ROSEMONT, Ill. — According to Koelnmesse Inc., 2025 was h+h americas’ most-successful year yet. The global handicraft industry show reported a 29.7% attendance increase, welcoming more than 5,180 attendees at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center from May 7-9.
Even with political and economic headwinds around the world, the show saw a record 120 international companies this year.
“Some of them, especially from Canada, were a little concerned about traveling to the U.S.,” Mette Petersen, President and Managing Director of Koelnmesse Inc., said. “But despite the uncertainties and ongoing political challenges, they wrote excellent orders as usual, achieved their ROI … [and] plan to return to h+h americas again next year. The growth in attendees and exhibitors showcases the drive for business to find a path forward.”
h+h americas attracted 219 new exhibiting companies (39.4% of its total of 558) in 2025.
Growth Factors
Petersen and Darrin Stern, Vice President and Show Director at Koelnmesse Inc., shared that extensive marketing and sales initiatives, and exhibitor and attendee roundtables which provide feedback and suggestions from the industry throughout the year, helped h+h americas grow.
“We also have a close relationship with our excellent partner, the Craft Industry Alliance, and their Co-Founder Abby Glassenberg, who is very attuned to new community trends and customer needs,” Stern said. “We just love working with this fun and creative industry, and work closely with many of our manufacturers. With our amazing, well-organized [and] hard-working team, we were able to pull off an outstanding show. With our growing activities we are also looking to expand our team as well.”
Related. h+h americas Breaks Records in 2024
New Additions
h+h americas introduced a German Pavilion in 2025, a project that was in the works for several years, because h+h americas is a geo-cloned version of h+h cologne.
“German companies have been wanting access to the U.S. market,” Petersen said. “The pavilion gives exhibitors the ideal opportunity to present themselves under the ‘Made in Germany’ umbrella brand with benefits from an attractive service package, favorable conditions and professional organization and support. This program is a testament to the German government’s support for the industry and its exporting activities.”
The pavilion was open to all German companies and 12 organizations participated. German Counsel General Michael Ahrens visited the show on its opening day for a special ribbon-cutting ceremony.
“Manufacturers from other countries encouraged us to develop similar programs from their country in the future,” Petersen said. “We hope and expect that the pavilion will return. The initial exhibitor feedback was very positive, so we look forward to growing the participation in the future.”
For organizers who are interested in geo-cloning an event, Petersen had this advice: “Create a balance between the original event … and the [new] event. It’s important to maintain and extend the identity of the ‘mother show,’ but equally important to develop an identity for the new show which serves the local market and local traditions.”
h+h americas 2025 also added numerous new theme-based pavilions, such as a Bead & Button Pavilion and a Designer Pavilion, and several new Art Exhibits. Also, it hosted its first movie premiere, screening an Oscar-nominated documentary titled The Quilters.
“We had a fabulous turnout and were delighted that the Producer of the movie, Jenifer McShane, was able to attend herself,” Stern shared. “We were especially delighted to host a premiere of an Oscar-nominated movie before it becomes available on Netflix in a few weeks. This was another attempt at developing innovative, out-of-the box activities showing extraordinary places where knitting, quilting and sewing take place.”
2026: Continued Success and a New Launch
h+h americas will return to the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center from May 6-8, 2026, and, the weekend before, be precluded by the inaugural edition of Koelnmesse Inc.’s Fiber + Fabric Craft Festival, which will be consumer-focused.
“This new event will complete the needs of the communities and make the combined events the springtime industry platform for B2B and B2C,” Petersen said.
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