PEER-REVIEWED ARTICLE bioresources.com Fabisiak et al. (2021). “Senior-friendly furniture,” BioResources 16(3), 6244-6266. 6244 Comparative Study on Design and Functionality Requirements for Senior-friendly Furniture for Sitting Beata Fabisiak, a, * Anna Jankowska, b Robert Kłos, a Joan Knudsen, c Sari Merilampi, d and Elina Priedulena e Furniture manufacturers’ response to the demographic challenge of aging nations is an important issue. The number of seniors is rising worldwide. The aging process often results in multiple health implications, including weaker mobility, decrease in muscle mass, and change in anthropometrical dimensions of the human body. Thus, the furniture offered should be adjusted to the needs of an increasing group of senior customers. To identify seniors’ preferences in relation to characteristics of sitting furniture, international surveys with 627 respondents aged 60+ years were conducted in Poland, Germany, Denmark, Finland, Latvia, and Lithuania. The implementation of this data in the design process may result in creation of the market offer meeting seniors’ needs. Design and functionality features were examined to provide guidance for senior- friendly development of furniture for sitting. Among the most important findings is the clear preference of having an armchair with the high backrest reaching above the head, a chair with armrests and an upholstered backrest and seat. Furthermore, respondents paid attention to the durability of furniture, stain resistance of upholstery, and adaptation of the furniture to the user’s dimensions, e.g., having influence on the height and depth of the seat before the purchase. Keywords: Furniture for sitting; Design; Functionality; Senior-friendly; Age-generations; Baltic Sea region countries Contact information: Poznan University of Life Sciences, Wojska Polskiego Street 38/42, 60-627 Poznan, Poland; a: Department of Furniture Design, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology; b: Department of Economics and Economic Policy in Agribusiness, Faculty of Economics; c: Development Centre UMT, Secretariat for Lifestyle & Design Cluster, Birk Centerpark 38, 7400 Herning, Denmark; d: Satakunta University of Applied Sciences, Faculty of Technology, Satakunnankatu 23, 28130, Pori, Finland; e: Hanse-Parlament e.V., Blankeneser Landstrasse 7, 22587 Hamburg, Germany; * Corresponding author: beata.fabisiak@up.poznan.pl INTRODUCTION Currently, much attention is paid to ensure the best possible comfort and quality of life for seniors. Design, ergonomics, safety, and functionality features of furniture used by seniors play an important part in this area of interest. This stems from the fact that the societies, especially in developed countries, are ageing at a rapid pace. In January 2019 people aged 65+ accounted for 20.3% of the EU-27 population, with the share of people aged 80 years or more reaching 5.8% (EC 2020a). It is interesting that the share of seniors in the EU-27 population in 2019 was 0.3 percentage points higher than a year before and 2.9 percentage points higher than the corresponding share from a decade earlier (EC 2020b). Another indicator that shows the rapid pace at which the EU population is aging is the median age. The median age is the age that divides the population in two parts of equal size, that is, there are as many persons with ages above the median as there are with