More than half of the millions of mahogany furniture items on the market are not made of real red rosewood. The deep water in these pieces of furniture can easily lead to a "step on air" situation, as warned by Xu Xiaolin from the Shandong Province Redwood Product Quality Supervision and Inspection Center. He recently evaluated the current state of the mahogany furniture market.
A Jinan resident sent a set of so-called "red rosewood" furniture for testing, and preliminary results revealed widespread adulteration. The methods used by manufacturers are complex and hard to detect, leaving consumers at a disadvantage. Xu Xiaolin explained that when they tested several drawer parts, only the visible parts with handles were genuine mahogany, while the rest were made of other wood types.
In one narrow drawer, only the front panel was real mahogany, while the rest was fake. In another wide drawer, most of the material was genuine, but the bottom was a mix of mahogany and sapwood. "Sapwood is not real mahogany," Xu said. "This kind of fraud is common, and if applied to an entire set, the actual redwood content could be less than 50%."
Consumers paid high prices for what they believed to be authentic red rosewood, only to find out they had been deceived. These small but clever tricks highlight the chaotic state of the mahogany furniture market.
Redwood includes 33 different types of wood, each with significant price differences. Some varieties, like Hainan huanghuali, can cost over a million yuan, while others, such as wenge wood, are much cheaper. According to the national standards, redwood is divided into five genera, eight categories, and 33 species. Most of the redwood available in China is imported from Southeast Asia, South America, and Africa, as domestic sources are strictly regulated.
Xu Xiaolin also emphasized that even within the same tree, only the heartwood is considered true mahogany. The sapwood, which is lighter and softer, is often used to cut costs. This practice further deceives consumers who may not know the difference.
Many wood names are misleading. For example, "African rosewood" is actually a type of Guyi Sumu, not true rosewood. Similarly, "red sandalwood" and "green sandalwood" are not related to sandalwood at all. To avoid confusion, Xu recommends checking the Latin name on the label, as it is the most accurate way to identify the wood.
In addition to the material, craftsmanship plays a major role in determining the value of mahogany furniture. High-quality workmanship can significantly increase the price. Different types of redwood have varying growth periods, with some taking thousands of years to mature. For instance, Hainan huanghuali is considered the finest, and its raw materials have long been exhausted.
The price of wood is also influenced by market demand. When a particular type becomes popular, its value can skyrocket. However, for most types, the price remains relatively stable. Ultimately, both the quality of the material and the craftsmanship determine the final price of the furniture.
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