The carpet and rug market - France (2024)

1.2 Global market on the rise

The global carpet market was valued at nearly $** billion in ****, and is expected to grow at a combined annual growth rate (***) of *.*% by ****, to exceed $*** billion. North America accounts for **% of the market, making it the sector's main trading region, ahead of Asia-Pacific.

France, ****-****, in billion euros

The market dynamic is driven by the construction sector, which increases the need for floor coverings, but also by the insulating and decorative benefits of carpet, which is becoming a popular material for renovations.

1.3 French production in search of a rebound

Rather stagnant before ****, the French carpet and rug market was then heavily impacted by the Covid-** crisis. It lost almost **% of its value between **** and ****. Although it has since picked up again, the sector has not yet returned to its pre-Covid level, handicapped by rising energy and raw material costs: it remained below the *** million euro mark in ****.

sales trends in the carpet and rug manufacturing market France, ****-****, in millions of euros

Aware of competition from other floor coverings (***), industry professionals nevertheless note that the market seems to have entered a rebound phase. Carpet is benefiting from a more qualitative image, with customers looking for more upmarket products, which is partly offsetting the erosion in volumes. [***]

1.4 Distribution benefits from inflation

This section is based on NAF code **.**Z, which includes the retail sale of carpets and rugs, the retail sale of curtains and net curtains, and the retail sale of wallpaper and floor coverings. The scope studied is therefore broader than that of the study, but it still enables us to study trends in carpet and rug distribution.

Not very dynamic between **** and ****, the French distribution of carpets, rugs, floor and wall coverings in specialist stores suffered only slightly from the Covid-** crisis. Sales fell slightly from €*** million to €*** million between **** and ****.

sales trends in the specialized retail market for carpets, rugs, floor and wall coverings France, ****-****, in millions of euros

On the other hand, the sector's earnings have risen sharply since **** due to inflation affecting raw material and energy prices. Final prices have risen accordingly, enabling the market to achieve sales of *** million euros in ****, a total **% higher than in ****.

1.5 France imports more than it exports

The figures in this section are based on UN Comtrade code **: carpets and other textile floor coverings.

In recent years, France has consistently imported more carpets than it has rugs. By ****, the country had imported $*** million worth of goods in this category, while exporting $***.* million. The gap between these two measures has even tended to widen since ****: the coverage rate fell from **.*% in **** to **.*% in ****, before rising slightly to **.*% in ****.

France therefore remains heavily dependent on foreign supplies in this sector.

import and export trends for carpets and other textile floor coverings France, ****-****, in millions of dollars Source: ****

French exports are mainly limited to Europe: its eight main customers are European countries, the majority of which border France (***). The only partner outside Europe is the United States, to which France exported $*.* million worth of carpets and other textile floor coverings in ****.

Main French customer countries for code ** France, ****, in millions of dollars

On the import side, Europe once again dominates, particularly thanks to Belgium (***). between them, they will account for **.*% of France's imports in ****.

Further afield, countries such as China (***) appear next.

Main countries selling carpets and other textile floor coverings to France France, ****, in millions of dollars Source: ****

2.1 Sales volumes to start rising again in 2021

** million m² of interior textile floor coverings were sold in France in ****. This figure fell to **.* million in ****, but has since risen to **.* million in **** and **.* million in ****. This progression indicates that demand is gradually returning, and that the market could soon reach, in terms of sales volume, its pre-Covid-** level.

Needle-punched textiles show the strongest recovery, and continue to grow, while tufted fabrics and carpets slow down in **** after a sharp rise in ****.

sales volumes of interior textile floor coverings France, ****, in millions of m²

2.2 Construction, the main driver of carpet demand

The BtoB market accounts for ** to **% of floor covering sales. [***]

After several years of difficulties, the building sector began to recover in ****. Production in the building sector thus recorded a period of growth, even if this has slowed over the years: the annual rate of change in production was in fact +*.*% in ****, compared with +*.*% in ****. While it fell in **** in the context of the epidemic and the shutdown of many activities, it again saw an increase, albeit slight, from ****-****.

Annual variation in construction output (***) France, ****-****, in % Source: ****

However, this momentum has faded by ****, with overall activity down *.*% in volume terms. While maintenance-renovation activity held up well, at +*.*%, new housing construction was down sharply, at -*.*%. The situation is set to get even worse in ****, with a forecast of -*.*% for overall activity and -**.*% for new housing. [***]

This predicted drop in housing starts is due to several factors, such as the slump in the credit market and negative announcements on aid for new housing. [***]

evolution of housing starts France, ****-****, in millions of m² and in thousands Source: ****

This situation does not appear to be favorable for the floor coverings market, which includes carpets and rugs. The downturn in ...

