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The winners of the 2026 Best of NeoCon Awards were announced June 8 at NeoCon 2026, recognizing products that are pushing the boundaries of innovation, sustainability, material development and user-centered design across commercial interiors.
Now in its 36th year, the Best of NeoCon Awards remains one of the industry’s most recognized benchmarks for product innovation. This year’s competition attracted 274 entries from 97 exhibitors, with 71 products earning honors across 42 categories. Awards were presented for Gold, Silver, Innovation, Sustainability and Business Impact, reflecting growing industry emphasis on environmental stewardship, material performance, workplace wellness and technological integration.
For manufacturers serving the surface, panel, furniture and architectural products sectors, the 2026 winners highlighted several key trends shaping the future of commercial interiors: sustainable material innovation, circular product design, advanced lighting integration, workplace flexibility and performance-driven product development.
“The breadth of this year’s nominees demonstrates how dynamically NeoCon exhibitors are designing for the human experience and responding to real-world challenges with solutions that thoughtfully balance aesthetics and performance,” said Eileen McMorrow, Director of Best of NeoCon.
“From meaningful advancements in workplace, healthcare, hospitality, education, and lighting, the ingenuity and innovation celebrated by the competition are always exciting to see. In particular, the introduction of Illuminate brought a new layer of energy and brilliance to NeoCon, showcasing how vital lighting is to human wellness and the architectural narrative.”
KI Earns Top Honor
The competition’s highest distinction, Best of Competition, was awarded to KI for its Cognetic Technology seating platform.
The patented gravity-powered, multi-axis motion system was recognized for rethinking the relationship between users and seating by continuously responding to natural body movement without traditional levers or mechanical adjustments. Jurors cited the technology’s ability to encourage movement and create a more responsive seating experience.
Finalists for Best of Competition included products from HALCON Furniture, Impact Acoustic, Model No., Mohawk Group, Andreu World and WVH.
Sustainability and Materials Take Center Stage
Among the most relevant developments for the surface and panel industry was the strong showing from manufacturers focused on sustainable materials, circular design and responsible production.
Sustainability Awards were presented to products from companies including CF Stinson, Mohawk Group, Impact Acoustic, Model No., Flora Materials, Davis Furniture and Andreu World.
The awards recognized achievements in responsible material sourcing, manufacturing innovation, environmental stewardship and circular economy principles — areas that continue to gain importance throughout the architectural surfaces, cabinetry, furniture and panel products industries.
Expanded Lighting Program Highlights Integration Trend
A major addition to this year’s competition was the expansion of lighting categories alongside the debut of Illuminate at NeoCon, a new exhibition dedicated to architectural and commercial lighting.
The expanded program underscored the growing convergence of lighting, interiors and architectural surfaces, with winning products demonstrating advancements in controls integration, energy efficiency, occupant wellness and visual performance.
Award-winning lighting manufacturers included Arktura, Axis Lighting, BIOS Lighting, Focal Point, JLC-Tech, Koncept and RBW.
Innovation Awards Recognize Manufacturing Advances
Innovation Awards were presented to manufacturers introducing new technologies and product solutions designed to address evolving workplace, education and hospitality environments.
Among the recipients were Armstrong World Industries, DARRAN, HALCON Furniture, Haskell Education and KI.
The awards recognized products that combined material innovation, engineering advances and functional performance to solve contemporary design challenges.
Leading Manufacturers Earn Multiple Honors
Several companies emerged as top performers across multiple categories. KI led the competition with seven awards, followed by Andreu World and Davis Furniture with six each. Haworth earned five awards, while HALCON Furniture and Keilhauer each received four.
The complete list of winners reflects the increasing role that advanced materials, sustainable manufacturing, integrated lighting and user-focused product development play in shaping the future of commercial interiors.
People's Choice
And back for the second year, the People’s Choice Awards invites the broader design community to weigh in on their favorite Best of NeoCon-winning products. Voting is open through Tuesday, June 9, at 5:00 p.m. CDT. Show attendees can cast votes on-site by scanning QR codes displayed alongside participating products, while those not attending can vote online through the Winners' Gallery. Voters may submit one vote per product. NeoCon will reveal the five People’s Choice winners on Wednesday, June 10, during the BIFMA Breakfast and on the show’s official social media channels.
