INTERZUM FORUM ITALY

Press Release

INTERZUM FORUM ITALY: THE THEME OF THE 2026 EDITION HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED AS ‘BEYOND THE FURNITURE, TOWARDS THE FUTURE’

The second edition of interzum forum italy, entitled ‘Beyond the Furniture Towards the Future’, will provide industry professionals with a key platform for networking and knowledge exchange, offering a comprehensive overview of the design world. The event will highlight the latest trends and innovations across the entire supply chain, with a special focus on the sectors Function & Components, Materials & Nature, and Textiles & Machinery. The event will take place on 4 and 5 June 2026 at the Bergamo Exhibition Center.

Milan, 30 September 2025 – Interior design will be taking centre stage at the event, driving a rich narrative supported by strategic partners, leading design media, and internationally renowned speakers.

Event highlights
The event will offer in-depth explorations of key issues in contemporary living, adopting a cross-sectional approach that also extends to related sectors increasingly connected to interior design and of growing relevance to subcontractors—such as recreational vehicles (caravans and motorhomes) and boating—where design, concepts, components, and accessories are becoming part of a shared language.

Surfaces remain in the spotlight, undergoing a profound transformation in both design and production, driven by emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and digital printing. While the virtual dimension is becoming increasingly central, the sensory and textural aspects of materials remain essential. It is precisely at the intersection of the physical and digital that new pathways are emerging in interior design and manufacturing, opening up unprecedented opportunities for applied innovation.

These themes and many other will be explored and debated over the two-day trade fair through a rich program of events, including short talks led by renowned national and international speakers.

Partnership with Architects’ Associations
The presence of qualified architects and designers, ensured through partnerships with the Professional Architects’ Associations of Milan and Bergamo, represents a strategic asset for both exhibiting companies and the sector as a whole. To maximize this synergy, the associations will bring a large number of their members to the fair, who will be involved in preparations for the event and updated on its progress thanks to two introductory webinars.

Schedule of conferences
Industry experts will present new requirements, innovative applications and yet unexplored market opportunities through a rich program of conferences, talks, and discussions. The spotlight will once again be on sustainability across the entire production chain, as well as on digitalisation, which is an essential driver for both design and manufacturing processes.

Overview of the topics covered by the talks:
• The outlook of the national market and the dynamics of international markets one year on from the introduction of new trade tariffs;
• Interior design trends: the evolution of lifestyles in residential spaces, boats and yachts, planes, trains and RVs;
• Surface textures, colors, and components: a long-term view of megatrends and the strategic initiatives of global companies
• The low-impact design supply chain: from the Ecodesign Directive to sustainability reporting
• Innovation in materials and production processes;
• AI and digitalization as enablers of design and production

Knowledge Partners
interzum forum italy will also benefit from extensive collaboration with a series of Partners, some of whom will offer contributions by holding talks on specific topics. These include AIPI (Associazione Italiana Professionisti Interior Designers), EBIA (European Bedding Association), NBF (the British National Bed Federation), EFIC (European Furniture Industries Confederation), CSIL, CATAS, the AHK research centre (German-Italian Chamber of Commerce), the Digital Innovation Observatories from the School of Management at the Politecnico di Milano, and the POLI.Design consortium company. The 2026 edition will also see the presentation of the interzum forum italy award, which is reserved for the companies that have excelled more than any other in two categories: Innovation and ESG & Sustainability.

Matchmaking
One of the key elements of the second edition of interzum forum italy is a structured programme of individual business meetings, intended to facilitate direct dialogue between the exhibiting companies and the visiting industry professionals. Matchmaking tables will bring together buyers and purchasing managers from the furniture, yachting, shipbuilding, and transportation sectors, alongside contractors from interior design and hospitality.

By bringing together the exceptional manufacturing expertise of companies with the design vision of professionals, interzum forum italy has established itself as a strategic platform in the trade fair landscape for design, furnishings, and components. In an economic climate marked by uncertainty, the event stands out as a driving force—transforming skills, innovation, and connections into tangible market opportunities.

Press Release

INTERZUM FORUM ITALY 2026: THE EVENT CONNECTING THE WORLD OF FURNITURE AND DESIGN

A new horizon for design: from residential interiors to yacht and mobile interiors, including innovative solutions for campers and the automotive industry, under the guidance of experts in the field.

Milan, 18 March 2025 – interzum forum italy is part of interzum’s global network, along with Cologne, Bogotá, Guangzhou and Jakarta. It is an event with a two-day exhibition format, organized by Koelnmesse Italia. Its innovative format offers a new way of participating in trade fairs, designed to optimise the use of exhibitors’ and visitors’ time, favouring quality networking with short conferences and seminars focusing on particularly relevant topics.

“The first interzum forum italy concluded with outstanding results. Most of the participating companies expressed satisfaction with the new format and confirmed their participation in 2026. We reopened registration for the second edition in October 2024, and more than 70% of the international companies are coming back: a clear signal that the format was appreciated even outside the borders of Italy,” states Thomas Rosolia, Managing Director of Koelnmesse Italia. With in-depth knowledge of Italian and international markets,Koelnmesse offers companies with interzum forum Italy a unique opportunity to present their products and services to a highly qualified audience, form new business partnerships and expand their presence on international markets.

