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This is never truer than for those specialising in the healthcare market.
Recent years have seen this type of furniture evolve to be more hygienic than ever with wipe clean furniture constituting a major part of healthcare trusts' figurative shield against the ever present danger of spreading infections.
The changing attitude of our society towards mental health hospitals and their patients has seen the importance of aesthetics equal that of safety for the first time ever, with furniture designed for mental health applications looking increasingly domestic to remove stigma.
Now another sea change in our society has made its (rather large) mark on contract furniture.
Ever-rising levels of obesity in the UK lie behind the burgeoning trend amongst contract furniture suppliers to provide for the bariatric healthcare market.
This area of healthcare, barely heard of a decade ago, is embedded deep in the vocabulary and mindset of every NHS healthcare trust.
The term bariatric means relating to obesity and this whole field of medicine aiming to prevent and cure has fuelled requirements for a particular kind of furniture.
It is not only common, but normal for contract furniture suppliers to have whole bariatric ranges to showcase: from beds to chairs to sofas, all capable of supporting the weight of patients weighing up to 35 stones.
The speed and efficiency with which the contract furniture market has been able to keep pace with the booming growth of the bariatric sector really is testament to the industry.
Designers have responded swiftly to the needs of larger patients and those caring for them, creating durable ranges which are as attractive as their conventional ranges.
The introduction of bariatric ranges which correspond in style to ordinary ranges removes stigma in the same way that providing domestic-looking furniture to mental health patients does.
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