The furniture sector is a strong point and a flagship of the Italian Design system. The most recent available data, processed by the FederlegnoArredo Study Center based on Istat data, confirm the resilience and stability of the sector. In 2024, the sector closed with a production turnover of 51.6 billion euros, showing a decline of 3.1%, a decrease that aligns with the normalization phase that began in 2023, after two years of significant growth.

This decline is considered natural by sector operators, given the need to stabilize the previously mentioned data and the extraordinary challenges facing international trade.

Claudio Feltrin pointed out how the reduction in tax incentives has negatively impacted domestic sales, while geopolitical turbulence and international trade tensions represent a crucial challenge for the sector's future.

The President of FederlegnoArredo declared: “We can say that the supply chain has navigated better than others, even in very stormy waters. The industrial production data for 2024 is close to that of 2019, a sign of the sector’s resilience and the value recognized in our products, synonymous with quality, innovation, and style.”

An event of extraordinary importance for the furniture sector and the entire Italian Design system is the Salone Internazionale del Mobile in Milan.

The 63^rd edition of the event will take place in the Lombard capital from April 8 to 13, 2025, covering over 169,000 square meters of exhibition space, with over 2,000 exhibitors from more than 37 countries.

The strength and centrality of the Salone are fully confirmed: it is enough to consider that the Italian brands present at the fair generate a total turnover of 9,238,429,199 euros, which accounts for 34% of the turnover of the entire national macro-furniture system.

The growth of foreign brands, with a turnover of 6,989,984,073 euros, further confirms the positive trajectory of the event's evolution, positioning it as an advanced ecosystem capable of supporting innovation through future-oriented business models.

This year’s edition will feature four events: the Salone Internazionale del Mobile, the Salone Internazionale del Complemento d’Arredo, Workplace 3.0, and S.Project, showcasing over 1,000 brands.

One of the most anticipated events is undoubtedly the return of Euroluce, a section covering over 32,000 square meters and hosting more than 300 brands, with 46.5% of exhibitors coming from abroad, representing 25 countries.

A new feature of the 2025 edition is the first Euroluce International Lighting Forum, set for April 10-11: a multidisciplinary arena on light, focusing on Technology, Sustainability, and the Future.

Lighting will be narrated, interpreted, and studied not just as a functional component but also as a storytelling tool, capable of influencing environments and emotions: light, therefore, as a design language, capable of enriching spaces and enhancing the quality of life.

Carlo Urbinati, President of Assoluce FederlegnoArredo, emphasized: “After the success of the renewed 2023 format, Euroluce 2025 promises to be an edition of the highest level, with broad participation from both large and small companies in the sector, and a significant return of foreign brands, confirming how the Salone del Mobile in Milan is a strategic event, especially for a sector like lighting, where export accounts for nearly 80% of production.”

The SaloneSatellite 2025, now in its 25^th edition, reaffirms its role as a creative laboratory for emerging design, offering visibility and professional opportunities to 700 designers under 35 and 20 international Schools and Universities.

Founded in 1998 by Marva Griffin Wilshire, SaloneSatellite has always been a meeting point between young talents and industry, anticipating sector trends and fostering dialogue between innovation and the culture of design.

This year’s theme, “New Craftsmanship: A New World,” explores the value of craftsmanship in contemporary design, questioning how it can evolve, innovate, and be passed down.

In halls 5 and 7 of Fiera Milano Rho, participants will showcase how traditional processes and materials can be reinterpreted to meet the challenges of the present, balancing Sustainability, Digitization, and Innovation.

Craftsmanship, as is widely recognized, is no longer just a cultural heritage but a strategic resource for the future of design, capable of engaging with industry without losing its identity.

The 2025 edition will also feature six Artisanal Workshops, selected to demonstrate how manual techniques can be applied in contemporary design while maintaining their excellence.

The Salone del Mobile, therefore, highlights the established excellence of Italian Design but also focuses on the emergence of new design and production paradigms capable of building possible future worlds, according to the keywords of Innovation, Sustainability, and Creativity.

Being present at the fair means not only accessing the most important business platform for the sector, essential for identifying new market opportunities, but also positioning oneself at the cutting edge of the sector’s languages and perspectives.

Maria Porro, President of the Salone del Mobile in Milan, astutely emphasized: “Participating in the Salone means exhibiting, connecting, creating value, but also actively contributing to the evolution of the sector, within a platform that fuels the debate on future scenarios and visions.”