As the global furniture sector recalibrates itself, long-established models of design, manufacturing and distribution are being quietly rewritten. From digitally driven consumption to sustainability-led production and increasingly fluid trade networks, the industry is learning to operate in a far more interconnected—and demanding—environment.
Against this backdrop, the 57th edition of CIFF Guangzhou will return to the Canton Fair Complex in two phases, from 18–21 March and 28–31 March 2026, unveiling a new overarching theme: CONNECT · CREATE.
Rather than a slogan, the theme frames CIFF’s evolving role within a transforming global market—one that now values dialogue, adaptability and long-term collaboration as much as scale.
Repositioning China within a shifting global network
The direction builds on the momentum of CIFF Guangzhou 2025, which welcomed over 4,900 exhibitors and more than 363,000 professional visitors from 187 countries, with overseas attendance rising by nearly 11 percent. The figures signal more than recovery; they point to China’s renewed gravitational pull as a centre for sourcing, manufacturing and increasingly, design intelligence.
For CIFF, this renewed attention brings responsibility. In 2026, the fair positions itself not just as a trading platform, but as an arena where global supply chains, creative practices and emerging business models intersect.
CONNECT: where industries, ideas and markets converge
“CONNECT” speaks to CIFF’s function as an
infrastructural hub. As international buyers re-engage with Chinese
manufacturers, and producers accelerate innovation in materials, automation and
R&D, the fair becomes a site of exchange across disciplines and borders.
At the same time, consumption itself is changing. VR-assisted home planning, social commerce and omnichannel retail are redefining how furniture is discovered, customised and purchased. CIFF Guangzhou 2026 responds by bringing together manufacturers, designers, distributors and digital platforms—allowing new partnerships and more resilient value chains to take shape.
CREATE: design, technology and new living paradigms
If CONNECT defines the network, CREATE captures its momentum. Innovation at CIFF is no longer framed purely in technological terms, but through a broader lens that includes sustainable thinking, lifestyle shifts and cross-industry collaboration.
From smart manufacturing systems to digitally enabled retail strategies, CREATE encourages exhibitors to translate global trends into practical, competitive responses—grounded in design quality and future-ready thinking.
Visual language, rethought
This repositioning is echoed in CIFF’s refreshed visual identity. The fair’s emblem has been redesigned into a unified, flowing form that integrates the four letters of its name. Finished with a metallic sheen and set against deep blue tones, the identity suggests both industrial strength and fluid transformation—qualities increasingly essential to the furniture sector today.
Reframing the exhibition landscape
Spanning 850,000 square metres, CIFF Guangzhou 2026 refines its exhibition structure to mirror contemporary living and working environments.
The Home Furniture Exhibition (Phase 1) foregrounds contemporary design, smart sleep systems, outdoor living, pet-focused products and expanded international collaborations. Phase 2 shifts focus to offices and commercial spaces, exploring sustainable workplace models alongside integrated solutions for education, hospitality and public environments. Running concurrently, CIFM/interzum guangzhou highlights China’s advanced manufacturing capabilities, from intelligent machinery to materials innovation and integrated hardware systems.
Together, these segments present a cross-section of where the industry stands—and where it is heading.
A platform for what comes next
Rather than presenting a single vision of the future, CIFF Guangzhou 2026 proposes a framework for navigating it. CONNECT · CREATE positions the fair as a place where dialogue leads to direction, and where collaboration becomes a strategic advantage.
In a period defined by transition, CIFF’s ambition is clear: to support the industry not only in keeping pace with change, but in actively shaping what comes next.
