Heimtextil 2026 concluded with 148 participating nations, stable exhibitor and visitor numbers at a consistently high year-on-year level, and a growing share of top-level decision-makers. As the world’s leading trade fair for home and contract textiles and textile design, Heimtextil once again proved to be a reliable partner for the industry – at a time when the market environment is shaped by geopolitical tensions, recalibrated trade flows and changing consumer sentiment. “Volatile tariff policies and geopolitical uncertainties are reshaping global sourcing and trade structures. At the same time, markets in ASEAN and Europe are gaining in importance. The need for orientation, market transparency, reliable partners and new business opportunities is increasing. Especially in the current climate, a dependable platform such as Heimtextil is indispensable as a central meeting point for the global industry,” said Detlef Braun, Member of the Executive Board of Messe Frankfurt.

Strong industry confidence: global relevance and high decision-making quality
Heimtextil 2026 brought supply and demand together with even greater precision, highlighting global trends, relevant market segments and alternative business models. With an international share of 96 per cent on the exhibitor side, Heimtextil united key production and sales markets along the entire textile value chain. The top ten exhibitor countries included China, India, Pakistan, Türkiye, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. The visitor profile reached an internationality rate of 86 per cent, recording growth among others from the United States, Switzerland, Denmark, Finland and Peru. The share of top-level decision-makers rose significantly to 78 per cent, underlining Heimtextil’s relevance for strategic sourcing decisions, market exploration and networking. The strong presence of senior executives from international corporations such as Harrods, IKEA, Marriott Hotels, Sainsbury’s and XXXLutz further reflected the high quality of visitors. With repeat visitors increasing to 68 per cent and consistently high satisfaction levels among both exhibitors and visitors, Heimtextil positioned itself as a proven and stable platform for long-term business relationships in a challenging market environment.

Shaping the future of textiles: interior design and hospitality as growth drivers
As a global hotspot for textile and non-textile interior design, Heimtextil offered the retail, industry and contract sectors curated solutions for holistic interior concepts. Under the theme “Craft is a verb”, the Heimtextil Trends 26/27 connected AI technologies with traditional craftsmanship, providing strong impulses for design, product development and range planning. Designer and architect Patricia Urquiola made the future of interior design tangible. Her installation “among-all” combined AI, material innovation and sustainability. Within an interactive space, she demonstrated how transformative textiles respond to individual human needs and open up new concepts for design, retail and hospitality. Heimtextil once again strengthened its role as an international creative hub, showcasing both established studios and emerging talents with sustainable, experimental and market-ready textile designs.

Against the backdrop of changing consumer and customer requirements and growing demand for functional contract textiles, Heimtextil placed a strong focus on project-based interior solutions. The Interior.Architecture.Hospitality programme connected industry, design, planning and project development, demonstrating how functional textiles create differentiation and unlock business potential across hospitality, contract business, office and healthcare sectors. From 2027 onwards, a new cooperation with Hospitality Interiors Europe (HINT) will further expand Heimtextil’s offering for holistic interior design. The parallel format is specifically aimed at decision-makers responsible for high-end contract design and strengthens Frankfurt’s position as a central platform for the global hospitality sector.

Lead the Change: AI as a business enabler for the global textile industry
From market shifts and new consumption patterns to concrete design and application contexts, Heimtextil 2026 translated key industry developments into new business opportunities. Through innovative exhibitor presentations, curated special showcases and an even more targeted content programme, the leading trade fair addressed the industry’s growing need for exchange, orientation and strategic insight. As a further market driver, Heimtextil consistently embedded AI into the trade fair experience, demonstrating under the umbrella “Texpertise Focus AI” how AI strengthens competitiveness in practical terms. “Artificial intelligence is already part of economic reality – as a creative partner for design concepts and material visualisations, and as an efficient tool for data migration, day-to-day workflows and personalised customer engagement. Our aim is to make these concrete applications tangible and actionable for the industry,” said Olaf Schmidt, Vice President Textiles & Textile Technologies. In doing so, Heimtextil 2026 acted as a strong strategic partner for the industry, opening up new business perspectives and encouraging the global textile sector to jointly advance key future topics.

Amid strong mobilisation from key buyers across the sector, the event once again confirmed the high quality and relevance of its international audience. With nearly 67,300 unique visitors, the Italian, Belgian and Spanish markets continued their growth momentum, with a notable increase from Belgium (+10 %) and a particularly strong rise from China (+30 %), illustrating the renewed international appeal of the offer.

