ISH 2025 was held between March 17 – 21, 2025, at Messe Frankfurt, showcasing advancements in bathroom design, heating, cooling, and home automation.

With 2,183 exhibitors from 54 countries, ISH 2025 filled the entire Frankfurt exhibition grounds, which is a fairly comprehensive overview of the latest developments in the far-reaching sector.

With a focus on the theme ‘Solutions for a Sustainable Future,’ ISH 2025 was awash with exhibitors introducing new bathroom concepts, ideas, and products.

Commenting on the aftermath of the show, president and CEO of Messe Frankfurt, Wolfgang Marzin, said: “Our exhibitors have shown that the transition to a sustainable economy is not only vital, but already underway – despite the challenges we currently face.

“They are developing technologies that improve our daily lives while making them more sustainable. ISH has reaffirmed its status as the world’s leading trade fair: 72% international exhibitors and 163,157 visitors speak for themselves.”

Product showcase

Although there was innovation in sustainability throughout the show, the common thread across many bathroom exhibitors was actually not brand new products for retailers to yet again get their head around, but the reimagining or updating of current ranges and collections.

Roca, for example, has enlisted Barcelona-based design studio Altherr Désile Park to redesign its Meridian bathroom collection.

On display, Meridian illustrated the Mediterranean lifestyle with the lightness of the arches and curves in which the square is inscribed. Balancing warmth, softness, and light, the aim is to create a contemporary design that appeals to the majority in the 170 countries in which Roca is represented.

Similarly, VitrA has listened to its retail channel (and says it will continue to do so, in order to further inform the R&D of upcoming releases) and has made some of its basins more compatible with its bathroom furniture.

The brand has also updated its Plural collection, designed by the acclaimed Terri Pecora, by expanding storage capacity.

Perhaps unsurprisingly given its location, German brand Hansgrohe made a big splash at ISH this year.

Continuing the theme of refreshing product lines, the bathroom manufacturer has updated its Raindance shower and revealed Raindance Alive – with new features that incorporate a combination of Rain and PowderRain spray types.

The new design of the spray disk stands out with a tactile, soft, and natural appearance – which looks more like a speaker than a showerhead.

The shower pipe and thermostatic control have also been reimagined, with a flat profile that is as close to the wall as possible. As well as creating a minimalist look, this close to the wall appearance also maximises the space in the showering area.

Laufen has been busy since parent company Roca Group saved the Alape brand from insolvency, impressively integrating Alape’s steel capabilities into the Laufen family with 3D-printed basins.

Visitors at ISH were transported into the ‘Hidden Garden’, an immersive space within the Alape stand, where futuristic designs take centre stage.

Inspired by nature and tranquillity, the environment showcased the potential of 3D printing in redefining customisation. Think more design freedom, bespoke individualisation, hybrid functionality, enhanced sustainability, better precision, and faster prototype development.

Overall, the vast offering for retailers is well worth the visit. Just the sheer amount of money spent on stands would indicate the brands exhibiting take the show seriously.

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Retailer thoughts

Paul Crow, MD of Ripples

I thought ISH 2025 was okay. I don’t mean that negatively, as I’m glad that I went, but the reality is that it’s like walking through a high-end shopping mall and expecting something new and different from the last time you visited.

Sure, the window dressing has changed a little, the merchandising now has one foot in the sustainability camp, but it’s still the same sign and logo above the window.

Perhaps the only thing that has noticeably changed is that some manufacturers have now vacated the show whilst others have expanded to occupy the space they once had.

Those that were present, were (product wise) all a bit safe, corporate and professional which tells you how much the industry has moved on with finance people being heard over the creative ones. The show is crying out for a bit of disruption. Perhaps I was in the wrong show for that or simply looked in the wrong places.

The main take-away for me was that the manufacturers present, who we partner with for their products, services, people and overall support of our goals are all clearly getting stronger and better at what they do.

Hansgrohe are, as I said two years ago, aggressively attacking anyone who makes a product for the bathroom and won’t stop until they win.

I had hoped for a bit more on the Axor side than was shown, but there is still enough for us to get excited about, though perhaps not as much as those that favour the Hansgrohe products over their more expensive sibling brand.

I was also relieved to see that Roca had used the Alape acquisition to elevate Laufen to a new level, as my fear was that it would be neglected. I’d been a little underwhelmed at the previous show and put this down to the post COVID disruption.

This time I felt like it was a show-within-a-show and probably needed half a day to navigate on its own. They deserve credit for their bravery and the products were very well received by our designers.

Overall, it’s encouraging to see the industry continuing to host events like this, as it suggests confidence in consumer demand for these products – positive news for those of us in retail. If, at the next show there is a migration away from variations of metallic colours and a few less copycat coloured basins and shower trays, our designers would be a bit happier.

It’ll be interesting to see how things move forward over the next two years.

Kenneth Luck, Luck and Fuller Bathroom Design Studio

ISH 2025 was huge! You can clearly tell who spent money on the show and who didn’t. Not all the exhibitors showed innovation, design flair, or inspiration, but overall it was a really good experience.

Like all exhibitions, it’s good to compare brands against each other and, as an independent retailer, there’s real value in attending these shows.

Kenneth’s ISH 2025 top five trends…

1. Offset furniture is on the rise
2. Stone countertop basins are also in
3. Spa showering is becoming more affordable
4. Laufen is launching new brassware ranges that look amazing
5. It’s the year of the Japanese toilet! I think they’ll become more mainstream