idd cologne 2025: Tells Us About the Future of Sourcing, Design, and Buyer Expectations

I’ll be honest. When I first saw the news about a new trade fair launching in Cologne—called idd cologne—I almost skimmed past it. I mean, how many furniture shows have we all attended? Another glossy logo. Another city. Another round of new chairs, new tables, new promises.

But something about this one pulled me back.

There was a boldness in how they described it. Not just another fair—but a rethink of what furniture means for people. A crossroad between homes and hospitality, where material choices carry values, and atmosphere matters as much as function.

And I thought: Yes. This is what we’ve been building for years.

So now, I’m not just paying attention. I’m encouraging every buyer, product developer, and sourcing director I know in Europe to do the same.

Table of Contents

1. idd cologne 2025: A Wake-Up Call in the Shape of a Fair

2. Core Themes of the Fair (And Why They Matter More Than You Think)

3. How My Journey Aligns With This Vision

4. Behind the Scenes at ASKT: What We’ve Already Been Doing

5. What Smart Buyers Will Look For at idd cologne

6. Let’s Connect—Because This Industry Needs Dialogue, Not Just Deals

idd cologne 2025: A Wake-Up Call in the Shape of a Fair

From October 26–29, 2025, Cologne will host something quite different: idd cologne – The Interior Design Days.

It’s not about trend-spotting. It’s about value-spotting.

The show’s theme is “Shaping Homes & Hospitality”, and it’s a call for brands, designers, and buyers to rethink the spaces people live in, stay in, meet in, and recharge in.

Here’s how the show is positioning itself:

• Not just style. Responsibility.

• Not just durability. Emotion.

• Not just materials. Meaning.

  
  

As a manufacturer, I hear this and I don’t feel challenged. I feel seen. Because we’ve already made these ideas our standard—not our ambition.

Core Themes of the Fair (And Why They Matter More Than You Think)

Let me break down what idd cologne 2025 is really trying to spotlight—and why you, as a professional buyer, should care.

Theme	What It Means	Why You Should Care
Durability Meets Design Passion	Products must last, and evoke love	Reduces returns, boosts customer loyalty
Well-being and Space Impact	Spaces affect behavior and mood	Your product offering should do more than "fill a room"
Material Consciousness	Natural, ethical, and expressive materials	Customers are asking where your wood and fabric come from
Holistic Design Thinking	Function, feel, sustainability, and story combined	Buyers are expected to deliver meaning—not just margins

This fair is sending a message: Furniture isn’t just hardware anymore—it’s emotional infrastructure.

How My Journey Aligns With This Vision

I’ve been in the furniture business for over two decades. From Suzhou to Stuttgart, from Tianjin to Tilburg, I’ve worked alongside buyers who’ve built empires and those who’ve struggled with unstable suppliers.

And if I had to sum up what defines long-term success in one sentence?

It’s not who can sell the most furniture. It’s who can consistently deliver value people feel.

idd cologne is putting words to what many buyers already feel intuitively: the game is changing.

Not just faster lead times.Not just trendier colors.But honest, intentional, quality-led design.

That’s the future. And we’re ready for it.

Behind the Scenes at ASKT: What We’ve Already Been Doing

We didn’t wait for the fair to tell us this was the direction to go.

Here’s what ASKT is already doing to lead in this new era:

• 🔍 12 industrial testing machines for stress loads, impacts, fatigue tests, and more

• 📹 11 video-equipped quality inspectors to ensure every chair is traced and trusted

• 🧪 Four R&D centers in Bazhou, Anji, Huizhou, and Zhangzhou focusing on ergonomics, mechanics, and materials

• 🛋️ Six living room mockups in our showroom designed to replicate German residential spaces for realistic staging

• ♻️ Eco packaging strategy: Replacing plastic with honeycomb paper to reduce waste

• ⚙️ Custom sample turnaround: From sketch to prototype chair in 10 days

We didn’t do this because it was trendy. We did it because our clients—smart, strategic buyers like you—kept asking better questions.

And we wanted to be the supplier with better answers.

What Smart Buyers Will Look For at idd cologne

Let’s talk shop.

If you’re attending idd cologne (and I suggest you at least follow it closely), here’s how to get the most out of it:

Ask these questions as you walk the floor:

• “Can I see video or physical proof of testing for this product?”

• “What happens if a customer complains six months after purchase—what’s the quality guarantee?”

• “Where are these materials sourced from? Can I trace them?”

• “Can you customize this design without pushing my lead times or MOQ too high?”

Buyers who ask these questions aren’t annoying—they’re professional.

And at ASKT, we love these questions. Because we’ve built our process around them.

Pro Tip: Don't Just Browse—Benchmark

Even if you don’t place orders at the show, you should use it to benchmark your current supply chain. Ask yourself:

• Are my current suppliers ahead of or behind this shift?

• Do they care about the same details my customers care about?

• Are they reacting to the market—or shaping it?

If the answers make you uncomfortable, it may be time to refresh your vendor list.

Let’s Connect—Because This Industry Needs Dialogue, Not Just Deals

Whether you’ll be at idd cologne or just watching from LinkedIn, let’s talk.

At ASKT, we don’t just sell dining chairs. We sell confidence—that what you’re buying is:

• Safe

• Sustainable

• Customizable

• And beautiful in the long run

We’ve built our company to support furniture professionals like you. Whether you're sourcing for an e-commerce platform in the Netherlands, a contract project in the UK, or a retail chain in Slovenia, we understand your pressure points—and how to solve them.

So if you want to:

• Upgrade your dining furniture collection

• Explore new material options

• Reduce product complaints and returns

• Build faster, more flexible supplier relationships

…then let’s connect.

Sunbin Qi CEO, ASKT Furniture

📧 sales@sinoaskt.com

🌍 www.asktfurniture.net

📱 WhatsApp: +86 18912605997

P.S.The early bird window for exhibitors at idd cologne 2025 ends May 31. But the real opportunity? It’s starting now—for those of us willing to think differently about what our industry can become.

Let’s not just fill rooms. Let’s shape them.