imm cologne 2026: A fresh start with a clear focus on sourcing

International offerings in response to current market requirements

Four days devoted to range planning and initiating new business: imm cologne, hosted from 20 to 23 January 2026, opted for a B2B-only format that was perfectly geared to the market’s needs. In total, 339 exhibitors from 28 countries presented home furniture from the entry-level price point to the mid-range segment. The audience of more than 10.000 trade visitors particularly valued the quality of the conversations and the ability to place orders efficiently. The new concept has proved itself as an event that can be counted on to kick off the new year for the international interior design industry. The next edition of imm cologne will be hosted in Cologne from 19 to 22 January 2027.

“In a challenging market environment, efficiency is what counts above all. This is exactly why we’ve created a focused B2B sourcing platform with imm cologne 2026: an event where visitors can quickly gain an overview, make strategic purchasing decisions and establish new contacts. And that is exactly what exhibitors and trade visitors used the event for,” says Matthias Pollmann, vice president trade fair management at Koelnmesse.

High quality of the visitor profile
Under the banner of World of Interiors, imm cologne provided a central forum for comparing collections, sourcing and designing ranges right at the start of the new year. On the visitor side, the sharper focus on the B2B trade at imm cologne 2026 met the industry’s needs. Significant decision-makers from purchasing associations, retail chains, the wholesale and specialist retail trade, e-commerce companies and mail order businesses travelled to Cologne to view suppliers’ collections and establish partnerships.

The feedback on the quality of the conversations and contacts was positive overall, with participants commenting that many concrete business prospects and even signed deals resulted from the productive discussions. The companies attending the event on the visitor side included names such as ALDI, Alliance Verband, Amazon, BDSK Handel, Einrichtungshaus Ostermann, Einrichtungspartnerring VME, Europa Möbel Verbund, GARANT Holding, Hans Segmüller Polstermöbelfabrik, IKEA, IMG Group, Krieger Gruppe, Möbel Boss, Next, POCO, porta, Westwing, XXXLutz und Zurbrüggen Wohn-Zentrum. The largest visitor groups in Europe came from Belgium, France, Great Britain and the Netherlands.

“Cologne is the ideal location for a trade fair for us: excellent transport connections and an attractive venue for our global customers. Deciding to participate in imm cologne in 2026 was definitely the right move for us: We’ve established valuable new international business contacts,” says Fritz Bleilinger, sales manager for the German-speaking region at Man Wah.

Nermin Terzic, sales director at Rattan Sedia, adds: “We’re very satisfied with the visitor numbers and the excellent responses from buyers. We hope that Bosnian-made products will continue to expand their presence and successfully establish themselves on the international market on a sustainable footing.”

Market-ready furniture from 28 countries
imm cologne 2026 was deliberately designed to respond to current market realities: Changes in supplier relationships, revised sourcing strategies and the growing importance of international procurement markets are currently shaping the industry landscape. According to the official German foreign trade statistics, imports now account for approximately 60 per cent of the German furniture market. Particularly rapid growth has been recorded in imports from China, which rose to 2.4 billion euros between January and September 2025. Around 30 per cent of German furniture imports now come from China.

The line-up of exhibitors at imm cologne reflected these developments with a strong international presence: Companies from 28 countries, including manufacturers, distributors and OEM specialists, presented market-ready solutions, covering price points from the entry level to the mid-range segment. Suppliers from Asia were particularly well represented, with China emerging as the clear leader with 252 exhibitors.

To further broaden the spectrum of offerings, country pavilions presented joint appearances by national brands from Bosnia-Herzegovina, Brazil, Japan, Romania, Taiwan and Turkey.

A forum for networking
Alongside its clear B2B focus, imm cologne also fostered conversations and exchanges of ideas. On the first day of the trade fair, exhibitors, trade visitors and media representatives gathered at the imm cologne interior after-work event to mingle and relax in a laid-back atmosphere. As an additional service, free coffee was provided to trade fair participants on every morning of the event.

Registrations for 2027 now open
“imm cologne 2026 has shown how important it is to adapt event formats to market conditions. We’re grateful to exhibitors and visitors for the trust they have placed in us,” says Bernd Sanden, imm cologne’s director. “It has given us the encouragement we need to continue developing the trade fair’s profile for 2027.” The next edition of imm cologne will be hosted in Cologne from 19 to 22 January 2027. Interested companies are already able to register and benefit from the early-bird rates. This offer is available until 30 April 2026. For further information and to register, visit: www.imm-cologne.com.

imm cologne 2026 in figures 
In total, 339 exhibitors from 28 countries participated in imm cologne 2026, which was hosted across a gross exhibition area of 53,000 square metres. 97 per cent of exhibitors travelled from outside Germany. Estimated figures including the final day of the trade fair indicate that more than 10.000 trade visitors from 104 countries attended imm cologne 2026, with approximately 57 per cent visiting from abroad.