In recent years, China-EU Home furnishings trade cooperation has grown increasingly close. As a key European gateway and a global hub of design and innovation, the logistics efficiency of the Port of Rotterdam and the design resources of Amsterdam have become critical links for Chinese companies expanding into the European market, collectively forming the "Dutch Gateway" for Sino-European collaboration in the home furnishing industry.
The Netherlands is emerging as a key export market for Chinese furniture in the EU, providing sustained momentum for Chinese enterprises to deepen their engagement in the European market. According to data from the General Administration of Customs, China's total merchandise imports and exports with the Netherlands reached approximately 60.36 million yuan from January to September, marking a year-on-year growth of 3.4%. During the same period, China's furniture exports to the Netherlands totaled about 9.16 billion yuan, reflecting a year-on-year increase of 6.15% and continuing its steady growth momentum. China and the Netherlands have been optimizing the home goods trade ecosystem through mechanisms such as port clearance facilitation and design innovation collaboration. The Netherlands is emerging as a key export market for Chinese furniture in the EU, providing sustained momentum for Chinese enterprises to deepen their engagement in the European market.
Against this backdrop, CIFF (Guangzhou) launched its Global Tour in the Netherlands in October, leveraging its strategic position covering the Benelux economic region to precisely connect European design and channel resources, and stimulate new momentum for cooperation between the Chinese and European home furnishing industries.
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China-EU Industrial Dialogue: On Sustainable Living for the Future
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Titled "EU-China Creative Industry Dialogue: The Future of Sustainable Living", this session leverages the Netherlands' status as a global creative hub. By focusing on architecture, interiors, furniture, and branding, it aims to create a high-impact platform connecting Chinese and European stakeholders. This event has invited industry associations, design institutions, academic experts, brand representatives, and buyers—including ECMN Euro-China Exhibition Alliance, INretail Dutch Association for Wholesale and Retail Trade, MORE Architecture, and NL Urban Solutions—to accelerate the market launch of collaborative design outcomes and achieve truly green innovation and sustainable cooperation by sharing pioneering practices of sustainable lifestyles within the global design ecosystem.?
Partial List of Attendees:
Cristina Gabel, Secretary-General of ECMN Europe-China Exhibition Alliance
Harry Bijl, Director of Furniture and Home Furnishings at INretail, the Dutch Wholesale and Retail Trade Association
Daan Roggeveen, Founder of MORE Architectural Design Firm
Adriana Flores, Director of the ProtocolToday Academy
Irene van Ophoven, Founder of Studio Irene van Ophoven Interior & Home Design
Rong Hu, Head of Asia, NL Urban Solutions
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Opening New Horizons: Navigating Global Wisdom on Openness
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At the beginning of the promotional event, Mr. Ji Pengpeng, representative of China International Furniture Fair (Guangzhou), briefly introduced CIFF (Guangzhou) and expressed the purpose of this trip.
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China International Furniture Fair (Guangzhou) was founded in 1998, held twice a year, on March 18 and March 28 in Guangzhou Pazhou, and in September in Shanghai Hongqiao. The CIFF (Guangzhou) stands as the world's premier full-home-furnishing supply chain exhibition. Its latest edition featured over 4,900 exhibitors across nine major sectors—Residential Furniture, Home Furnishings & Decor, Outdoor & Leisure, Office Environments & Commercial Spaces, and CIFM/interzum guangzhou among them. Encompassing 26 product categories and spanning more than 850,000 square meters, the fair comprehensively showcases the entire industry ecosystem.
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The CIFF (Guangzhou) team visited the Netherlands to meet more friends in the Dutch furniture and design industries, expand CIFF (Guangzhou)'s network, and more broadly and deeply connect and serve China-Netherlands furniture trade and design exchanges.
Mr. Chen Sihan, representative of CIFF (Guangzhou), conducted a comprehensive introduction to the highlights of the themes, the Modern Design Expo, and InterBiz Club of the 57th CIFF (Guangzhou).
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After five years of development, CIFF (Guangzhou)'s Modern Design Expo has established a clear vision and implementation path. Transitioning from "selling China's high-quality furniture products globally" to "promoting Chinese furniture brands worldwide," helping enterprises shift from product exports to brand globalization, design globalization, and cultural globalization.
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The 57th China International Furniture Fair (Guangzhou) Modern Design Expo, spanning 40,000 square meters, will gather over 60 commercial design brands, 20+ original designer brands, 40+ overseas top brands and studios, and over 200 renowned designers. This event will establish a design ecosystem that integrates production, education, research and application, enabling original Chinese furniture to present itself on the global stage.
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InterBizClub (IBC) Is a global home furnishing trade value platform created by CIFF (Guangzhou) specifically for representatives of multinational procurement groups from various countries and regions, international traders, cross-border e-commerce businesses, overseas retailers, overseas designers, and others.
