The Interior Ecosystem to Gather at the Design-Centric Furnishings & Design Istanbul
Furnishings & Design Istanbul (FDI), where innovative, original, and inspiring solutions for interior design—ranging from furniture and lighting to home textiles and accessories—will be showcased, is preparing to open its doors at the Istanbul Expo Center from September 25-27, 2025. The introductory meeting for FDI 2025, organized by the Federation of Furniture Associations (MOSFED) and holding the distinction of being Turkey’s first design-oriented fair, was held at Istanbul Modern.
Prof. Dr. Ömer Bolat, Minister of Trade of the Republic of Türkiye: “I believe that our furniture sector, which increases added value in exports, brings design together with production, and proudly carries Turkey’s name in world markets, will once again demonstrate its strength and vision with FDI.”
Mustafa Gültepe, President of the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TİM): “The more competent we become in design, the stronger our brand awareness will be.”
Ahmet Güleç, President of the Federation of Furniture Associations (MOSFED): “FDI is not just a fair! It is a structure that brings together all components of the interior ecosystem, especially the furniture sector, on the same platform. It is not only products that are exhibited here; visions, ideas, and collaborations meet and develop.”
The Turkish furniture sector continues to stand out more each day in the international arena, not only with its steady growth in production and exports but also with its strong design vision. Furnishings & Design Istanbul (FDI), one of the most important meeting points for this vision, is preparing to bring together the sector’s newest and most inspiring designs with insightful conversations in its second year. The introductory meeting for FDI, which will open its doors at the Istanbul Expo Center from September 25–27, 2025, was hosted by Ahmet Güleç, President of the Federation of Furniture Associations (MOSFED). The meeting featured Prof. Dr. Ömer Bolat, Minister of Trade of the Republic of Türkiye, Volkan Ağar, Deputy Minister of Trade of the Republic of Türkiye, and Mustafa Gültepe, President of TİM, as speakers.
Design is a Powerful Tool
The fair’s introductory meeting, held under the main sponsorship of Yıldız Entegre and Kale Bodur, took place at Istanbul Modern. Stating that design today is not an end in itself but an extremely powerful tool when used correctly, MOSFED President Ahmet Güleç said, “Design is a powerful competitive tool. The primary expectation from design for all interior production areas, especially the furniture sector, is to increase sales—including exports—through originality, creativity, novelty, and innovation. However, this alone is not enough. It must be accompanied by an increase in profitability. While achieving these two commercial goals, design should also aim to minimize the ecological and social costs of the production and consumption chain. And finally, by realizing these three points, design should support sustainable branding. Producers and the design sector are mutually dependent. Our fate is one. We will either grow together or shrink together. If we can achieve this in furniture and all interior production areas, it will create a leverage effect. In other words, the development of design capabilities and talents in the industry will create a multiplier effect in the country’s economy that transcends sectoral boundaries. As MOSFED, we have undertaken a significant responsibility with this vision. Furnishings & Design Istanbul (FDI) is the concrete embodiment of this understanding.”
A Structure that Unites Visions, Ideas, and Collaborations
Underlining that Furnishings & Design Istanbul (FDI) is not just a fair but also a structure that brings together all components of the interior ecosystem on the same platform, especially the furniture sector, Güleç said, “It is not only products that are exhibited here; visions, ideas, and collaborations meet and develop. After a long preparation period, we held the first FDI meeting last year. With the motivation of the first year and the pride of creating the impact we desired, we set our sights higher this year. We increased our fair area from 5,000 square meters to 12,000 square meters, including the foyer. 100 of our brands will be exhibiting their products. Under the umbrella of FDI, products from brands that work with designers and develop new products and designs will be showcased. Additionally, we will have FDI Talks sessions for 3 days. In these sessions, many topics will be discussed, including sustainability, the value created by innovation and design, competitive strategies, and the impact of the green transition on the furniture sector. We will have foreign speakers from Germany, Belgium, and Italy. 70 experts, each a leader in their field, will speak on these panels. We will have exhibition areas that we greatly value and have meticulously prepared. Our Design Circle exhibition area will feature our brands’ innovative products. In our ‘New Horizon Exhibition’ areas, created with the valuable support of Enta, the products of young, talented, and creative designers who want to meet the sector will be featured. We have increased the number of our exhibitions to 8. Exhibitions developed with the support of the private sector, university exhibitions, and a 50th Anniversary exhibition will also be awaiting our visitors.”
