Furlenco has really changed how Indians think about furnishing their homes. Before 2011, owning furniture was the norm, but Furlenco came along and made renting furniture a real option. At first, it was tough because no one knew about furniture rental. They had to come up with cool products and also get people to change their habits. With limited money and no clear path, they focused on getting the word out, building trust, and showing people why renting furniture could work. Now, Furlenco is a well-known name in the Indian furniture market.
Ajith Mohan Karimpana, the founder and CEO of Furlenco, said that the company is about 15 years old, since it started in 2011. He said the first few years were all about figuring out how to introduce the idea of furniture rental to India, and they didn’t have a ton of money to grow quickly. But as more people moved to cities and lifestyles changed, renting furniture became more popular, and often the go-to choice for people setting up new homes. Even though the brand is 15 years old, the leaders think the last 10 years have been the most important.
Furlenco is mostly online, with over 95% of its money coming from its website and apps on Android and iOS. The other 5% comes from physical stores. Furlenco runs its own stores in Bengaluru and Hyderabad, and plans to open one in Noida soon. This makes them a tech-focused platform with a lot of physical assets.
Looking ahead, a big part of Furlenco’s growth depends on its partnership with Sheela Foam, which owns Sleepwell and Curlon. Karimpana mentioned that Sheela Foam has over 5,000 dealers across India. By working together, Furlenco’s furniture will be available through their dealer network, which will help them reach more of the Indian market. This dealer expansion should help people find out about Furlenco offline, in addition to their strong online presence.
Furlenco is currently available in 29 cities. Right now, they want to strengthen their presence in these cities before moving to new ones. However, people in different cities behave differently. Karimpana said that customers in Tier I cities usually rent more items and choose higher-end furniture, which means they spend more money overall. In Tier II and III cities, people spend less, but they are becoming more open to premium options. In crowded cities like Mumbai, people want furniture that does more than one thing, like beds and sofas with storage. Furlenco designs furniture specifically for these situations.
Besides furniture, Furlenco has also moved into home appliances like TVs, refrigerators, washing machines, microwaves, and water purifiers. These appliances now make up about 30% of their total money. They also recently started offering kids’ furniture, which is doing well because renting is a good option for parents who need to replace furniture often as their kids grow.
Furlenco is currently making ₹400 crore in revenue per year and wants to reach ₹700 crore in the next three years. They plan to go public next year and think about expanding internationally after that. As a well-known name, Furlenco’s story shows how creating a new category, being patient, and educating customers can help you build a lasting business, even in tough markets.