Among the exhibitors, international pavilions – particularly from Italy, Spain, Tunisia and Morocco showcased their countries’ craftsmanship and expertise, underscoring the show’s role as an essential marketplace to support the development of brands in the decoration and lifestyle sectors.

Maison&Objet has returned to its roots: exceptional craftsmanship and contemporary design, at the heart of its DNA for over thirty years; a story built alongside its long-standing shareholder, Ateliers d’Art de France. This deliberate return to fundamentals was embodied by the prominent role of the Fine Craft – métiers d’art sector – at the core of its overall offering. For this edition, the fair drew on its roots to shape the story of Past Reveals Future, the theme that inspired this edition.

“What struck me most during this January session was the resurgence of a powerful sense of emotion from the moment you entered the fair, driven by ambitious and unapologetic scenography, faithful to Maison&Objet’s DNA. This energy is owed as much to the commitment of our teams as to that of the exhibitors, who chose to fully invest in their stands to create genuine experiences. Many visitors spoke to me about this rediscovered “wow” effect, which encourages visitors to slow down, observe, and let themselves be surprised. This January 2026 edition confirms that Maison&Objet remains a place where emotion gives meaning, and where meaning fuels business opportunities.” (Philippe Delhomme, Chairman of the Executive Board of SAFI, organiser of Maison&Objet).

Furniture was presented in all its splendour, often as an extension of a gesture. A lived-in design came to life. New brands, key French publishers making a return, and designers contributed to an offering focused on innovation, aimed at a community of professionals seeking wonder and coming to meet their new partners. The only event in the world in the design sector to offer, in dialogue, a professional fair and a citywide experience through Maison&Objet In The City, Maison&Objet embodies a unique and holistic vision of the creative market.

More than a fair, Maison&Objet nurtures an international community to connect, support, inspire, and reveal ambitious visions of the art of living throughout the year. From physical events to digital platforms via its MOM marketplace, Maison&Objet shines all the way to Asia with Maison&Objet Intérieurs Hong Kong. Today, the ecosystem reaffirms a plurality that is its strength. Following an exceptional edition that generated nearly €200 million in direct and indirect benefits for the Île-de France region, Maison&Objet confirms its role as an essential partner for professionals in decoration, design, and the art of living, supporting them in accelerating their growth and conquer new markets. In 2026, Maison&Objet is set to write a new chapter in its history, with the arrival of Vincent Lhoste as CEO of SAFI, marking a turning point for its entire ecosystem.

In January 2026, the fair was organised into six sectors: Signature & Projects, Decor & Design, Fine Craft – métiers d’art, Fragrance & Wellness, Gift & Play, and Fashion & Accessories. Spread across seven halls, the offering was designed around the inspirational theme Past Reveals Future, a timeless concept at the crossroads of trends and imagination. Exclusive installations by various talents from the contemporary scene punctuated an inspired journey through the fair. The What’s New? In Hospitality space by interior architect Rudy Guénaire, What’s New? In Decor by Elizabeth Leriche, and What’s New? In Retail by François Delclaux guided visitors through the offering by decoding the latest sector trends and sharing their vision of the link between past and future.

The 2026 Designer of the Year, Harry Nuriev, created a space that reflects his own identity, guided by the values of Transformism, the title of his manifesto. A futuristic vision, with a silver patina, responding to the edition’s theme Past Reveals Future.

The Curatio Village, following a highly praised inaugural edition, returned for a second season, showcasing 60 pieces of sensitive design, carefully selected by artistic director Thomas Haarmann. A lifestyle in perfect harmony took shape at the heart of the Signature sector.

On the Fine Craft – métiers d’art side, In Materia by Elizabeth Leriche reimagined the relationship with the object. Visitors were moved by the touch of wood, fibre, glass, clay, and stone, while the coppersmith Elie Hirsch, adored by luxury houses Dior, Loewe, Schiaparelli, Balmain…, mastered the material at the entrance of Hall 5A.

The Outdoor Living sector was showcased with mastery, featuring 50 international brands. Outdoor furniture was reimagined in continuity with a stylised interior décor. Another vision of the art of outdoor living took shape.

Maison&Objet also offers an exceptional city experience with Maison&Objet In The City. Curated with precision by the sharp eye of the Maison&Objet teams, it featured nearly 150 of the finest addresses in high-end décor, with key figures from the Parisian scene inviting visitors to discover exhibitions and exclusive spaces with a sense of wonder. Highlights included the Invisible Collection exhibition at Féau Boiseries, Sandra Benhamou at the Dina Vierny Gallery, and the apartment of Gilles & Boissier…

The January 2026 edition, conceived as a 360° exploration of the new dynamics in design and decoration, established itself as a catalyst for innovation and engagement, confirming its position as a benchmark for industry professionals.