Presenting Great Opportunities for Global Competition
Stating that the furniture sector continues to be a source of pride as one of Turkey’s most established and rapidly developing sectors, Prof. Dr. Ömer Bolat, Minister of Trade of the Republic of Türkiye, said, “We all have our labor, design skills, and hard work in this great success. Every single piece of furniture in our sector embodies the labor of master hands, years of experience, and our belief in innovation. Our furniture sector is a labor-intensive industry providing employment to around 245,000 people. Therefore, all our achievements in the sector are a shared success, from our craftsmen to our exporters. Our furniture sector has maintained its net exporter position for the last 20 years by providing significant added value to our economy with the final products it manufactures.” Minister Bolat emphasized that R&D, innovation, design, and brand awareness are among the most crucial needs of the sector, adding, “I believe that all our producers, industrialists, and exporters who serve the sector, from raw material producers to designers, and who strive to introduce Turkish furniture to the world, must work in unity and solidarity to make our country a center of attraction for furniture. The fundamental elements for our country to not only increase its modular furniture production capacity but also to gain an advantage in this intense competitive environment are to ‘differentiate’ by producing ‘design-oriented,’ ‘original,’ and ‘value-added’ products. While our furniture sector makes a strong contribution to our economy as one of Turkey’s net exporting sectors, it also stands out on a global scale with its understanding of design, innovation, and sustainable production. In this respect, we know that these organizations, which offer great opportunities to strengthen the position of the Turkish furniture and design sector in global competition, are an important platform reflecting the power and vision of our sector in the international arena.”
The First Fair Centered on Design
Highlighting that there are certain criteria for success in global trade, Mustafa Gültepe, President of the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TİM), said, “Sustainable success has specific criteria. What are they? High technology, R&D, innovation, branding, digitalization, green production, and of course, design. To secure a sustainable place in the market, we must place design at the center of our business processes. We must also use design as a lever to increase added value. Design increases recognition because it gets noticed. It strengthens the perception of quality because innovative and aesthetic products are memorable. It reinforces loyalty because the user chooses an aesthetic they identify with again. And the right design language creates strong associations identified with the brand.” Gültepe noted that the furniture sector has made significant progress in design, branding, and international expansion over the last 25 years, stating, “We export to over 200 countries. We are one of the few countries with a foreign trade surplus in this sector. Our broad market diversity makes us more resilient to regional and global crises. In the upcoming period, we need to increase the value per kilogram in exports by focusing even more on the design multiplier. Because we have an ambitious long-term goal to make Turkey one of the top 10 exporting countries. At this point, ‘Furnishings & Design Istanbul,’ which is the first fair centered on design in our country and its close geography, also undertakes an important mission in achieving this goal.”
Inspiring with a Wide Range of Content
This year’s FDI will inspire its visitors with a wide range of content, from sustainability to innovation and from design to production models. At the FDI Talks sessions, expert speakers will provide in-depth assessments of design, innovation, sustainability, and the future of the sector. In curatorial areas like Design Circle and New Horizon Exhibition, works by designers from different disciplines will be exhibited, thus opening design for discussion not just as an aesthetic element but also as an intellectual ground. The fair will also feature a special exhibition area narrating the historical journey of one of Turkey’s leading brands, which is celebrating its 50th year in the profession. Furthermore, products and concepts designed exclusively for FDI and produced by brands, which cannot be seen anywhere else, will also meet with visitors.
Originality is Showcased Through the Design Committee
One of the strongest cornerstones of FDI is its Design Committee, composed of respected names in the field. This committee, which brings together Turkey’s leading designers, architects, interior architects, and academics, bases its selection of all products to be exhibited at the fair on the criteria of “originality” and “collaboration with a designer.” Chaired by Prof. Dr. Alpay Er, Head of the Industrial Design Department at Özyeğin University, the committee includes Interior Architect and Designer Ahmet Raşit Karaaslan, Architect Aynur Yılmaz, Senior Interior Architect Cem Cemal Çobanoğlu, Strategic Communications Consultant Cengiz Ayyıldız, Industrial Product Designer and Interior Architect Ece Yalım, Designer-Curator-Educator Erdem Akan, and Industrial Designer Şule Koç.
