Through a product showcase and a trade mission, the initiative will drive business, expand strategic connections and strengthen the global positioning of Brazil’s furniture industry
The Brazilian Furniture Project is moving into the second half of the year with a calendar of trade shows, exhibitions and business meetings in strategic markets for Brazil’s furniture industry.
One of its next stops is Medellín, Colombia, where the program — led by ABIMÓVEL (Brazilian Furniture Industry Association) in partnership with ApexBrasil (Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency) — will bring 41 Brazilian companies to the 13th edition of La Feria de Diseño Medellín, held September 10–12, 2026.
Brazil’s participation will unfold across two complementary fronts: a Product Showcase and a Trade Mission.
In the exhibition area, 15 brands will present furniture, solutions and diverse expressions of Brazilian design to an international professional audience drawn from Latin America and other regions.
At the same time, all 41 companies will take part in B2B meetings with 25 Latin American buyers. The agenda will connect the experience of seeing the furniture firsthand with the conversations that shape its path to market — from portfolios, pricing and order volumes to customization, distribution, logistics and project applications.
A trade show for those who design, specify and buy
This year, La Feria de Diseño will bring together 285 brands through a program that approaches design as a cultural practice, a productive force and a commercial activity. The event combines an academic program with business gatherings and spaces dedicated to materials research, creative processes and new product applications.
That structure helps explain the Brazilian furniture industry’s interest in the event. La Feria de Diseño is not intended solely for visitors following launches and trends. It is especially relevant to the professionals directly involved in industry decision-making: importers, distributors, architects, designers, specifiers and those responsible for residential, corporate, hospitality and commercial projects.
Connections: from a product’s origins to the marketplace
This journey — from creation and production to specification and the marketplace — is at the heart of Brazil’s participation. After all, furniture does not begin as a finished object. It starts with research, place, cultural references, raw materials, production inputs, design, engineering, technical expertise and manufacturing. Then come the professionals who select it, the channels that distribute it, the spaces that receive it and the people who ultimately use it.
“Connections” grew out of this network of relationships. Introduced by ABIMÓVEL at Salone del Mobile.Milano 2026 in Italy, the concept has since become the unifying theme for Brazilian Furniture’s international activities throughout the year.
In Medellín, “Connections” will once again shape the exhibition design of Espaço Brasil, the Brazil Pavilion. The idea is to present the country collectively while preserving the identity of each brand and highlighting a furniture industry that cannot be defined by a single aesthetic.
The participating companies represent different regions, sizes, styles, areas of expertise and bodies of knowledge. Together, they demonstrate the ability to work across industrial-scale manufacturing and customization, responding to different ways of living, working and inhabiting spaces in Brazil and around the world.
“Connections” also has a commercial dimension. The exhibition design makes visible the relationships behind the products, while the trade mission brings companies closer to the professionals who can move those products into the marketplace. The concept therefore extends beyond visual language to express the very structure of Brazil’s participation: connecting creativity with industry, products with projects, and production capacity with business opportunities.
Colombia gains ground as a destination for Brazilian furniture
Medellín’s relevance extends beyond the trade show itself. The city has raised its profile as one of Latin America’s creative economy hubs, bringing together architecture, design, fashion, lifestyle, art, innovation and business.
That creative momentum is matched by a growing trade relationship. Colombia has been increasing its purchases of Brazilian furniture, mattresses, components, raw materials, machinery and other industry supplies.
Between January and June 2026, Colombia imported $9.7 million in furniture and mattresses from Brazil, up 37.6% from the first half of 2025. The country accounted for 2.8% of Brazilian exports in the segment and ranked among the industry’s 10 leading international destinations during the period.
Brazil’s participation in Medellín also comes as the industry’s trade map is shifting, with Latin America playing an increasingly important role in export strategies. In addition to Colombia, Uruguay, Argentina, Peru, Paraguay and Bolivia increased their imports of Brazilian furniture and mattresses during the first half of the year, supported by geographic proximity, cultural affinity, shorter lead times and existing trade agreements.
Export Destinations
(year-to-date)Among the main external consumer markets for Brazilian furniture and mattresses, in the year-to-date from January to June 2026, the shares of the United States (17.4%), Uruguay (12.9%), and Chile (7.6%) stood out.
| Countries | Jan-Jun/2024 | Jan-Jun/2025 | Jan-Jun/2026 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US$ thousand | Share (%) | US$ thousand | Share (%) | US$ thousand | Share (%) | |
| 1. United States 42.0% | 106,780 | 30.5% | 104,701 | 28.0% | 60,742 | 17.4% |
| 2. Uruguay 17.0% | 34,131 | 9.7% | 38,539 | 10.3% | 45,089 | 12.9% |
| 3. Chile 4.3% | 27,779 | 7.9% | 27,623 | 7.4% | 26,426 | 7.6% |
| 4. Argentina 71.5% | 3,754 | 1.1% | 14,484 | 3.9% | 24,844 | 7.1% |
| 5. Peru 72.9% | 17,368 | 5.0% | 13,492 | 3.6% | 23,326 | 6.7% |
| 6. Paraguay 17.9% | 13,294 | 3.8% | 18,040 | 4.8% | 21,262 | 6.1% |
| 7. United Kingdom 16.1% | 22,065 | 6.3% | 20,619 | 5.5% | 17,300 | 4.9% |
| 8. Mexico 18.0% | 9,531 | 2.7% | 13,919 | 3.7% | 11,411 | 3.3% |
| 9. Colombia 37.6% | 4,623 | 1.3% | 7,069 | 1.9% | 9,724 | 2.8% |
| 10. Bolivia 22.6% | 9,460 | 2.7% | 7,327 | 2.0% | 8,986 | 2.6% |
| Subtotal | 248,786 | 71.0% | 265,812 | 71.0% | 249,109 | 71.2% |
| Others | 101,705 | 29.0% | 108,379 | 29.0% | 100,621 | 28.8% |
| Total | 350,492 | 100.0% | 374,191 | 100.0% | 349,730 | 100.0% |
Source: Secex (Ministry of Economy). Elaboration: IEMI.
