Funkidz has grown into one of the biggest children’s furniture manufacturers in Kenya. Founded in 2010 as an SME, the company makes colourful furniture for children up to the age of 16 using particleboard, MDF, wood and fixtures. Some of the products include baby cots, wardrobes, bedside cabinets, chairs and tables.
“I felt the need to venture into the furniture manufacturing business due to the challenges I encountered while shopping around for furniture for my first born child and failing to find the furniture that I wanted . This combined with my passion for design led to the founding of this business,” explained Ciiru Waweru Waithaka, the Founder of Funkidz.
They source some of their raw materials from PG Bison who offer high quality wood based panel furniture components. These are made to the client’s specification. PG Bison’s products are obtained from sustainable and renewable man made forests in South Africa and do not affect Kenya’s forest cover.
“With the help of both our design and production teams and the modern technology we have invested at the factory, we are able to produce furniture that suits our customer’s specifications and meets international standards. Over the years we have grown as a business enabling us to export our locally manufactured goods to Uganda and Rwanda,” said the Funkidz founder.
Since they need some timber for the production of their goods, the recent ban on logging in Kenya has resulted in limiting the supply of wood forcing companies to be more innovative by seeking alternative materials like particle boards and MDF.
“The misconception that local products are substandard should be rectified by increasing public awareness of the high quality achieved by manufacturers. End users should understand these products meet international standards as they are made by trained personnel with the requisite skills,” says the founder.
