The Inspired Home Show and the International Housewares Association (IHA) announced the national winners of the IHA Global Innovation Award (gia) 2025-2026, one of the most relevant recognitions internationally for the home products and housewares sector. In this edition, they were distinguished 31 retailers from 30 countries, including three who are participating in the program for the first time: Croatia, Indonesia and Paraguay.

The winners will be honored during The Inspired Home Show 2026, which will be carried out from March 10-12 in Chicago, in the McCormick Place complex, one of the main exhibition centers in the United States.

The gia program was created by IHA and The Inspired Home Show with the aim of promoting innovation, creativity and excellence in specialty retail globally. Since its launch in 2000, the program has already recognized more than 600 retailers from 60 countries and six continents, consolidating itself as an international reference for the sector.

The national winners of the gia 2025-2026 are:

A recognition on two levels

The gia competition is developed in two instances —national and global— and distinguishes both independent retailers and chains with multiple branches. La evaluación contempla distintas áreas clave del negocio, entre ellas la estrategia general, el diseño y layout del punto de venta, el merchandising visual y las vidrieras, las acciones de marketing y comunicación, el servicio al cliente, la capacitación del personal y la innovación.

Each national winner is invited to participate in The Inspired Home Show in Chicago, where an international jury made up of experts from Asia, Europe and the Americas, together with editors of specialized publications in the sector, will select up to five gia Global Honorees. In parallel, the winners of the Martin M. Pegler Award for Excellence in Visual Merchandising and of gia Digital Commerce Award for Excellence in Online Retailing.

The award ceremony will take place on Tuesday March 10, during a special dinner at which the global recognitions will be announced. In addition, the national winners will have a Featured exhibit at the fair, which will allow them to show their concepts and proposals to the international public.

More than a prize

The gia transcends the traditional awards format and is part of an educational initiative with global reach. The program includes seminars given by retail specialists, columns in international media in the housewares sector and educational sessions at different events around the world.

As part of this proposal, the Expert Jurors del gia —Wolfgang Gruschwitz, Scott Kohno, Henrik Peter Reisby Nielsen and Denise Foley—will offer a special session at the Inspiration Theater de The Inspired Home Show el Wednesday March 11, focused on trends, innovation and good practices in retail.

The Inspired Home Show 2026

The Inspired Home Show is the main global marketplace for home products and housewares organized by IHA. The 2026 edition will take place from March 10-12 in Chicago and will bring together manufacturers, retailers and sector professionals from around the world.

For more information about the event and to register and obtain a free entry credential, you can visit TheInspiredHomeShow.com