The American Home Furnishings Alliance will introduce new marketing tools and a new mascot next year.
The public awareness campaign from the group representing furniture and furnishings companies will be held Oct. 4 to 7 next year. It educates families about common furniture hazards and steps to prevent injuries.
The AHFA says that furniture-related accidents cause thousands of injuries annually, with children younger than 6 and older adults especially vulnerable.
“Many participating companies elevated their efforts this year,” said Patricia Bowling, AHFA vice president of communications. “From custom videos to influencer partnerships, we saw a real commitment to getting these safety messages out.”
For 2027, AHFA plans to provide more marketing resources that will help participants extend their consumer outreach, it said. Chester, a monkey mascot designed to engage children ages 2 to 6, will be the star of the campaign. “Young Chester is a monkey who is curious and active, just like the children ages 2 to 6 he is designed to attract,” Bowling said. “Chester will encourage children to climb, jump, and explore, just not on furniture.” Companies can now register for the 2027 campaign through the Furniture Safety Week website: https://www.alliance4safety.org/furniture-safety.