4 EXPRESSIONS OF THE THEME PAST REVEALS FUTURE

To delve deeper into this theme, the trend forecasting agency GOODMOODS presents a sensory and forward-looking interpretation through four manifestos that outline possible trajectories for contemporary design.

METAMORPHOSIS: Upcycling becomes a true creative chemistry, where anything can be transformed, recomposed, and enhanced.

MUTATION: The fusion of organic materials, ancestral techniques, and technological innovation inspires new forms of hybridization.

RECOMPOSED BAROQUE: Artisanal craftsmanship revisits the opulence and theatricality of the Baroque with contemporary restraint and unexpected twists.

NEO-FOLKLORE: Patterns, rituals, and local narratives are reimagined through new materials and digital tools.

These four directions enrich the overall vision of this edition enriching the narratives of exhibitions, curated journeys, and the What’s New? presentations. They offer a rich framework for interpreting and guiding creators and brands toward formal, technical, or poetic expressions that echo the theme Past Reveals Future.

After completing his initial studies at the Moscow Institute of Architecture, Harry Nuriev moved to New York, a vibrant melting pot of creativity with a contagious energy. In 2014, he founded Crosby Studios in the city that never sleeps. The studio later expanded to Paris, marking the beginning of its international journey. Harry Nuriev’s collaborations stretch worldwide, bridging fashion, design, and some of the most prestigious cultural institutions: Balenciaga, H&M, Fusalp, Nike, Delta Air Lines, Dover Street Market, Gucci, Baccarat, Valentino, Westwing, Art Basel, the Louvre, and Mobilier National. Each project draws on his transversal vision that sits at the crossroads of art, design, and fashion.

For Maison&Objet, Harry Nuriev delves into history, reflecting on our very relationship with furniture and its consumption, inviting us to an unprecedented immersive experience – an active contemplation. Each piece exhibited becomes a totem of its era, projecting towards a minimalist, enlightened future. The space transcends itself to encourage future generations to see things differently. The everyday object becomes a collector’s item. Harry Nuriev offers a few hints of this eagerly awaited discussion in January. The rest of the story is yet to come.

What’s New? In Decor by Elizabeth Leriche

As a scenographer and trend-setter, Elizabeth Leriche presents an immersive and emotionally resonant journey, where each installation highlights the exhibitors’ products while creating a dialogue between past and future. From Antiquity to Art Deco, from primitive forms to contemporary daring, the exhibition brings to light a shared memory of the decorative arts, reinterpreted to inspire the invention of new aesthetics. Between tradition and experimentation, it reveals how the future of design is always born from the traces left by the past.

What’s New? In Retail by François Delclaux

A manifesto of contemporary retail, where physical commerce reasserts its power to reinvent itself. Inspired by the theme Past Reveals Future, this installation explores the resonances between tradition and innovation. To work with a material is to enter a temporal conversation, to make resonate what once was, while inscribing what is yet to come. This paleo-futuristic exploration highlights four materials at the very heart of today’s creative expression: stone, wood, glass, and metal, whether in their physical forms or their representations.

What’s New? In Hospitality by Rudy Guénaire

Co-founder and artistic director of the PNY restaurant chain, Rudy Guénaire launched Night Flight in 2021, his creative studio dedicated to design and interior architecture. His projects, both narrative and immersive, stand out for their poetic and cinematic quality, inviting audiences to experience something truly unique. With Suite 2046, Rudy Guénaire reinvented hospitality as a total experience. For Maison&Objet, he will present a room that is rooted in the past, yet futuristic and dreamlike accompanied by a manifesto on the codes of tomorrow’s hospitality.

After a well-received debut in 2025 by both the press and industry professionals, CURATIO, curated by Thomas Haarmann, returns in January 2026 with an expanded format and 60 international participants. Conceived as a true village, it blends exhibition space with experiential design to offer an immersive journey into the world of collectible design, where each piece reveals the intention and craftsmanship behind the material. Alongside, the CRAFT space continues its mission to spotlight artisans who embody both excellence and experimentation.

A new feature of this edition, the Village Manufactures of Excellence will take place at the heart of Signature & Projects. Conceived as a refined setting, it brings together for the first time a unique collective of Living Heritage Companies (EPV), a French government label that recognizes exceptional craftsmanship and rare expertise. This new space, created with the support of the Excellence Contract network, will host around twenty companies that embody the finest in French artisanal and industrial excellence: master glassmakers, fine cabinetmakers, weavers, upholsterers, plaster artisans, artistic metalworkers, marble workers, and designers of furniture and lighting.

