Ceramics, Sanitaryware, and More Await at Cersaie 2026

by Metropolis Staff August 2, 2026

Porcelain begins simply, as clay and mineral pressed and fired, and Italian manufacturers keep finding new ends for it: ultra-thin, wall-sized slabs, two-centimeter pavers engineered for the outdoors, countertops that conceal induction coils beneath their surface. The fullest picture of that evolution assembles each September in Bologna, the heart of the Italian ceramics industry, at Cersaie, the International Exhibition of Ceramic Tile and Bathroom Furnishings. Founded in 1983, the fair draws more than 100,000 visitors from over 160 countries annually, and this year's edition, running from September 21st to 25th under the theme "A space for architectural design," gathers more than 600 international manufacturers across 155,000 square meters of show space given over to surfaces, sanitaryware, and architectural applications.

Cersaie Show Entrance. Courtesy of Cersaie.

Attendees can expect thousands of new introductions that prioritize durability, hygiene, and high-end design. Non-porous, heat- and scratch-resistant slabs are gaining momentum for fabricated countertops and islands, with the newest iterations, from brands including Atlas Plan, embedding invisible induction technology so that cooking happens directly on the counter. Inside, the growing practice of tile drenching extends a single material across floors, walls, and even ceilings, pairing naturally with ready-to-install furnishings for the kitchen and bath, from vanities and tubs to shower drainage systems. Sanitaryware follows, as in Hop, a wall-hung washbasin from SIMAS glazed in soft mint. And because porcelain resists temperature changes, UV exposure, and heavy traffic, the same applications continue outdoors to patios and pool decks, as in dedicated exterior lines like Aextra by Ceramiche Caesar.

Outdoor Aextra by Ceramiche Caesar. Courtesy of Cersaie.

New collections will arrive in step with the five trends identified in Ceramics of Italy's Spring-Summer 2026 Trend Report. Warm Edible Colors draws from nature's pantry, in the chocolate, tobacco, and deep red wine of Flautini, a glazed small-format strip from Ceramica Vogue. Gilded Earth registers the resurgence of metallics, with gold settling in as a new neutral in Harmony by Versace Ceramics, where mirrored décors accentuate stone and marble veining.

Organic Minimalism favors desaturated tones and tactile, matte surfaces, a quieter register that stone looks such as Dinamika Stone by Ceramica del Conca inhabit. Tile as Art treats the material as canvas, as in Aquatic Creatures by Ceramica Bardelli, a poetic journey into the underwater world. And Form & Function follows tile into its widening architectural role, from tables and fireplace surrounds to façades.

Aquatic Creatures by Ceramica Bardelli. Courtesy of Cersaie.

Sustainability runs throughout. Made from natural raw materials and free of PVC, phthalates, and harmful VOCs, ceramic and porcelain tile rank among the healthiest surfacing options for kitchen and bath, and many Italian manufacturers, after decades of recycling production waste and reducing water and energy use, now carry EPD, LEED, GREENGUARD, and Declare labels, with a growing number achieving B Corp status.

Bologna City. Courtesy of Kristin Coleman.

Beyond the show floor, the 2026 edition once again features the "Cersaie Designs Your Home" and "Building, Dwelling, Thinking" programs, with conferences and lectures led by respected voices in the field, while live demonstrations in the 400-square-meter Tiling Town showcase installation techniques for large-format tile. Pritzker Prize laureate Alejandro Aravena delivers a keynote lecture on Thursday, and the 2026 Ceramics of Italy International Tile Competition announces its winners during the fair. And then there is Bologna itself, Italy's culinary capital, its historic streetscapes and UNESCO-protected porticoes rewarding the hours between appointments.