The Inspired Home Show

What The Inspired Home Show does

The Inspired Home Show is the world's leading annual trade event for the home and housewares industry, operated by the International Housewares Association (IHA), a not-for-profit trade association headquartered in Rosemont, Illinois. The three-day show at McCormick Place in Chicago features more than 2,000 brands and 300,000 products across four categories (Clean + Contain, Dine + Décor, Wired + Well, and International Sourcing), drawing verified retail buyers from more than 120 countries and generating nearly 600 million media impressions. The show targets professional retail buyers from major chains, department stores, and specialty stores, alongside exhibitor manufacturers and trade media, with 78% of exhibitors expecting new business and 91.5% of verified retailers holding purchase authority.

The company monetizes primarily through exhibitor booth space rentals at $24.50-$44.00 per square foot (tiered by membership status, with a new $34.50/sq ft premium tier for 2027), recurring IHA membership fees ($1,000-$2,000 annually), trade guest badge fees (up to $1,000 each, capped at 5 per company), sponsorships, and ancillary marketing services. Its technology platform comprises the year-round Connect 365 digital marketplace (launched 2021), an official mobile application powered by MapYourShow, and supporting lead-retrieval and buyers-list services. Sub-brands include the gia Global Innovation Awards (running 25+ years) and the trade publication INSPIRED. Magazine.

The organization's go-to-market is event-driven: a flagship annual physical show anchors relationship development, while year-round digital engagement extends product discovery, brand visibility, and buyer-supplier connection beyond the live event. Strategic partnerships with category associations (National Candle Association, American Pet Products Association, Travel Goods Association, SPLiCE) and international sourcing partners (HKTDC, Brazilian, Indonesian, Turkish, and Indian export programs) extend the show's vertical and geographic reach, while a long-running collaboration with Pantone Color Institute reinforces the show's role as the industry's bellwether trend authority.

Name

The Inspired Home Show

Legal name

International Housewares Association

Website

https://theinspiredhomeshow.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Inspired Home Show is North America's largest annual home and housewares trade fair, owned by the International Housewares Association and held at McCormick Place in Chicago. It connects 2,000+ exhibiting brands with verified retail buyers from 120+ countries across four product categories.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trade Show and B2B Event Services

akta.pro primary industry

Retail, Consumer Goods & Lifestyle Shows Organizers (THAHABAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Virtual Trade Shows & Expos (Digital Booths, Lead Capture) (MPAGAOAB)

Keywords

• Trade show events
• Housewares industry
• B2B exhibition services
• Retail buyer sourcing
• Home products marketplace

Headquarters

HQ city

Rosemont

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Exhibitor Booth Space Rental: Revenue generated from companies reserving exhibit space at the show. Space rates vary by membership status and location type (regular vs premium).
2. IHA Membership Fees: Annual membership fees for companies: $1,000 for companies with less than $10M in annual sales, $2,000 for companies with more than $10M in annual sales.
3. Trade Guest Badges: Fees for trade guests and non-exhibiting suppliers: up to $1,000 per badge for certain categories, with limits on badge quantity per company.
4. Sponsorship and Marketing Services: Various marketing opportunities including booth signage, product displays, shuttle bus advertising, in-booth events, and sponsorship placements.
5. Buyer Resources and Education: Free resources for attendees including webinars, trend reports, IHA State of the Industry reports, and educational content.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

The Inspired Home Show is North America's largest annual home and housewares trade show, held over three days in March at McCormick Place in Chicago. The Show connects 2,000+ brands and 300,000+ products with qualified retail buyers from over 120 countries across 23 retail channels, supplemented by year-round digital engagement through the Connect 365 marketplace platform. Owned and operated by the International Housewares Association (IHA), the Show also hosts the gia Global Innovation Awards program, educational programming, keynotes, and networking events.

Product overview

The Inspired Home Show is a trade show platform operated by the International Housewares Association (IHA), representing North America's largest housewares industry event. The core offering is the annual physical trade show at McCormick Place in Chicago, complemented by year-round digital services. The product portfolio includes The Inspired Home Show (the main trade show event), Connect 365 (a digital marketplace platform), a Show Mobile App (powered by MapYourShow), the gia Global Innovation Awards program, and various exhibition services including New Product Showcase, Lead Retrieval Services, and Buyers Lists. The show is organized into four Categories (Clean + Contain, Dine + Décor, Wired + Well, International Sourcing) and features specialty pavilions including Candle Pavilion, Pet Products Pavilion, and SPLiCE Licensing Hub.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• gia (Global Innovation Awards): IHA's Global Innovation Awards program honoring excellence in home + housewares retailing, product design and student innovation
• Connect 365
• The Inspired Home Show

Products and services

• The Inspired Home Show (Annual Trade Show) North America's largest housewares trade show held annually at McCormick Place in Chicago, connecting home and housewares professionals from over 120 countries to discover new products, meet retail and manufacturer executives, and gain industry insights. Runs three days in March.
• Connect 365 Year-round digital marketplace allowing buyers and media to browse exhibiting companies, brands, and products, search by category, and connect directly with suppliers beyond the physical show dates.
• Show Mobile App Official mobile application for iPhone, Android and other mobile devices providing company/product search, category browsing, product images, catalogs, YouTube video links, Show floor maps, and social media access.
• gia Global Innovation Awards World's leading awards program honoring overall excellence, business innovation and creative merchandising in home goods retailing, including Excellence in Product Design, Excellence in Retailing, and Excellence in Student Design categories. Running over 25 years.
• Lead Retrieval Services Badge scanning service allowing exhibitors to capture buyer contact details for efficient post-Show follow-up.
• Connect 365 Buyers Lists Buyer and media data available to exhibiting companies for marketing campaigns, with restrictions on distribution to third parties.