Note: Does not include seats for aircraft and motor vehicles, nor parts of furniture, nor parts of seats.
Against this backdrop, La Feria de Diseño provides a platform to turn interest in Brazilian products into new partnerships, projects, business opportunities and distribution channels.
From product exposure to new sales channels
For Brazilian brands, combining an exhibition with B2B meetings creates multiple entry points into the Colombian and broader Latin American markets. While the showcase highlights materials, finishes, production solutions and design attributes, the business meetings allow companies to better understand local demand, assess market response to their portfolios, identify potential adaptations and move negotiations forward with international buyers.
This approach reflects the Brazilian Furniture’s core objectives: expanding and diversifying the global presence of Brazil’s furniture industry, strengthening its competitiveness, facilitating access to strategic markets and supporting the development of lasting business relationships. Through international promotion, market intelligence and business matchmaking, the program works to turn global visibility into business and a consistent presence in international markets.
Through this initiative, ABIMÓVEL and ApexBrasil are deepening the industry’s internationalization efforts in a market already responding positively to Brazilian exports. More than another event on the program’s calendar, La Feria de Diseño Medellín represents an opportunity to consolidate a growing commercial relationship and connect the full market ecosystem across a region of increasing strategic importance to Brazil’s furniture industry.
Event details
La Feria de Diseño Medellín
September 10–12, 2026
Plaza Mayor Medellín
Medellín, Colombia
Brazilian Furniture Project
Created by ABIMÓVEL in partnership with ApexBrasil, the Brazilian Furniture Project connects Brazilian companies with opportunities across global markets.
Through participation in leading trade shows, international business matchmaking, market intelligence, branding and trade promotion initiatives, as well as sustainability and industry-integrated design programs, the project brings companies closer to buyers and aligns products with market demand. These initiatives increase the visibility of participating brands and strengthen Brazil’s presence in the global furniture industry.
With hundreds of participating companies, Brazilian Furniture operates across two complementary segments: Furniture and Components, Machinery, and Industry Suppliers. Together, they showcase the strength, diversity, quality, innovation, and production capabilities of Brazil’s entire furniture value chain.
Showcase your brand at the industry’s leading international events, connect with global buyers, and expand into new markets with Brazilian Furniture.
Join the project: brazilianfurniture.org.brAbout ABIMÓVEL
For nearly five decades, the Brazilian Furniture Industry Association (ABIMÓVEL) has represented, developed, and strengthened Brazil’s furniture chain, bringing together and supporting companies of all sizes—from micro and small businesses to large manufacturers. The Association advances a positive agenda for an industry comprising more than 22,800 companies, which generated over BRL 92.1 billion in revenue and 287,200 direct jobs in 2025, within a value chain responsible for approximately 1.1 million jobs.
Through ongoing engagement with government agencies, business associations, and national and international institutions, ABIMÓVEL serves as a bridge between the public and private sectors. The Association advocates for the interests of the industry and contributes to the development of policies, strategies, and initiatives focused on competitiveness, legal certainty, and the sector’s sustainable growth.
Throughout its history, ABIMÓVEL has led programs and initiatives in business development, design, sustainability, technical standardization, innovation, and international expansion, strengthening the position of Brazilian furniture in domestic and global markets. Brazil is currently the largest furniture producer in Latin America and the seventh largest worldwide—a position that reflects the strategic importance of a diverse, geographically widespread value chain that continues to evolve in step with market transformations.
abimovel.comAbout ApexBrasil
The Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil) works to promote Brazilian products and services abroad and attract foreign investments to strategic sectors of the Brazilian economy.
In order to achieve its goals, ApexBrasil carries out several trade promotion initiatives aimed at promoting Brazilian products and services abroad, such as prospective and trade missions, business rounds, support to the participation of Brazilian companies in major international fairs, visits of foreign buyers and opinion makers to learn about the Brazilian productive structure, among other business platforms that also aim at strengthening the Brazil brand.
The Agency also acts in a coordinated way with public and private players to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) to Brazil with a focus on strategic sectors for the development of the competitiveness of Brazilian companies and the country.
apexbrasil.com.brMÓVEIS: O NOSSO NEGÓCIO!
Associação Brasileira das Indústrias do Mobiliário – ABIMÓVEL
Assessoria de Imprensa: press@abimovel.com | +55 14 99156-0238