A focus on the new horizons of design
The second edition of interzum forum italy, with the theme “Beyond the Furniture Towards the Future”, will take place in Bergamo’s trade fair centre on 4 and 5 June 2026. The event offers a complete overview of the world of design, with a special focus on the Functions & Components, Materials & Nature and Textiles & Machinery sectors. “The new edition of interzum forum italy will set a special focus on new growth areas within the industry, such as boat and caravan interiors or solutions for the motorhome and automotive industries, all under the guidance of prominent industry experts. While exploring these innovative areas, interzum forum italy will always remain focused on interior design and furniture. In this area, we are establishing partnerships with professional orders and institutions to obtain the involvement of more and more professionals from the design industry in the trade fair,” comments Carlotta Benardelli, Project Manager of interzum forum italy.

Event programme
The event programme will pick up on the themes addressed in the last edition, with talks concerning not only interior design but market sectors which are increasingly dealing with sub-suppliers. Industry experts and thought leaders will guide audiences through the discovery of today’s new demands and applications, opening up new opportunities in previously unexplored markets. There will also be a focus on sustainability issues, from a supply chain perspective, and on digitalisation, which is increasingly affecting conception and design as well as production.

Matchmaking
An integral part of the programme for the second edition of interzum forum italy will be a packed programme of one-to-one business meetings designed to encourage direct discussion among exhibitors and industry professionals, with the aim of facilitating the establishment of new partnerships and the expansion of new business opportunities.

Partnerships at interzum forum italy 2026
interzum forum italy is honoured to count a number of universities and research institutions among its knowledge partners, including the CSIL Study Centre, EFIC (European Furniture Industries Confederation), the Digital Innovation Observatories of the School of Management at Politecnico di Milano, and the POLI.Design consortium.

In addition to these organisations, interzum forum italy is the focus of a permanent partnership agreement signed with Confartigianato Imprese Bergamo for the promotion and valorisation of local enterprises in trade fair events organised by Koelnmesse at Fiera di Bergamo.

interzum forum italy award 2026
The new edition will once again feature the interzum forum italy award for exhibitors: a prize awarded by an international jury to companies excelling in the two award categories Innovation and ESG & Sustainability.

These features fully qualify interzum forum italy as an important event on the highly varied calendar of design, furniture and component trade fairs, combining the know-how of companies with the creativity of professionals, perfectly expressing the liveliness of today’s market, even in the current context of instability.

Press Release

INTERZUM FORUM ITALY 2026: EVEN MORE COMPLETE, EVEN MORE INTERNATIONAL

In the wake of the great success of this year’s premiere, the interzum forum italy 2026 will feature an expanded agenda and numerous networking opportunities. The trade fair for furniture production and interior design will be held on 4 and 5 June 2026 in Bergamo.

Milan, 10 October 2024 – The figures from the first edition underline the industry’s strong interest in this in this compact, highly effective trade fair format: 216 exhibitors, 36% of whom came from abroad, and over 4,800 visitors – mainly from Italy and 20% from abroad – confirm the international character of the event. The three main segments of the exhibition, ‘Textile & Machinery’, ‘Function & Components’ and ‘Materials & Nature’, responded to the needs of the furniture manufacturing and interior design industry.

With this successful start and the support of prominent national and international partners, interzum forum italy 2026 is preparing for an even more extensive new edition. Once again, the focus will be on the dynamics of the furniture supply chain in Italy in order to arouse the interest of all leading market players.

New inspiration for 2026
“The first edition was really exciting, offering us new inspiration for a second one even more wealth of content and authoritative experts with knowledge in the sectors we serve. We collected participants’ suggestions to come up with an offering that responds even better to the need for visibility and encounters among all the companies and professionals involved. Our goal for the next edition is to be even more attractive to architecture and design studios and companies, a target very important to our exhibitors,” affirms Thomas Rosolia, Managing Director of Koelnmesse Italia, the creator of the new format.

“interzum forum italy brings to Italy all the product categories that will be present in interzum Cologne next May, acting as a link for the flow of information at a time in history demanding plenty of flexibility, the ability to listen, and lots of information and instruction. The goal of the 2026 edition of interzum forum italy is to maintain the interest of companies and institutions in topics that are constantly being updated and therefore require continuity and communication,” explains Carlotta Benardelli, Director of interzum forum italy.

Focus on innovations and trends
The conference programme is already being planned and will focus on topics such as sustainability, design trends, material innovations and progress in digitalisation. Special panels will be dedicated to topics such as saving energy and the potential of IoT and artificial intelligence in production processes. Special attention will be paid to differentiation in furniture production in order to meet new needs in areas such as transport design (trains, aeroplanes, buses), yacht design and motorhome design. This gives participants exclusive insights into Italian and international showcase projects.

The ideal location
The Fiera di Bergamo, strategically located close to Orio al Serio International Airport and major motorway links, will once again host the event, underlining its central role in the success of the fair.

interzum forum italy Award 2026
Following the successful launch of the interzum forum italy award 2024, in which an international jury honoured seven companies in the Innovation and ESG & Sustainability categories, the competition will be held again in 2026. The aim is to recognise further outstanding achievements.

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