The World’s Largest Carpet Fair: Trade, Design, and Art Come Together at ICFE 2026!

ICFE – International Carpet & Flooring Expo, the global meeting point for the carpet industry, is preparing to open its doors for the third time at the Istanbul Fair Center from January 6-9, 2026.

Organized by Tüyap Fair Group in cooperation with the Southeastern Anatolia Carpet Exporters Association (GAHİB) and the Istanbul Carpet Exporters Association (İHİB), the fair, in addition to its record growth targets and intense interest from six continents, will once again host the Carpet Workshop project where 400 designers will showcase their special designs for the World’s Most Unique Carpet under the theme “My Work”. ICFE, the most important platform in the world carpet industry, has expanded its targets for 2026. Expanding with increasing demand from foreign participants and growing market potential, ICFE will hold its fair in 11 halls this year. The fair offers a strong participant profile with intense interest from domestic and international industry representatives. This situation reinforced the fair’s central position in the sector and its global prestige.

Creativity, Design, and Inspiring Events

The fair will feature various exhibitions showcasing the creative power of the sector. Companies will participate in a design competition among fair participants, presenting their latest collections; the finalist designs will be exhibited in the fair area. In addition, special exhibitions presenting modern interpretations of traditional motifs and an event program bringing together sector professionals will add value to the fair.

Carpet Talks will offer a comprehensive program shaped around four main themes that guide the future of carpet design. How design is directed and changing design methodologies will be discussed in the first sessions, and the differences in creative approaches in the sector will be evaluated. In the content where traditional craftsmanship meets modern aesthetic understanding, the connection between the heritage of handicrafts and contemporary design and the new values ​​that this synthesis adds to the sector will be discussed. In the section focusing on the role of design in branding processes, it will be examined whether trends or the spirit of design shape brand identity more strongly; sectoral trends will be evaluated within a professional framework. Another theme of the program, Hereke silk carpets, will focus on historical accumulation, technical mastery, and cultural heritage, examining the contemporary relevance of this tradition in the design world. Carpet Talks aims to offer a holistic perspective to the sector by bringing together topics such as the direction of design, the transformation of craftsmanship, brand strategies, and contemporary interpretations of cultural heritage on a single platform.

The “My Work” workshop, which attracted great interest last year, will also be included in the program this year. This creative workshop will bring together designers from Turkey and many other countries around the world around a common theme, allowing them to express their personal interpretations through original works. The event will provide a collective creative space where designers’ different perspectives come together as parts of a single whole.

These pieces, each a work of art, will be combined during the fair to create “The Carpet Designed by the Most Designers in the World.” This unique work, bringing together 400 different stories, visions, and talents, will showcase the collective creative power of the sector at the point where traditional carpet art meets modern design. These projects aim to transform the fair from merely a trade platform into a vibrant and constantly evolving design workshop for visitors.

Target: 50,000 professional visitors

ICFE is taking its success to a global level through extensive marketing activities conducted across 6 continents and more than 80 countries. The goals for the 2026 fair are ambitious: Nearly 500 participating companies from 25 countries, primarily China, Iran, Pakistan, India, the USA, Belgium, and France, and close to 50,000 professional visitors from 105 countries are expected.

ICFE is preparing to lead the sector by offering its participants and visitors the opportunity to establish new export-oriented collaborations and maximize their commercial potential.