HANGZHOU, July 8 (Xinhua) -- As the 2026 FIFA World Cup co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico unfolds with heated matches, millions of football fans cheering, gasping, munching on hot dogs or sipping cold drinks in venue restaurants and public lounges might never spare a thought for the unassuming item supporting their every moment, namely the sleek plastic chairs under them.
A total of 5,000 such chairs, designed to stand up to the extreme demands of high foot traffic, frequent use and multi-scenario deployment across World Cup venues, were all manufactured by Zhejiang Senchuan Furniture Co., Ltd., a private enterprise based in Taizhou Bay new area in east China's Zhejiang Province.
The World Cup's requirements for venue facilities are notoriously strict, and this batch of chairs had to pass a series of grueling tests before stepping onto the global stage. Their seemingly simple design hides meticulous craftsmanship: the slanted backrest requires precision injection molding to ensure smooth demolding without a single trace of shrinkage on the surface, while the slim hexagonal leg frame strikes a balance between robust load-bearing capacity, stability and a light, sleek appearance.
Its core performance features are even more impressive. Upgraded raw materials give the chair dual flame-retardant and antibacterial properties, while it remains firm and free of deformation after bearing 150 kilograms of weight and withstanding 10,000 impact tests.
Chinese enterprises have long featured on the World Cup supplier list, but the scope of products they provide has undergone a striking upgrade in recent years. There has been a notable expansion from garments, shoes, hats and commemorative badges in the early days, to electronic screens, transport vehicles and refrigeration systems later, and now these high-spec plastic chairs that meet dual strict standards of fire safety and hygiene. Each shift in product category marks Chinese manufacturing breaking through another invisible technical threshold.
"The selection criteria of top international events are a touchstone for the industry. Winning such a global order brings both excitement and pressure," said Chen Ling, foreign trade manager of Senchuan Furniture.
The company only had a two-to-three-month window from order confirmation to final delivery and cross-border shipping, but the 5,000 chairs were successfully transported from Taizhou's workshops across the ocean and arrived at the venues right on schedule.
This is far from the first time the manufacturer has supplied seating for top global sports events: its products have already been used at the Rio Olympic Games in 2016, the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia and the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
Founded more than 20 years ago as a component supplier for chair makers, the company later ventured into independent complete chair production, starting from basic plastic chairs, and then expanding to steel-plastic chairs, solid wood chairs and sofas. In 2020, amid a downturn in the furniture market, the company shifted its target customers from supermarkets to engineering projects, targeting government procurement, hotels and international events, a move that helped it escape cutthroat low-price competition in the retail market.
Green and low-carbon development is another core competitive edge that has helped this company stand out among global bidders for international events. At the Paris Olympics, its Fusi Chair, made from recycled waste household appliance shells, was selected as official seating for the Olympic Village, with sales exceeding 40,000 units. The company has been ahead of the curve in terms of layout of green product lines, as demand for low-carbon products rises in regions including the European Union.
"Today, 90 percent of our seating products use recycled plastic, which may come from a discarded refrigerator or old fishing nets salvaged from the ocean. These waste plastics go through dismantling, cleaning, granulation and remolding before turning into a new chair," Chen noted.
The extra 5-percent cost invested in eco-friendly production has won the company trust from global clients. Its low-carbon product line now generates an annual output value of 130 million yuan (19.1 million U.S. dollars), with an average annual growth rate of over 20 percent, while its products are exported to more than 70 countries and regions.
The company has incorporated major sports events into its long-term strategy, with plans to develop more specialized products for such scenarios.
As the World Cup continues, these 5,000 China-made chairs are quietly supporting the cheers, sighs and shared joy of fans from all over the world. Back in the company's workshops in east China, more chairs are rolling off the production line, preparing for the next top global sports event and more wonderful shared moments to come. ■
