Knowledge, perceptions and attitudes of Ghanaians towards bamboo and rattan (cane) furniture

Abstract

The search for alternative and durable substitutes for timber has made the use of bamboo and rattans receive significant attention lately. This study investigates the knowledge and perception consumers hold for bamboo and rattan furniture products as an alternative to hardwood furniture. Questionnaire was used to solicit information from 384 craftsmen and household heads from Takoradi metropolis in the Western region. The craftsmen were purposively sampled while systematic random sampling was used to sample household heads. Regression models, correlation matrix and t-test among other statistical applications were used to investigate consumers’ knowledge, perceptions and attitudes towards bamboo and rattan furniture, its implications for the conservation of tropical forests and prospects for the local wood processing industry. The results showed that respondents do have adequate knowledge on benefits of bamboo and rattan as materials for furniture production and they were ready to purchase the product if information on the product is readily available. Different perceptions exist about the product in relation to environmental issues, social enhancement issues and quality attributes. In all, the most important driver of preference for bamboo and rattan cane furniture were social status, environmental safety and quality attributes of the product. Hence, building positive social image and highlighting bamboo and rattan as environmentally sustainable materials will in turn enhance the product’s value and this will culminate in increasing consumers’ preference for the product and their intentions to purchase them. The study concludes that respondents have adequate information on the product and their perception on it can influence their purchasing decisions and thus through market segmentation, marketers of the bamboo and rattan cane furniture can target consumers who are pro-environmentalists and those who want to use the product to enhance their social image to attract a price premium for the products