The origins of sofas can be traced back to ancient Egypt around 2000 BC, but true upholstered sofas appeared in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. Early sofas primarily used natural elastic materials such as horsehair, bird feathers, and plant down as fillings, covered with fabrics like velvet and embroidery to create a soft surface for human contact.
In 1828, springs began to be used in sofas. In 1904, Morris invented pocket springs, marking the beginning of modern spring sofas. In the 1960s, the successful development of air-filled and water-filled cushions signified the maturation of sofa manufacturing technology.
The Farthingle chair, popular in Europe at the time, was one of the earliest sofa chairs. Looking back at the history of sofa development in China, the "jade table" of the Han Dynasty must be considered the foremost example. Described in the Eastern Jin Dynasty text *Miscellaneous Records of the Western Capital* as a seat bound with thick layers of fabric, the "jade table" can be seen as the ancestor of the Chinese sofa. Today, sofas combine decoration and practicality, and incorporate popular design elements.
