Amish furniture is one of the community's most profitable businesses. Demand exceeds supply.
What They Make
Tables, chairs, dressers, beds, cabinets, hutches. Solid wood: cherry, maple, oak, walnut. No particle board. Joinery — mortise-tenon, dovetail. Finish — oil and wax, not lacquer.
Prices
Dining table — $2,000–5,000. Dresser — $1,500–3,000. Bed — $2,000–4,000. Custom kitchen — $15,000–30,000. Wait time — 3–6 months.
Why Expensive, Why People Buy
One piece = one week of one craftsman's work. Material — solid wood. Warranty — lifetime (not marketing). An Amish-made chair outlasts an IKEA chair 10–20 times.
Business Model
Workshop at home. No rent. No payroll (family labor). No advertising — word of mouth + quality. Margin: 50–70%. A successful furniture maker earns $80,000–150,000/year — more than many office workers.