2.3 Renovation, another essential element

Alongside construction, maintenance-renovation is the other major construction activity on which the carpet market depends. Although also affected by the sluggish economic climate, this segment remains better positioned than new construction. Its positive momentum is set to continue, with annual business volumes rising by *.*% per year over the period ****-****. This rate could even reach *.*% per year if the National Low-Carbon Strategy (***) presented by the French government is fully implemented.

annual volume of maintenance-renovation activity in the building and civil engineering sector France, ****-****, in

The carpets and rugs sector could therefore benefit from the potentially rising demand associated with this growth. at a time of energy renovation, the thermal insulation qualities of its products could play into its hands even more. Energy renovation appears to be the most popular sub-category, with an annual volume of activity rising by *.*% between **** and **** in the trend trajectory, and by **.*% in the trajectory respecting SNBC objectives. [***]

A crisis trajectory cannot be ruled out, however, given the decline in transactions for existing properties. They are set to fall sharply from **** onwards, back below the million mark, which could slow the pace of renovation activity if this trend continues.

number of sales of existing homes France, ...

2.4 Market-friendly hotel investments

The hotel industry is an important customer sector for carpets, as they are often found in rooms, corridors and lounges.

The dynamics of the hotel industry, particularly through work and investment in the sector, is therefore a factor that can influence the market. Hotel investment in France has been on the rise since the Covid-** crisis. The year **** could exceed **** levels, with €* billion invested in the French hotel industry in the first quarter alone, compared with €*.* billion for **** as a whole.

Several major acquisitions, which could lead to development and renovation work, were thus recorded during the first three months of ****, such as the purchase of the *-star Pullman Tour Eiffel (***) by Gruppo Statuto. [***]

Hotel investments France, ****-****, in billions of euros

2.5 French households keen to buy floor coverings and decorations

** million French households, or **% of all households, are expected to make at least one purchase of home furnishings in ****. Carpets and rugs feature in the "floor coverings" and "decoration" categories, which occupy the top two places in the ranking of products most likely to be purchased.

Number of households potentially consuming home furnishings goods France, ****, in millions

**% of households also intend to carry out renovation work in ****. Within this population, *.*% want to change their flooring, making it the third most popular category for such work, behind interior walls and insulation.

At the same time, **% of second-home owners would like to make a purchase. Among them, **.*% prioritize the "paint, wallpaper, floor coverings" category (***).

**.*% of French households also share their desire to add more textiles to their homes. [***]

2.6 Homeowners better equipped to clean carpets

Improved vacuum cleaners (***) make it easier to maintain carpets and rugs, long considered difficult to clean and sometimes neglected for this reason. [***]

Household equipment rate by vacuum cleaner type France, ****, in

In ****, **% of French households owned a canister vacuum cleaner. While the equipment rate for more recent appliances, and therefore those better suited to cleaning carpets and rugs, remains lower, these categories are recording strong growth. In ****, upright vacuum cleaners generated ** million euros in additional sales.

Sales of robot vacuum cleaners have been growing since ****, reaching *** million euros in ****. **% of consumers who don't already own one find this type of appliance useful. [***]

3.1 Value chain and market organization

Several players are involved in the carpet market:

Textile manufacturers supply the raw materials, whether synthetic (***), needed to produce the products. Carpet and rug manufacturers then produce the coverings. They can then sell directly, via their own sales force, or through distributors of various types (***) The final customer base is made up of the general public, i.e. private households, and professionals, i.e. companies, craftsmen, etc.

3.2 A declining number of manufacturers in France

Carpet and rug manufacturers are the mainstays of the market. France still boasts several groups active on its territory, via production plants or showroom-sales areas used to showcase the company's products. Most players, however, are subsidiaries of foreign groups, mainly from Europe (***).

Some specialize in carpets (***).

The number of French companies manufacturing carpets and rugs has followed a downward trend over the past decade, falling from ** in **** to ** in ****.

This decline could continue in the future: in autumn ****, TecSOM was placed in receivership following a suspension of payments. Its sales had fallen from ** million euros in **** to * million in ****. The company is now looking for a buyer. [***]

Number of French carpet and rug manufacturing companies France, ****-****, number of companies

The number of salaried employees in the sector has logically followed the fall in the number of companies, from **** in **** to **** in ****, despite a slight rebound in the latter year.

French salaried employees in carpet manufacturing France, ****-****, number of employees Source: ****

In terms of the geographical location of these companies, Hauts-de-France and Île-de-France are home to ** of them, representing over **% of the French total. Centre-Val de Loire is also well endowed, with * groups. Brittany, Occitania, Pays de la Loire and ...

3.3 A fairly segmented distribution

The distribution of carpets and rugs involves a number of different players:

DIY superstores, which include these products in their extensive catalogs. Specialist retailers, specifically for carpets or floor coverings in general. Pure players, taking advantage of the boom in e-commerce to develop an online offering.

Retailers and chains historically oriented towards professionals (***) seem to have abandoned carpet, as it is absent from the catalog available on their websites.

