit with companions in Chennai and workplaces in Bangalore and Mumbai, totalling greater than 28,000 sqft, serving wholesale furnishings patrons throughout India. 

For its Indian manufacturing companions, the model’s CEO highlighted that the collaboration proved invaluable. “It was enticing for our companions in India to discover ways to produce at this degree of high quality,” Mei Ming famous. “We additionally assist them change into self-sustaining as an alternative of relying closely on imports,” she added.

In Could 2025, HomesToLife acquired upholstered sofas and leather-based tanning firm, HTL Advertising and marketing, that was initially based by the identical group however had operated independently with separate operations and financials till the acquisition.

The acquisition additional propelled HomesToLife’s development, permitting it to increase past Asia into Europe and North America. It additionally strengthened HomesToLife Ltd’s world provide chain community.

For HomesToLife, market choice is a meticulous course of that considers market measurement, consumption, import percentages, and GDP. “Whereas we provide nice worth, we aren’t a mass-market participant,” Mei Ming defined.

HomesToLife adapts its strategy based mostly on every market. As an example, earlier than increasing into Seoul earlier this yr, the corporate first experimented with pop-up shops to gauge client response.

Observing that Korean malls are sometimes multi-level malls with devoted furnishings sections, HomesToLife tailor-made its technique by launching pop-ups inside these retail areas. The success of those trials ultimately led to the institution of a everlasting retail retailer in Yongin-si, simply exterior Seoul.

By strategically planning its growth, HomesToLife Ltd now operates throughout 1,400 partnerships and over 5,000 retail factors worldwide. It exports its merchandise, together with white-label choices, to round 50 international locations via an in depth community of gross sales companions and retailers.

At the moment, Europe stays the corporate’s strongest market, accounting for round 60% of gross sales over current years, adopted by Asia-Pacific after which North America.

The “heartbeat” of HomesToLife’s development

Like many household companies, HomesToLife confronted early challenges in making Asian-sourced furnishings credible towards European opponents.

Nevertheless, German engineering and manufacturing strategies knowledgeable HomesToLife’s strategy, whereas worldwide designer collaborations ensured merchandise appealed to stylish markets like Japan, France, and the UK.

For each its retail manufacturers and white-label choices, over 1,500 designs are developed with main worldwide designers, out of which a minimum of 700 new designs and 10,000 customisable SKUs with product attributes reminiscent of numerous colors, measurement, and functionalities are supplied yearly, enabling “impression customisation”—tailor-made choices with out the total bespoke prices. 

“Our R&D has all the time been the heartbeat of our development. For the reason that early 2010s, we collaborated with proficient designers globally, producing 1000’s of unique merchandise which have change into bestsellers,” stated Celeste.

Considered one of these merchandise is HomesToLife’s HomeStage sequence, a collaboration with designer Toh Chye Seng, bringing an immersive couch idea to life—it delivers a 4D expertise with touchscreen controls, sound techniques, therapeutic massage features, and ambient lighting.

In the present day, the corporate thrives on mental property somewhat than heavy capital funding, with R&D central to development, stated Celeste. 

Aside from R&D innovation, HomesToLife’s diversified world operations have additionally helped protect it from regional instabilities. With a presence in Europe, Asia-Pacific, and North America, the corporate has navigated geopolitical tensions and pandemic-related disruptions whereas sustaining stability and predictability for its retail companions.

These methods and regular development culminated in HomesToLife’s itemizing on NASDAQ in 2024, a pivotal milestone that enabled the corporate to increase capital for additional growth into abroad markets.

Trying forward

In recent times, Mei Ming realised that furnishings is more and more handled like style, with shorter product life cycles and demand for personalised, useful, and progressive items. 

Completely different markets are evolving in their very own methods as nicely. Western shoppers typically search technology-driven options, whereas Asian shoppers more and more favor multifunctional simplicity. 

HomesToLife is incorporating digitalisation all through operations, permitting companions to trace shipments globally, whereas leveraging AI and digital instruments to speed up product design and personalisation.

Asia stays a key development engine, with a deal with future goal markets reminiscent of India and China. The corporate’s five-year purpose is to cement HomesToLife as a worldwide chief in design-led furnishings and built-in supply-chain excellence.

At its core, HomesToLife stays a household enterprise guided by a easy precept: buyer success drives firm success.

“If we’re not creating actual worth for our prospects, we change into irrelevant. It’s a win-win-win: we win, our prospects win, and their prospects win,” Mei Ming mirrored. 

• Study extra about HomesToLife right here.
• Learn extra tales we’ve written on Singaporean companies right here.

Featured Picture Credit score: HomesToLife