The Inspired Home Show® 2025 Yields Positive Results

Strong retailer and exhibitor participation lays the foundation for enhanced connections, new products and growth in year ahead

The Inspired Home Show® 2025 wrapped up just last week, but participants are already moving ahead with plans to capitalize on the connections, ideas, products and trends they experienced at the successful event. The industry’s premier home and housewares marketplace showcased 2,000 unique brands and 300,000 products to attendees from 115 countries at Chicago’s McCormick Place during the 125th edition of the Show.

“Senior leaders from both the supplier and buyer sides have told us how much they appreciated the number of strong top-to-top meetings they were able to have in just three days and all under one roof,” said Derek Miller, president & CEO of the International Housewares Association (IHA), which hosts the Show. “These connections, along with the platform to discover so many new and innovative products, will be critical to growth in the year ahead.”

Along with a strong showing of exhibitors from across the industry, nearly all the key retailers brought senior-level executives, DMMs, GMMs and buyers.

U.S.-based buyers attending the Show represented more than 100,000 retail locations. These attendees also represent more than $64 billion in buying power, according to sales information from Circana.

The Inspired Home Show featured more than 2,000 unique housewares brands and more than 300,000 products. Approximately 20,000 of those products were new.

The Show also enjoyed a considerable amount of media attention, attracting nearly 200 print, broadcast, digital and social media professionals from outlets including the Wall Street Journal, NPR, The Today Show, The New York Times/Wirecutter, Good Housekeeping, Better Homes & Gardens, Food Network Magazine, HGTV Magazine, Food & Wine, Apartment Therapy, Taste of Home, The Kitchn, Consumer Reports, Oprah Daily, America’s Test Kitchen, Chicago Tribune Media, the Chicago Sun-Times, the Indianapolis Star, WGN-TV, CBS2 Chicago, FOX32 Chicago and NBC5 Chicago.

“Even as we celebrated the 125th edition of this premier event, IHA’s focus is on the future,” said Miller. “We’re constantly working with exhibitors, buyers and retailers to evolve and shape a Show that suits their changing needs and helps set them up for success.”

The 2025 Show featured multiple new and returning attractions, including:

The new Travel Gear + Luggage Expo, highlighting an array of travel-related exhibitors.
The new Candle Pavilion—created in partnership with the National Candle Association, and new Pet Products Pavilion—created in partnership with the American Pet Products Association.
A Debut incubator that doubled in size, highlighting emerging home and housewares companies and smaller new-to-the-Show exhibitors.
Global Design Points, which offered a look into emerging trends from Brazil, Hong Kong, India and Turkey.
The Pantone ColorWatch Display, showcasing housewares to match the seven palettes in the Pantone® View Home + Interiors 2026 forecast.
The New Exhibitor Gallery, featuring brands and products new to the Show.
The IHA Global Innovation Awards (gia), honoring excellence in home and housewares retailing, product design and student achievement.
Four keynotes focusing on the future of home and housewares with the latest consumer trends, market opportunities and retail strategies.
A robust Innovation Theater session lineup featuring analysis and how-to on a number of business topics including AI, PFAS legislation and licensing.
Inspired Women in Housewares, which provided networking and a panel discussion for leaders in the industry.
Housewares Cares Foundation (HCF) charity gala and online auction, benefitting the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, HCF’s legacy charity, as well as the James Beard Foundation, World Central Kitchen and Feeding America.

Starting next year, The Inspired Home Show will follow a new mid-week pattern. The Inspired Home Show 2026 will take place in Chicago March 10-12, 2026. Registration for both exhibitors and attendees is now open. For more information on the Show, please visit TheInspiredHomeShow.com.

Click below for key brands, exhibitors, buyers and retailers in attendance at #TIHS25.

TIHS25 - Key Exhibitors, Brands, Buyers & Retailers

The Inspired Home Show® 2025 Participant Testimonials

“If you're a company thinking about coming to The Inspired Home Show, do it. We sat for two years and walked the show trying to figure out if it was right for us. But it’s been perfect. It’s allowed us to really showcase our products at the very, very highest level. The quality of customer that comes through here is amazing.”

Greg Gartner, President, Bright Box

“It was a very productive Show that was well attended by top customers across the globe. The 2025 Inspired Home Show provided an invaluable opportunity to highlight innovation and collaborate on how to best navigate a challenging geopolitical landscape with our top global customers and suppliers.”

Mike Hayes, Chief Commercial Officer, Newell Brands

“The Inspired Home Show 2025 was an outstanding event for Hestan. It provided an invaluable opportunity to engage with all our national retail partners and a significant number of independent retailers, fostering meaningful and productive discussions. The Show served as the ideal platform to showcase our latest innovations and retailer activations in a highly impactful setting. We couldn’t be more pleased with the experience and look forward to returning.”

Pamela Stafford, Managing Director, Hestan Culinary

“Widgeteer had an amazing Show. Most of our customers spent a great amount of time in our booth. We also met with MANY new customers. It was amazing how many (both new and current) customers commented on the fact that they ALWAYS see new innovation from us. I am very proud of my team that we continue to WOW our customers with this innovation. It of course is always a great time to meet with my industry peers.”

Bill McHenry, Founder/CEO, Widgeteer, Inc.