For private customers, DIY superstores are the preferred distribution channel. In ****, **.*% of French households opted for these stores when buying floor coverings. **.*% bought from a professional who came to their home, **.*% from a local professional and *% on the Internet. [***]

Among DIY superstores, which share a market valued at ** billion euros in **** (***) with *%. [***]

DIY superstore market share France, ****, in

The following section on retailing is based on NAF code **.**Z, including retailing of carpets and rugs, retailing of curtains and net curtains, and retailing of wallpaper and floor coverings. The scope studied is therefore broader than that of the study, but still enables us to study trends in carpet and rug distribution.

The number of companies specializing in this type of distribution has been stable since ****, at around ***. This period of stagnation follows ...

4.1 A modernized offering

the range is organized around three main types of carpet:

tufted carpet, where needles stitch textile threads through a backing, as on a sewing machine. This is the main type of carpet marketed. woven carpet, where the top and back are woven together on a backing. This is the traditional manufacturing technique, synonymous with top-of-the-range products. needle-punched carpet, where special needles pass through layers of superimposed fibers to lock them together. More resistant, it is used in certain specific cases (***). [***]

Carpets can be made from synthetic fibers (***). The former are still the most widely used, but growing awareness of environmental issues is prompting more and more manufacturers to step up eco-design, giving priority to natural materials, recycled yarns and so on.

Market players are also trying to dust off carpet's image by highlighting their advances in coloring, cutting and texturing. They can thus reproduce patterns more easily and achieve more modern visuals, while improving the resistance of products, which fade less during cleaning. [***]

4.2 Prices impacted by inflation

After a quiet period up to ****, the production price index for the carpet and rugs market has risen sharply, particularly from **** onwards. This increase is part of an overall post-Covid inflationary trend, which has particularly affected raw materials and energy costs.

This trend is based on analysis of the production price index for the carpets and rugs industry (***) using the appropriate coefficient, the first series having been discontinued.

producer price index trends for the other textiles industry France, ****-****

In ****, the average price of a carpet in France was €**/m², while the average price of professional installation varied between €* and €**/m². These rates vary according to the material: a synthetic-fiber carpet will more often be more affordable than a natural-fiber carpet, especially if it's made of wool. [***]

4.3 Innovations focused on the environment

Sustainable development initiatives

The carpet market is seeking to green its image and improve its environmental impact. Manufacturers are trying to promote more virtuous practices, despite the fact that they still rely heavily on synthetic fibers, which are made from petroleum.

In this context, recycling is one of the major challenges for the sector, in order to limit the consumption of raw materials. Since ****, Tarkett has been working on setting up a closed recycling loop in Europe. Its aim is to triple its recycled content by **** compared with ****, based on recycling and eco-design. To this end, the group has teamed up with Aquafil, an Italian textile producer, to participate in the production of Econyl, a recycled nylon derived from old carpets or used fishing nets. Tarkett estimates that it has invested ** million euros in these projects, which are mainly applied at its Waalwijk plant in the Netherlands. [***]

Other manufacturers include Balsan, Ege Carpets and Modulyss.

In France, carpet recycling is managed by the Optimum program. Operated by waste management specialist Vanheede Environnement, the program aims to recover textile floor coverings at the end of their useful life.end-of-life textile floor coverings from renovation, deconstruction and refurbishment sites, in order to recycle ...

5.1 Regulations

The UPEC standard

In France, the Centre Scientifique et Technique du Bâtiment (***) is the organization that evaluates and guarantees the quality and safety of buildings. The UPEC classification applies in particular to the following floor coverings:

QB UPEC "Textile floor coverings QB UPEC "Tufted and woven carpets in strips".

They are evaluated according to various criteria related to * concepts:

wear (***) punching (***) water (***) chemical (***).

This classification makes it easier for users to find a floor that meets their specific building requirements. [***]

The EN ISO ***** standard

This European standard establishes a classification system for textile, resilient (***) and laminate floor coverings. The classification is based on levels of requirement according to areas of use and intensity of use. Criteria tested include :

dimension ISO ***** thickness ISO ***** wear layer ISO ***** stability ISO ***** flexibility ISO ***** indentation ISO ***** rolling chair ISO **** light resistance ISO ***-B**

These standards determine a product's level of performance in relation to its location. Matching the two guarantees the durability of a covering in relation to its use.[***]

EN **** standard

This European standard assesses the long-term appearance retention of carpets. To obtain this certification, the carpet must meet various requirements (***) and performance characteristics, including :

colorfastness resistance to rolling chairs resistance to wear on ...

6. Player segmentation

• Balsan (Belgotex International)
• Belysse Group (Modulyss)
• Lano Carpet Solutions
• Sit In Sud (Radici)
• Tarkett Groupe
• TecSOM
• Ege Carpets France (Ege Carpets)
• Leroy Merlin France (Adeo)
• Weldom (Adeo)
• Castorama France (Kingfisher)
• Brico Dépôt
• ITM Equipement (Bricorama, Bricomarché, Brico Cash)
• Mr. Bricolage
• Sommer Needlepunch
• UTD Décorial
• Solmur
• Grassin Décors