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Building on an integrated service model combining an 8-day exhibition plus year-round 365-day support, we have developed a "3M" Service system centered around three core needs of attendees: "IBC Matching (Year-round Connection)," "IBC Media (Global Promotion)," and "IBC Manager (Trade Services)." By actively inviting global buyers to source at the event and diversifying trade exchanges, we aim to enhance the high-quality development of international home furnishing trade.
Chen Sihan, representative of CIFF (Guangzhou)
Ms. Cristina Gabel, Secretary-General of ECMN EU-China Exhibition Alliance Association, expressed warm welcome and gratitude to CIFF (Guangzhou) at the opening. The global design industry is undergoing a major shift, where creativity no longer operates in isolation but relies on collaboration among architects, designers, brands, supply chains, and other stakeholders, by building an innovation ecosystem.
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The global design industry needs to be based on a cross-disciplinary innovation ecosystem to develop. Exhibitions are not only a showcase for products, but also a dynamic platform where ideas, culture, and business opportunities converge, serving as a vital driving force for the sustainable progress of industries. CIFF (Guangzhou) has become a key platform for China-Europe creative industries exchange, building a bridge for deepening cooperation between both sides. Through this international platform, European design brands and the Chinese market can efficiently connect, boosting collaborative innovation across the global home furnishings industry!
Cristina Gabel, Secretary-General of the ECMN Euro-China MICE Network Association
Hear the Sparks: Voices of Inspiration
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Mr. HarryBijl, Head of Furniture and Home Furnishings at INretail Netherlands Wholesale and Retail Council, shared the circular economy practices in the fields of retail and design in the Netherlands. He advocated for stronger China-EU cooperation in standards, technology, and education, proposing a joint shift from a "manufacturing-led" to a "culture and design-driven" sustainable partnership. He also expressed the chamber's commitment to enhancing dialogue with CIFF to create synergies for their respective markets and companies.
Harry Bijl, Director of Furniture and Home Furnishings at INretail, the Dutch Wholesale and Retail Trade Association
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Mr. Daan Roggeveen, Founder of MORE Architecture Design Firm, shared four trends in architecture and interior design development for the next decade: fusion of digitalization and human experience, application of new materials, ecological cycle design in urban renewal, and social and humanized design of public spaces.
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He encouraged the designers present to go to China to look for good inspiration and good products. Mr. Daan also shared several of his architectural project cases in China, finding that the core of China's urbanization lies not only in the architecture itself, but also in cultural and lifestyle shifts.
Daan Roggeveen, Founder of MORE Architectural Design Firm
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Mr. Adriana Flores, dean of ProtocolToday Academy, stated that the creative industry, which relies on creativity, cultural convergence, technology, and imagination, is among the fastest-growing industries globally. In cross-cultural collaboration, Asian countries like China belong to high-context cultures that value relationships and flexible negotiation, while European communication tends to be more direct and emphasizes contract terms. Collaboration in the transnational creative industries must place communication as the top priority to avoid misunderstandings arising from cultural and cognitive differences. CIFF (Guangzhou), as an international home furnishing exhibition platform, provides significant opportunities for China-Europe creative industry cooperation, helping deepen mutual experience sharing in areas such as market demand and cultural communication, and achieving mutual benefit and win-win.
Adriana Flores, Director of the ProtocolToday Academy
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Ms. Irene van Ophoven, Founder of Studio Irene van Ophoven Interior, centered on the theme of "low-carbon materials and emotional durability design," Shared her practices from her experiences in multiple design projects across Europe, and explored how design can achieve sustainable value through material innovation and emotional connection. She hopes designers from China and Europe will collaborate to explore more material innovations based on "cultural perception" and "tactile experience," So as to achieve green design in the true sense.
Irene van Ophoven, Founder of Studio Irene van Ophoven Interior & Home Design
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Ms. Hu Rong, Asia Director of NL Urban Solutions, noted that the role of designers and urban planners is to restore the balance among people, nature, and industry on a spatial level. She hopes that Europe and China will establish closer cooperation in the fields of low-carbon cities, water resource management, and design to share experiences and jointly create a future.
Rong Hu, Head of Asia, NL Urban Solutions
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The participants also discussed the current landscape and policies for international brands at CIFF, cooperation between CIFF exhibitors and European partners, as well as the pricing and market positioning of specific products.
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In the future, CIFF (Guangzhou) will continue to leverage its role as a hub platform, extensively integrate premium global industry resources, explore the potential of China-Europe cooperation, and fully promote regular exchanges and collaboration between China and Europe in the furniture and creative sectors, injecting sustained momentum into the synergistic development of the global furniture industry.
Mark your calendar for the 57th CIFF (Guangzhou), the premier home furnishing event of the year! Join us for two exclusive sessions: March 18-21 & 28-31, 2026.
