Furniture Fair 2026

Design

Salone del Mobile, a compass for companies in times of uncertainty

The 64th edition that will open at Fiera Milano Rho on 21 April has been presented. Over 1,900 exhibitors expected, only four defections due to war

by Giovanna Mancini

8 April 2026

3' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

3' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

In this bubble of uncertainty and anxiety, which has the entire world holding its breath, the Milan Furniture Fair, which kicks off on 21 April, strengthens its role as a compass for companies, as a place where 'industry can recognise itself, confront itself and strengthen its ability to stay in the change', in the words of its president, Maria Porro. 'Today this responsibility is even more evident,' adds Porro. 'We are living through a phase in which markets, supply chains, industrial priorities and geographies of demand are being redesigned. In this scenario, the Exhibition cannot limit itself to representing the sector: it must help it to read the present with lucidity and to build, with vision, its future positioning'.

New Products for the 2026 Show

It is with this objective in mind that the new projects that will make their debut this year, for the 64th edition, such as the Salone Contract - dedicated to the large projects sector, one of the most effective and growing distribution channels in recent years - and Salone Raritas, which also moves in the project sphere, focusing on limited editions, unique and collectors' items.

There were very few cancellations among exhibitors, and they only concerned companies from the Gulf area indirectly involved in the conflict. As far as visitors are concerned, there are no significant defections to date, on the contrary: the ticket figures are in line with those of last year at the same time, said Porro, with excellent numbers from China, Brazil and even the United States.

Over 1,900 exhibitors are expected at Fiera Milano Rho (36.6% from abroad), 227 brands including debuts and returns, over 169,000 square metres of net exhibition space. Alongside the four annual events (Salone Internazionale del Mobile, Salone Internazionale del Complemento d'Arredo, Workplace3.0, S.Project, for a total of 915 brands on display), the biennial EuroCucina / FTK - Technology For the Kitchen, with 106 brands from 17 countries, and Salone Internazionale del Bagno, with 180 brands from 16 countries, are returning this year.

And then the SaloneSatellite, highlighting the most experimental frontiers of design, with 700 designers under 35 and 22 Schools and Universities from all over the world. Numbers that confirm the scale and attractiveness of the Exhibition.

The wood-furniture supply chain

"When the international context in 2026 is dominated by geopolitical instability and the consequent market tensions, the balance that wood-furnishing companies have laboriously maintained in 2025 risks becoming more fragile, making it increasingly necessary to strengthen their ability to adapt and diversify their markets," observes Claudio Feltrin, president of FederlegnoArredo, commenting on the final figures that, for last year, indicate a turnover of over 52 billion euro, a slight but significant increase.

"Supporting this result is above all the domestic market, which is close to 33 billion euros, while exports, at over 19 billion, remain stable overall, although showing signs of a slowdown in traditional markets and a gradual redefinition of their geography," Feltrin points out. "In this context, the Milan Furniture Fair confirms itself as an essential appointment for the entire sector.

Analysing data compiled by the Fla study centre, the supply chain counts more than 62 thousand enterprises and more than 292 thousand employees, accounting for 4.3% of national manufacturing turnover, 14.5% of enterprises and 7.6% of employees, with a contribution to GDP of 2.3%.

The export slowdown

Exports show signs of slowing down in traditional markets, starting with the United States (2 billion) and France (2.9 billion), which close 2025 at -3.9% and -1.5% respectively. The United States, which accounts for almost 75% of the sector's exports to the continent, with a share of 10.7% of the total, has a decisive influence on the area's overall trend.

'Exports as a whole are holding up, although the reference geography of our supply chain is changing,' Feltrin comments. 'Historical markets such as France and the United States are slowing down, while Africa (+13.8%), the Arab Emirates (+5.8%) and Canada (+6.9%) are growing, for example.

From the US comes a wake-up call: furniture exports in January 2026 are down -28.5% compared to January 2025. At the same time, imports into the EU of Chinese products increased by 1.3%, while imports from other non-EU countries decreased by 1.6%. "We will understand in the coming months whether this is an exception or a trend, in any case it is a clear sign of the need to increasingly diversify our international presence, managing to intercept new opportunities in less traditional markets," Feltrin concludes.

Giovanna ManciniRedattore ordinario
- @mancinica
Luogo: Milano
Lingue parlate: Italiano, inglese, tedesco
Argomenti: Industria del design e arredo, made in Italy, cronaca di Milano, consumi, industria del commercio, e-commerce
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