Las Vegas—If there was ever an instance where quality trumped quantity, it was The International Surface Event (TISE) 2026. With attendance estimated to be down due in large part to the massive winter storm that disrupted transportation for tens of thousands of people, Surfaces 2026 made up for it with a show that was hailed by manufacturers and retailers for its positivity and high energy.
“The quality of traffic and buying was strong,” Dana Hicks, group director for show organizer Informa, told FCNews. “People had positive things to say about purchasing, about booth traffic. Every year coming out of COVID-19 the quality of traffic here has been strong.”
The consensus among exhibitors was that people attended for all the right seasons. “Out” were the proverbial tire kickers, and “in” were the serious businesspeople.
“TISE was a great show this year and felt especially strong in terms of newness,” said Bruce Odette, president of Carpet Exchange, with 17 locations in Colorado. “There was a lot on the floor that felt fresh and different.”
Liz Rivera, product manager for FCA Network, Shorewood, Ill., added, “Surfaces is an important show if you’re serious about your business.”
Indeed, that level of importance was felt by many of the exhibitors, especially at some of the busier booths, like Stanton. “It’s nice to know that Stanton has become a destination,” said Adam Feldberg, senior director of product and innovation. “Day 1 we were slammed. Consumers are still spending on the better-end goods; we’re in a good niche.”
Some dealers said there were benefits to the lighter attendance. As Michel Vermette, CEO of AFS Group in Columbus, Ohio, explained, “It gave us time to have quality conversations with the most senior manufacturing/distributor leaders.”
For Alex Roberts, CEO of Roberts Carpet & Floors, Houston, the benefit of being at Surfaces was gaining knowledge “from the best of the best in the business. If I take one to three nuggets from each meeting, if I learn something, then that’s an incredibly valuable day,” she said.
Surfaces 2026 included a few new wrinkles that Hicks said were in response to people asking for more networking opportunities. To that end, Informa added:
- A retailer reception at the World Floor Covering Association (WFCA) booth
- A distributor reception at the TISE stage
- A meeting of industry influencers at Skyfall
- VIP Executive Lounge (formerly the Wedding Chapel) that allowed show goers the ability get away from the crowds, check emails, do some work in private or have a snack
- Upgraded the education curriculum with more business-centric topics (AI as one example).
Hicks said there is already strong interest for the next Surfaces, which will be held Feb. 2-4, 2027, at Mandalay Bay Convention Center.
Following are some highlights from each product category from Surfaces 2026:
CARPET
As the number of carpet mills attending Surfaces has dwindled, the pressure to stand out has been ratcheted up in recent years.
In hopes of separating themselves from the pack, several carpet companies have relied on color as a differentiator, with each company staking a claim to offering the best, most vibrant colors.
That was the case again this year as mills leveraged the latest technology to bring out new patterns and color combinations that are a far cry from the boring beige of yesteryear.
Mill executives argue that color is critical in modern carpeting because it acts as a foundational design element, influencing mood, defining space and reflecting personal style while serving practical, high-traffic needs. Current trends favor warm, nature-inspired tones and textures that create cozy, versatile and sustainable environments.
What’s more, color is essential for hiding dirt, debris and traffic wear, especially in high-traffic areas, making textured or multi-tonal carpets a popular choice. Beyond color, retailers were drawn to high-fashion styles of premium wool products offering options from broadloom to rugs and runners.
RESILIENT
For the resilient flooring category TISE 2026 delivered a strong reminder that the customer remains king. New product introductions alone no longer define innovation, nor do incremental changes in size, shape or color set the benchmark for progress.
Across product subcategories, suppliers emphasized solutions aimed at eliminating friction throughout the buying journey. Updated display systems favored ease of use and aesthetics, enabling retailers to better navigate expansive assortments. The message from suppliers was clear: simplification—and a streamlined path to purchase—is key.
WOOD
One look at all the hardwood flooring products making their debut at Surfaces last month made one thing abundantly clear: this category is still very much alive and kicking despite ceding market share to competitive hard surfaces. Across the show floor, hardwood suppliers put their best foot forward by expanding offerings to include trendy new colors while amping up the product’s performance to better resist moisture incursion and denting. Visitors also saw a healthy dose of pattern as suppliers unveiled their respective versions of popular patterns, including herringbone and chevron. There were also sightings of narrower-width products, which goes against the grain (pardon the pun) of the long/wide trend. But as the saying goes: everything old is new again.
LAMINATE
The resurgence continues. Virtually every major hard surface supplier showcased a new laminate flooring line at the show. Suppliers are once again seizing this opportunity to ride the laminate wave by promoting their unique capabilities. Whether it’s new laminate herringbone designs or wide-plank formats with much fewer pattern repeats, suppliers are looking to fuel retailer excitement for a category that’s been in existence in the U.S. since the mid-1990s, but has been gradually losing share to waterproof products like WPC and SPC. In recent years, however, many retailers and distributors have been warming back up to laminate as an alternative to low-end SPC—a sub-segment that has experienced some failures in the field.
TILE
Every year TISE serves as a barometer for where the flooring industry is headed. At this year’s show the tile category showcased an evolution from one-off product innovation to overall satisfaction—not just in the home but at the retail level as well. Simplified product selection was the name of the game.
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