“The Show provided a chance for our team to have meaningful connections with suppliers. Their participation enabled efficient top-to-top leadership connections and was a valuable opportunity to reconnect on product and strategy."

Bradley Kleparek, Divisional Merchandise Manager, Kitchen and Entertainment, Crate & Barrel

“It’s been a fantastic Show for us in terms of connecting with our customers. We've been around enough to know a lot of people, but there's just nothing quite the same as the opportunity to have that direct handshake, that look in the eye.”

Michael Taylor, President, Brod & Taylor

“Despite the economic uncertainty, it was tremendously energizing to see our industry come together and do what we do best – discover great new products and connect brands with customers. We not only saw our biggest and best customers, but also met with a lot of new ones too. A big thanks to the International Housewares Association team for putting on another world-class event. We're looking forward to exhibiting again in 2026!”

Alex Gransbury, Founder & CEO, Dreamfarm

"Once again, The Inspired Home Show has lived up to expectations. Despite a tough retail environment, almost all key retailers were at the Show and the meetings were extremely high quality and productive. This year, more than ever, conversations among brands in attendance were collaborative, with so many discussing ways to work together in new and creative ways. Overall, a well-attended and high-quality event!"

Scott Felsenthal, CEO, Whitmor, Inc.

“This year’s Inspired Home Show had an undeniable energy, and it was fantastic to see such strong engagement between vendors and retailers. Vendors came prepared with exciting products and valuable promotions, creating a dynamic environment where meaningful conversations and connections took place. Chicago is an important show for the independent retailers because of the rare opportunity to meet directly with key brand principals, fostering valuable relationships that can shape their business. Overall, it was a great show for the housewares industry all around.”

KC Lapiana, CEO, HTI Buying Group

“What we love about The Inspired Home Show is the fact that we’re able to showcase all our innovation, all our new products, in a way that feels very comfortable. Our meetings have been fantastic. We’ve met with some of the biggest global retailers in the world. The fact that we have had so much exposure and opportunity, especially as we grow as a young company, is incredibly important.”

Joshua Gunn, Vice President, DREO

“This was absolutely one of the best IHA Shows ever! We have had the opportunity to meet with 90% of our key and mid-size customers. In addition, we were visited by several customers we have been targeting for a long time. We were thrilled to see most retailers come in with a larger delegation, including their key principals, VPs, GMMs and trend members. We greatly appreciated the presence and insights of our key customers and partners.

Overall, it was a fantastic venue to plan out our 2025 and beyond! With the recent tariff adjustments and economic shifts in the country, it was also a great opportunity to plan and discuss these subjects with retailers. We discussed strategies for adapting to market changes and explored new opportunities for collaboration.”

Sal Gabbay, CEO, Gibson Homewares

“What makes this Show really stand out is the quality of the buyers that come here. You get the opportunity to meet so many people from around the world. Coming here over the last few years, we've landed a grocery chain in South Africa and a lot of majors in the U.S., so it's been a great market for us. It might take a while to actually sign a deal, but that exposure is what makes it all worthwhile.”

Thomas Petrouski, Senior Vice President, TAG

“Once again, the Show was extremely well-run and created a very inviting forum for interacting with both national and independent retailers. The timing of this year’s Show also proved to be invaluable as exhibitors and buyers were able to discuss and strategize around the changing tariff climate in real time – this can only happen when you have the entire industry together.”

Mike Otterman, President & CEO, Lodge Cast Iron

“The Inspired Home Show was productive for the GC team. We heard positive comments from current store and vendor members, and we added members on both the store and vendor sides of our Group. Physically being at a market allows excellent personal interaction – and everyone loves the excitement of sharing ideas and product info in the aisles of the Show. Many of our retailers came by the GC booth, telling the team about products they had discovered in the new area of the South Hall, asking that we follow up for Group membership.”

Janis Johnson, Founder and President, GC Buying Group

“Our booth has been filled with laughter and excitement – we've been busy all three days. Nothing beats meeting our customers in person, letting them experience our knives firsthand and discussing future plans. Huge thanks to IHA for bringing us all together!”

Henry Liu, President & CEO, Everware Int’l | New Star Foodservice | Cangshan Cutlery | Austin Cutlery & Tool

“This is our first time at The Inspired Home Show – actually our first trade show – and we’ve been able to connect with buyers from Latin America, Mexico and Canada. We’ve also been able to spend some more time with U.S. buyers, who we have some familiarity with, to really explain what we do and what we can offer.”

Joe Hamersma, Co-Founder, GetxGo

“The Inspired Home Show continues to be an important opportunity to showcase JURA’s fully automatic coffee machines to our national and independent retail partners and potential new partners. In person meetings cannot be replicated any other way with the same success.”

Tom McMahon, President, JURA, Inc.

“It was our best Show ever! Great energy, productive conversations and excellent exposure for our brand. We’re already talking about our return in 2026.”

Lauren Greenwood, President & Co-Founder, YouCopia

“What’s been most beneficial to us is the opportunity to talk to so many key buyers face-to-face….and to have meaningful, full conversations about our brand. It’s been so inspiring. You’re missing out if you’re not coming to The Inspired Home Show because everyone else is here.”

Adam McFarlane, Senior Partnerships Manager, RENPHO

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