Orgatec 26 : News from Cologne

Nov 3

4 min read

Updated: 7 days ago

The SbS team has just returned from an exciting trip in Cologne for the 2026 edition of Orgatec.

Here's some notes from our visit with, as you already know from our other posts, a focus on seating.

Expectations were initially low given the absence of several historic brands (Flokk, Wilkhahn, MillerKnoll...), and the reduction in overall floor space compared to previous editions was noticeable across the halls.

However, visitor turnout was very strong, and the general vibe across the fairgrounds was overwhelmingly positive.

This year's guiding theme, From rooms to relationships: designing spaces in an ever-changing world, confirmed an unstoppable paradigm shift: the office is no longer a sea of fixed desks, but a flexible ecosystem centered around people, well-being, and collaboration.

Probably starting right from the industry's flagship fair.

For anyone designing or manufacturing office seating and furniture systems, this year’s edition offered crystal-clear directions on where the industry is heading.

Here is our breakdown of the main technical trends and innovations that will define production in the coming years.

Adaptive (and Active) Ergonomic Seating

The modern user wants to sit down and immediately find the right ergonomic support without having to adjust three or four different levers.

The seat often allows for controlled pelvic movement, actively engaging the user's core muscles.

Lumbar support is no longer rigid or fixed: it dynamically follows the user throughout the workday and easily adjusts to deliver maximum comfort.

At Orgatec, we tested numerous self-adjust mechanisms, independent dynamic lumbar supports, and plenty of Active Seating solutions—which this year appeared less gimmicky and more thoroughly integrated.

To put it simply: the iconic Swiss-ball style product has given way to integrated mechanisms offering similar health benefits within much more practical footprints.

The clear takeaway from Orgatec is that the market no longer views Active Seating as a niche add-on to keep next to a regular task chair. Instead, it demands that every modern office chair be inherently dynamic, actively preventing sedentary posture through intuitive controls or self-adjusting mechanisms.

New Product Highlights

Among the many new products showcased, here are a few standouts that caught our attention.

We start with Inclass’s new chair inspired by organic design, featuring a leaf-shaped backrest, and - again- very intuitive and user friendly.

And also NARBUTAS's SILORA, featuring an asymmetrical lumbar support smoothly integrated into the backrest looks outstanding.

ICF has introduced a new chair that completely eliminates polyurethane foam and features a removable seat cover.

Material reduction and less use of PU were in fact popular choices for new products.

We also found the new product by Comfordy very intriguing: developed in collaboration with ITO DESIGN, it features a screwless assembly system:

Another major trend: after years dominated by all-mesh products, this year wenoticed a strong comeback of upholstered products in the mid-to-high segment, featuring premium fabrics—such as latest chair by Interstuhl.

Finally, the postural segment—with its heavy emphasis on ergonomic performance—was particularly prominent. Amongst the others we found out a very interesting kneeling chair that can be converted into workbench and standard chair and also a product from Tronhill that offers a superior comfort thanks to several pneumatic adjustments both on the back and on the seat.

The Decline of the Open Space

The ongoing debate over the effectiveness of open-plan offices reached a definitive turning point at Orgatec: the traditional open space is stepping back to make room for Activity-Based Working (ABW) environments.

These layouts revolve around 4 core activities within dedicated zones:

Focus Zones: For individual deep work.
Collaboration Zones: Meeting rooms and lounge spaces for teamwork.
Communication Zones: Phone booths and acoustic pods for quick calls and video chats without disturbing others.
Social Hubs: Break and lounge areas for informal interactions.

In this evolving context, office products require intuitive mechanics: task chairs rely on self-weighing mechanisms and instant adjustments, as they are used by different people every day.

Furniture is becoming hybrid and mobile, driving strong demand for task-lounge armchairs, wheeled frames, acoustic panels, and easily reconfigurable components.

Our question is how existing open spaces—often designed with little regard for personal privacy and working comfort—can be retrofitted or improved. Hybrid furniture solutions will likely play a key role in this transition, allowing companies to upgrade existing layouts without requiring massive capital investments.

Color and Material Trends

At Orgatec 2026, the overarching goal across all stands was clear: humanizing the workplace by softening industrial coldness with warm color palettes, tactile textures, and sustainable yet high-performance materials.

1. Color Trends: The "Domestic Office" and the Return to Nature

The palette seen in Cologne marks the end of uniform office gray in favor of shades that evoke home and nature:

Earth and Nature Tones: Terracotta, rust/amber, clay, sage green, and mossy greens dominate seat upholstery and lounge chairs.
Warm Neutral Palette: Light, luminous shades ranging from sand to mustard replace traditional grays. They blend seamlessly with natural materials and earth tones, bringing warmth and light to the workspace.
Tactile Contrasts: Dark metallic finishes (such as matte black and burnished chrome) are paired with warm, desaturated color palettes to create spaces that feel both refined and welcoming.

2. Material Trends: Circularity, Warmth, and Acoustic Performance

Materials showcased at Orgatec serve both aesthetic and functional roles, prioritized for their low environmental impact as well as tactile and acoustic comfort:

Natural and Structural Wood: Solid wood and visible bent plywood (especially oak and straight-grain ash) are making a strong push into task seating, armchair shells, and modular desk legs, adding a warm, organic touch.
Palmberg presented a particularly interesting solution here, proving how short the step is from peeled veneer to a hollow wooden post.
Tactile and 3D Fabrics: Standard coverings are giving way to bouclé yarns and textured recycled fabrics. On task chairs, mesh is becoming increasingly technical, utilizing 3D knits that ensure breathability, elasticity, and personalized body support.
Integrated Acoustic Panels: Sound absorption is directly built into seating and spatial elements: from felt-backed or upcycled wool padded backrests to acoustic micro-architecture (pods and cabins), perfectly aligning seating aesthetics with the surrounding environment.