Highlights From NeoCon 2024
This year's event took on the industry's commitment to eco-friendly practices and sustainable deisgn solutions.
NeoCon 2024, the premier event in the commercial design industry, once again set the stage for innovation, creativity, and future-forward thinking. Held at the iconic Merchandise Mart in Chicago, this year's NeoCon brought together designers, architects, manufacturers, and thought leaders from around the globe.
From June 10-12, the event showcased the latest trends, groundbreaking products, and visionary concepts that are shaping the future of commercial interiors. With a diverse range of exhibitors, thought-provoking keynote presentations, and immersive installations, NeoCon 2024 proved to be an essential hub for networking, learning, and inspiration.
This year's theme, NeoCon highlighted the industry's commitment to eco-friendly practices and sustainable design solutions, making it a must-attend for professionals dedicated to creating spaces that are not only aesthetically pleasing but also environmentally responsible.
In this article, we look at several brands that exhibited at NeoCon.
1. Isomi
Established in 2011 by Paul Crofts, Nick Welsh, and Jenny Davies; Isomi is an award-winning brand that produces flexible modular furniture systems. Many of Isomi’s modular furniture systems come in hot rolled steel, copper, solid surface, concrete, and brass to make each piece cost-effective and look effortless.
This year being their first exhibiting at NeoCon, they launched new products and had a showroom. The products – MOODLight Chair (which is a combination of high-quality design and health benefits aimed at alleviating the effects of Seasonal Affective Disorder SAD), Layer (a flexible modular desk system), and Tejo (a sustainable cork sofa).
The Layer desk system won Gold in the category of Furniture Systems; it was recognized by the judges for its innovative mix-and-match designs. Tejo cork sofa, being built entirely from the ground up, was awarded and recognized with a prestigious Sustainability Award at Best of NeoCon 2024.Â
Tejo comprises 3 distinct main elements with different depths – a sofa, a bench, and a back-to-back sofa. Each material that was used in Tejo’s construction was obtained from nature.
2. Pedrali
This Italian (furniture) company prides itself on 3 tenets – Innovation, Beauty, and Tradition. They make and produce contemporary furniture for contract and residential projects. Each of their products and collections is from functional and versatile industrial design products like upholstery, plastic materials, or wood.
For NeoCon, Pedrali took part in the 55th edition for the 5th time by launching ideas and products that make public spaces avant-garde and flexible. Ancillary furniture, seating, and tables conceived for the workspace were showcased.
3. Momentum Textiles & Wallcovering
In a collaboration with Yinka Ilori, both powerhouses designed and showcased a collaboration of wallcoverings and textiles.
Dwelling on Ilori’s bold and vibrant works inspired by his dual heritage and playful designs for urban spaces – The Textile collections blend cultural storytelling with imaginative designs and patterns. The Wallcovering collections has a playful pattern that infuses professional environments with eye-catching emotional impact and exuberance.
4. Concertex
Concertex’s foundation is built on Technology in a bid to approach product design and development. Offering six product categories – Outdoor, Acoustic, Coated Fabrics, Textiles, Wallcoverings & Wall Tiles solutions; Concertex continually expands the potential of performance textiles through innovative solutions for the contract, hospitality, and healthcare spaces.
At NeoCon, Concertex revealed and showcased their Idyllic collection which won the NeoCon Silver for Performance Textiles. They also showcased Essentia – a tile designed to bring the inner essence into outer spaces.
5. Mink Contract
Mink Contract, a manufacturing agency that serves the Architectural & Design communities representing brands like Buzzi, Space, Arper, Fritz Hansen, and Scandinavian Spaces; was present at NeoCon.
In partnership with The Good Plastic Company, both companies released and showcased their 100% recycled and recyclable surface materials, Polygood.
6. Arc-Com
This leading tactile and wall coverings supplier in the contact industry exhibited their Explorer collection and a new textile pattern, Andromeda.
7. Carnegie Fabrics
At NeoCon, Carnegie unveiled the Carnegie Changemaker Experience in the Metropolis Lab to buttress the point and research done by Metropolis Magazine to build a better future with Materials that Matter.
They also showcased their Conscious Collection, a combination of Carnegie’s authentic commitment to the environment with versatile functionality through materials like biobased Xorel, embossed vinyl alternatives, and printed silicone hybrids.
They also showcased their Xorel Hyper Sonic acoustics breaking that barrier between acoustic performance and iconic designs.
8. Ultra Fabrics
Ultra Fabrics has been in the business of setting the standard on high-tech performance fabrics in the hospitality, transportation, fashion, furniture, and healthcare sectors.
For NeoCon, Ultra Fabrics exhibited and showcased several collections including Volar Bio and Ultraleather.