Quantifiable outcome

• 78% of exhibitors expect new business as a result of exhibiting at the Show
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• National Candle Association (NCA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic collaboration to curate a collection of candle vendors in the Candle Pavilion at The Inspired Home Show. The partnership allows retailers to develop transformative relationships with new manufacturers during the Show.
• American Pet Products Association (APPA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration to feature the Pet Products Pavilion at The Inspired Home Show, allowing retailers to develop transformative relationships with new pet product manufacturers. Pre-Show buyers can access participating vendors through Connect 365 and the official mobile app.
• SPLiCE (Society of Product Licensors Committed to Excellence)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe SPLiCE Licensing Hub connects exhibitors and attendees with members of SPLiCE, bringing together the industry's leading licensors, product manufacturers, distributors and buyers to spark new opportunities and build lasting collaborations.
• Pantone Color InstitutecoreTechnology or IntegrationSince 2002, IHA has partnered with Pantone to create Pantone ColorWatch, an annual display at the Show illustrating the impact of color in the housewares industry. Features Pantone's Color of the Year.
• Travel Goods Association (TGA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince 2023, IHA and TGA collaborate to bring the Travel Goods Show to The Inspired Home Show as a designated Show floor destination, bringing travel goods industry products into the mix.
• Housewares Charity Foundation (HCF)coreOthersHCF hosts charitable events during The Inspired Home Show to unite the industry and honor its leaders. Since 1998, HCF has raised more than $56 million and donated more than $32 million to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.
• HKTDC (Hong Kong Trade Development Council)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHKTDC Hong Kong Pavilion features tableware, kitchenware and cookware products responding to the latest lifestyle, sustainability trends and quality requirements of global retailers. HKTDC's mission is to create opportunities for Hong Kong companies.
• Brazil Trade and Export InitiativesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIHA partners with leading Brazilian trade and export initiatives that connect manufacturers with global buyers and showcase innovative products at the Brazil Pavilion.
• Indonesia Export PartnersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCurated destination for high-quality, export-ready home and lifestyle products from Indonesian suppliers recognized for craftsmanship, strong finishing standards, and dependable production.
• Turkish Kitchenware IndustryminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTurkey Pavilion featuring leading producers of high-value industrial products including kitchenware and housewares. Turkish manufacturers are known for product innovation, high-quality production and efficient communication.
• Indian Export PartnersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGlobal Design Points country pavilion representing India, offering a look into emerging trends from various areas around the globe.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Las Vegas Market: Las Vegas Market is a major home furnishings and gift B2B trade show operated by ANDMORE (formerly International Market Centers) in Las Vegas. It targets the same retail buyer segment as The Inspired Home Show with overlapping categories including home décor and housewares.
• Atlanta Market: Atlanta Market, operated by ANDMORE at AmericasMart in Atlanta, is a major gift, home furnishings, and lifestyle B2B trade show held twice yearly. It is a direct competitor for housewares and home goods exhibitors and buyers in the southeastern U.S.
• NY NOW: NY NOW is a major twice-yearly B2B trade show in New York serving the home, lifestyle, gift, and housewares categories with a comparable exhibitor-buyer marketplace model. It directly competes for the same retail buyer audience as The Inspired Home Show across multiple product categories.
• High Point Market: High Point Market is the largest home furnishings industry trade show in the world, held twice yearly in High Point, North Carolina. While more focused on furniture and soft goods, it directly competes for home goods retail buyers and exhibitors in the U.S.
• Maison&Objet Paris: Maison&Objet is a leading international B2B trade show held bi-annually in Paris focused on home décor, design, and lifestyle products. It is the leading European peer to The Inspired Home Show with overlapping exhibitor brands targeting global retail buyers.
• Salone del Mobile.Milano: Salone del Mobile is the world's most important furniture design trade show, held annually in Milan. While more design-focused, it competes for home furnishings exhibitors and retail buyers in the global housewares/home goods space.
• Ambiente: Ambiente, held in Frankfurt by Messe Frankfurt, is the world's leading international consumer goods trade fair and the most direct global competitor to The Inspired Home Show. Both serve housewares and home product manufacturers connecting with retail buyers across multiple channels, with overlapping exhibitor and buyer bases.

Broad incumbents

• CES (Consumer Electronics Show): CES, operated by the Consumer Technology Association, is the world's largest annual trade show and a broad incumbent in the trade show industry. While focused on consumer electronics (overlapping with Inspired Home Show's "Wired + Well" category), it is a much larger established venue with cross-industry B2B commerce scale.

Regional players

• China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair): The Canton Fair is the largest trade fair in China and one of the largest in the world, with housewares and home goods as a major category. It is a regional player that competes for global exhibitor attention in sourcing and competes with the International Sourcing category at Inspired Home Show.
• Toronto Home + Garden Show / Toronto Gift + Home Market: Toronto-based home and gift trade events serve the Canadian market with comparable exhibitor-buyer models. They compete for North American exhibitor attention but operate primarily in a distinct geography from The Inspired Home Show.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/TIH_Show
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@housewaresShow
• Facebookfacebook.com/theinspiredhomeshow
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-inspired-home-show
• Instagraminstagram.com/theinspiredhomeshow
• TikToktiktok.com/@tih_show?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Inspired Home Show