About imm cologne
imm cologne has long been one of the best-known names in the European furniture calendar. Organised by Koelnmesse and held in Cologne each January, it has been reshaped in recent years into a tightly focused B2B fair for consumer-oriented interior design, described by the organiser as efficient, dynamic and market-led.
The fair now works under two sub-brands. Global Sourcing covers international procurement, OEM and ODM production, private label, contract manufacturing and global supply chains. Retail Furniture is about store-ready furniture, product ranges and design-oriented interior solutions from the entry-level price point up to the mid-range. Between them they cover upholstered and case furniture, bedroom and dining, home textiles, lighting and accessories.
Visitors are trade buyers: furniture retailers and buying groups, sourcing and procurement teams, interior specialists and press. The format is built around business rather than spectacle, which suits suppliers who want focused time with buyers who are ready to talk about ranges, volumes and delivery.
Exhibitors take part because January is when many retailers plan the year's ranges, and imm cologne brings those decision makers to one place early. A smaller, more focused fair can also work in an exhibitor's favour, as a well-presented stand has a better chance of standing out. Furniture needs to be experienced, so room settings where buyers can sit, touch and walk around pieces tend to work better than products lined up in rows.
Next edition
imm cologne 2027: what to expect
The 2027 edition runs from 19 to 22 January at Koelnmesse and is the first to be organised around the two sub-brands, Global Sourcing and Retail Furniture. Exhibitors should consider which of the two fits their offer, since that shapes where they sit and which buyers pass the stand. For scale, the organiser reported 339 exhibitors at the 2026 show.
Koelnmesse publishes a standard space rate that rises after 15 November 2026, so the booking decision has a clear deadline. Bulky furniture brings logistics questions about delivery slots, handling equipment and storage, which are best settled with your builder well before build-up. Cologne is busy with trade fairs throughout January, so book hotels and transport early.