ICFE, the International Carpet & Flooring Expo, the global meeting point of the carpet industry, has begun welcoming visitors for the third time at Istanbul Expo Center, bringing together trade, design and art. Organized in cooperation with Tüyap Fair Organization Group, the Southeastern Anatolia Carpet Exporters’ Association (GAHİB) and the Istanbul Carpet Exporters’ Association (İHİB), the fair aims to shape the sector with record growth targets.
Recognized as one of the most important platforms in the world for the carpet industry, ICFE opened its doors for the 6–9 January 2026 edition. Expanding its targets this year, the fair is held across 11 halls and stands out with rising demand from international participants and an expanding market potential. Offering a strong exhibitor profile with high interest from domestic and international industry representatives, the event reinforces its central position in the sector and its global prestige. Throughout the fair, the goal is both to establish commercial connections and to broaden the sector’s vision through design-focused events.
The Fair Will Increase the Sector’s Trade Volume in Turkey!
Minister Bolat: “Turkey is at the top of the world league in the carpet sector”
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Minister of Trade Prof. Dr. Ömer Bolat highlighted Turkey’s global strength in the carpet sector, ministry supports and export records in the history of the Republic, stating:
“As the Ministry of Trade, we continue to support participants at strong rates by granting this fair prestigious fair status. Today, Turkey ranks second in the world league in carpet production and exports. Alongside our long-established centers such as Isparta, Hereke and Bünyan, Gaziantep has become a star city with its clustering model and has turned into a globally recognized brand. We have left behind a year in which we broke the export record in the history of the Republic. We closed 2025 with goods exports of USD 273.4 billion, and our carpet sector contributed to this success with approximately USD 2.9 billion in exports. Together with our services exports, we reached a total foreign trade volume of USD 400 billion. We will continue to support the textile and carpet sectors, the pride of our industry, through fair participation as well as employment and export incentives.”
“The heart of the world’s carpet trade beats in Istanbul”
İlhan Ersözlü, General Manager of Tüyap Fairs Production Inc., underlined the scale and global success ICFE has reached in just its third year and noted:
“ICFE, which we brought to life by joining forces with our valued sector representatives GAHİB and İHİB, has quickly become one of the world’s most important industry gatherings. This year, by raising our targets further, we are proud to open our doors across 11 halls with record exhibitor interest. We bring Turkey’s production and design strength together with the world in Istanbul, a strategic trade hub. In particular, the rise in international exhibitor demand and our expanding market diversity prove the fair’s prestige on the global stage. With ICFE, we do not only host commercial connections, we also offer a platform that sets direction for global carpet fashion through our design and innovation-focused events. I wish all exhibitors and visitors a productive fair.”
Creativity and Inspiring Events
As part of the fair, various exhibitions that showcase the sector’s creative power are meeting visitors. Within the organization’s design competition, companies take part with their newest collections, and the finalist designs are specially exhibited in the fair area. Exhibitions presenting modern interpretations of traditional motifs and events that bring industry professionals together add value to the fair. In addition, the “Carpet Talks” program is shaped around four main themes that guide the future of carpet design. These sessions provide a holistic perspective for the sector by addressing design methodologies, the link between handicraft heritage and contemporary design, the role of design in branding processes and the historical legacy of silk Hereke carpets.
The “Most Diverse Carpet in the World” Project
The “My Work” themed workshop that drew great attention last year is being brought back this year under the Carpet Workshop. In this project, held with the participation of 400 designers from Turkey and many countries around the world, designers express their personal interpretations through original works. These pieces, each in the nature of a work of art, will be assembled during the fair to create a work titled “The Carpet Designed by the Most Designers in the World.” Bringing together 400 different stories and visions, this initiative transforms the fair from a purely commercial platform into a living design workshop.
Global Participation and Visitor Targets
ICFE is carrying its success to a global scale through extensive marketing activities across six continents and more than 80 countries. Among this year’s targets are hosting nearly 500 exhibiting companies from 25 countries, notably China, Iran, Pakistan, India, the USA, Belgium and France, and welcoming close to 50,000 professional visitors from 105 countries. Offering exhibitors and visitors the opportunity to build new export-oriented partnerships, ICFE aims to maximize commercial potential.