The height indifference

Women and their need for a comfortable furniture

image sourced from the now famous tweet of @reina_sabah

According to statistics released by NFHS (National Family and Health Survey), the average height of an Indian woman is 5 feet. Men average about 5 feet 4.9 inches. In short, we are short! India is also the second most populous country in the world. Why talk about this data? Well, it is interesting to witness how manufacturers have ignored this insight and built things that are impractical to use. 

I will begin with the furniture makers of the subcontinent. It is a booming market with an estimated growth of $32.75 Bn by 2027. They have taken to designing furniture according to global measurements. Take a look at urban ladder, pepper fry and any other online furniture maker’s listing nearly all furniture is made according to 5 feet 7 inches male body. Now that leaves more than half of the Indian population(women) using sofas, chairs, desks or loungers that are simply not designed for them. 

Neck aches, spondylosis at the age of 40, backaches, and joint pains are common phenomena. Although diet and exercise play a major role, I suspect it is furniture that women use, adding to unexplained aches. In desk jobs, one tends to spend time sitting and working for over 8 hours. Eight hours seated on a desk and chair built for a different body type. It is like running a marathon wearing size10 shoes when you are a size5.

Image sourced from Pepperfry. Notice how they are not showing her seated on the chair.

If you’ve noticed, short women tend to sit cross-legged on the sofa/chair or are found sitting on the edge. Wearing high heels is another way of countering the misfit seating. How many men have you seen seated like that?

I have not come across a single chair that suits my 5 feet 1-inch frame. Let’s not get to the table. It is a sad story. All my workplaces fell short in keeping my legs on the floor and arms comfortably perched on the desk. How it affects the body and productivity is hardly a subject of research. Because according to the folks who run the office - one size fits all.

It is about time that furniture manufacturers take into account women’s physical measurements and build something worthwhile. Else, the only resort is to get stuff custom-made.

My dear furniture maker, we are an enormous addressable market. Building furniture that caters to different body types shouldn’t be that hard if you want to make money.