In January, Halls 1 & 2 will host the Signature & Projects universes, enhanced by an Eco-Responsible Design Collective that showcases creators’ ability to develop sustainable solutions without compromising on aesthetics. This space brings together an international selection of manufacturers of eco-designed materials and coverings, intended for interior architecture, decoration, and furniture design. With this collective, Maison&Objet confirms its leading role in promoting responsible and innovative solutions, serving designers and industry professionals committed to combining aesthetics, innovation, and environmental impact.

Located in Hall 3, Decor & Design, the Outdoor space highlights the design of exterior environments, now recognized as a true extension of the home. Designed as a strategic showcase, it brings together trends and innovations that redefine outdoor living. Bringing together 50 leading international brands, the offering covers a wide range: furniture, pergolas, lighting, rugs, and accessories, as well as technical and functional solutions tailored to the demands of hospitality, fine dining, high-end residential, and yachting. This new space establishes itself as a strategic hub for industry players, offering a comprehensive vision of outdoor design and a privileged meeting place for key stakeholders, including designers, manufacturers, and market experts who share their insights and expertise on emerging practices and lifestyles.

Maison&Objet extends its experience beyond the show floors with IN THE CITY, the B2B event in Paris from January 14 to 19, designed specifically for professionals. This unique journey brings together 100 locations that make up Paris’s ecosystem of exceptional decoration: decorators, interior designers, galleries, prestigious maisons, and outstanding artisans. By combining the on-site event, the Maison&Objet fair with off-site visits and events throughout the city, IN THE CITY offers a comprehensive and immersive experience. This unique format gives professionals the chance to meet creators, see products in real-life settings, and fully immerse themselves in the creative energy of Paris, the international design capital.

Further driving transformation and textile design. The next edition of Heimtextil will further elevate textile interior design: in 2026, Patricia Urquiola will expand on her groundbreaking design concepts for Heimtextil, setting bold, forward-thinking benchmarks for textile-based room designs. Alcova Milano will also continue its global trend research into innovative materials and emerging aesthetics: the design platform will delve deeper into the impact of textiles, as well as the opportunities and challenges facing the textile industry, translating these insights into the upcoming Heimtextil trends in ways that offer even greater value to the industry and will bring new structures and an optimised hall concept – and therefore will even offer more opportunities for visitors.

Shorter routes, more synergies, greater efficiency. The ideal layout and range of products provide new advantages. The product areas are bundled in order to serve the needs of the target group even better and the optimised combination of product groups makes the new halls even easier to find for the buyers. With this, all textiles providers will form strong sector groupings – and will thus create new visitor synergies. The high-calibre knowledge formats are integrated into the halls and ensure a higher visitor frequency. As the world’s leading trade fair for home and contract textiles and textile design, Heimtextil attracts every year top buyers and decision makers from all over the world with its broad and unique product range.

Exhibitors reported excellent commercial performance, with a particularly strong contract sector (hotels, restaurants, etc.) Attendance figures slightly surpassed 40,000 visitors. This equals the statistics of the previous edition, even considering that this year the fair only lasted three days (one less than in 2024) and without the biennial Espacio Cocina SICI, which traditionally attracts a strong professional audience such as installers and kitchen furniture retailers. With more than 1,000 exhibiting firms and brands from 21 countries and an exhibition area exceeding 96,000 square meters across eight fully occupied pavilions at Feria Valencia, there was no time to lose.

From the very start, buyers rushed to place their first orders and explore an edition of Hábitat brimming with attractions, such as the Hotel Hábitat installation by Tomás Alía in homage to traditional Valencian architecture, or the textile exhibition Pinknic by Valencian creative Sigfrido Serra, in collaboration with Interiores magazine.

Planned presentations and conferences, both by exhibitors themselves and in the two scheduled venues were held: the spectacular Ágora nude, designed by Ontinyent’s José Manuel Ferrero, and the auditorium of Hotel Hábitat. Highlights included the presence of internationally renowned designers such as Patrick Norget, presenting a new collection for Point, Italian designer Monica Armani for Viccarbe, or the tireless Ramón Esteve, who unveiled his latest work for Vondom as a world premiere. Also noteworthy was the ‘Women in Office Design’ meeting led by Actiu, and a talk on international hospitality featuring Chinese architect Ben Wu and American interior designer Joshua Rice.

A total of 94,577 visitors attended over the five days of the show (-0.8% on 2024). Numbers of Italian visitors increased by 3% (49,671 compared to 48,226 last year), while international attendance dropped by 4.6% (44,906 against last year’s 47,095), now making up 47.5% of the total. The decline in attendance was partly due to transport strikes on the first and last days of the show.

“Cersaie’s enduring appeal enabled exhibitors to maximise their investments,” said Augusto Ciarrocchi, Chairman of Confindustria Ceramica. “Our companies were particularly impressed by the quality of the distributors, architects, installers and real estate professionals they met in Bologna. The Italian ceramic industry remains the world leader thanks to its investments, the quality of its design and innovation, and its unflagging commitment to environmental and social sustainability. Nonetheless, we face constant challenges including new import tariffs, increasingly aggressive dumping from certain countries, and a loss of competitiveness caused by the ideologically-driven application of regulations such as the ETS, which drain resources from the investments that are essential to the future of our industry. During Cersaie, Confindustria Chairman Emanuele Orsini and I had the opportunity to raise these issues directly with Ministers Tommaso Foti and Adolfo Urso, as well as with the many representatives of European, national and regional institutions who came to see us.”

“Cersaie has confirmed its role as a leading international platform for the ceramic tile and bathroom furnishings sectors. It is capable of attracting exhibitors and visitors from around the globe and strengthening the Bologna Exhibition Centre’s position as a global hub for the manufacturing industry,” said Gianpiero Calzolari, Chairman of BolognaFiere. “The success of this year’s show underscores the vitality of the sector despite the difficult economic and geopolitical climate, as well as its extraordinary ability to generate relationships, ideas and concrete opportunities for growth. It sends an important signal to the entire sector and reflects the work of Confindustria Ceramica, which makes this event a valuable asset for Bologna and for Italy.”

Filippo Manuzzi, Head of Promotional Activities at Confindustria Ceramica, commented on the breadth of this year’s programme, highlighting “the 500 people who attended Elizabeth Diller’s Keynote Lecture, the hundreds of architects taking part in the other events in the Building, Dwelling, Thinking programme, the 620 participating journalists, including the 150 who attended the International Press Conference, and the 18 Press Cafés held over the five days of the show. The strong participation of young people was particularly noteworthy, with 1,200 students attending the Lesson in Reverse and 300 taking part in Thursday’s Career Day, as was the strong interest and footfall in Tiling Town. More than 210 professionals from all over the world took part in the Cersaie Business delegation, organised through the invaluable collaboration of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the Italian Trade Agency ITA.” The next edition of Cersaie will take place in Bologna from 21 to 25 September 2026.

A scenographic installation by Giò Forma will mark the space with the red imprint of the Salone. Showcasing furnishings, lighting, surfaces and accessories from select Italian companies recognized for their quality, innovation and sustainability, the installation sets the stage for a wider programme of business and cultural exchange. At its heart, a modular scaffolding structure draped in semi-transparent red fabric will turn the raw language of the construction site into a cultural platform. Red serving as a unifying thread, a symbol of energy and the future. Around this, the cultural programme will unfold through masterclasses and round tables, organised with the Architecture and Design Commission and led by leading figures from Saudi Arabia and Italy. The Forum, a platform for dialogue and professional exchange, will cover case studies and the Kingdom’s urban transformation in an informal setting. Giò Forma Studio noted: “In Saudi Arabia, everything speaks of construction and the future. Salone del Mobile.Milano and Riyadh come together to give shape to this energy. Red in progress. Salone del Mobile.Milano meets Riyadh is a spatial device that sublimates the construction site into a cultural platform, connecting the know-how of the Italian design industry with Saudi urban transformation players. It is a preview that prototypes avant-garde spaces and envisions a future lifestyle.”

The Business Lounge, designed by Lissoni & Partners, will provide a dedicated space for meetings and presentations with Saudi decision-makers, while site visits to giga-projects in Riyadh and beyond will connect Italian brands with clients and generate B2B opportunities across the supply chain. Alongside the main programme, a Lifestyle Area developed with KAFD retailers and Italian and Saudi food and beverage brands will create convivial spaces that highlight the rituals of Italian living and encourage interaction among participants. Several institutional showcases will complement the event while the Architecture and Design Commission will spotlight key projects currently under way across the Kingdom, including the Designed in Saudi initiative, which empowers local designers and positions the Kingdom as a global design destination. Red in progress. Salone del Mobile.Milano meets Riyadh is being delivered in collaboration with and supported by the institutional partners that work alongside the Salone in its international activities, including the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI) and the Italian Trade Agency (ITA), underscoring their shared commitment to promoting Italian design abroad and deepening cultural and economic ties with Saudi Arabia.