Reflecting on the 2025 Exhibition Season
As exhibition season comes to an end for 2025, we take a breath to reflect on the industry learnings of the past four months. It has been a busy season, and several clear themes have emerged, themes that we believe will shape how businesses approach trade shows and exhibitions in the year ahead.
Here is what stood out.
Sustainability and Transparency Are No Longer Optional
The single biggest shift we have seen is that sustainable and transparent products are becoming a baseline expectation in the exhibition market, not a premium add-on.
Two priorities sit at the heart of this. The first is minimising carbon emissions through a considered freight, shipping and transportation strategy. The second is materials resource management, a comprehensive approach that begins with using less and making the best possible choice of materials, moves through life-cycle planning, reuse, donation and upcycling, and ends with recycling.
At Studio GBM, we take these learnings seriously. Not all print methods are green, and not all materials are recycled. Where possible, we actively promote goods that are both, and that are sourced either locally or within the shortest possible shipping route. The direction of travel is clear: the exhibition industry is being asked to account for its environmental impact, and the businesses that get ahead of that will be the ones that stand out.
Traceability: Branded Materials That Tell a Brand Story
Closely tied to sustainability is a growing demand for traceability in branded promotional materials. Increasingly, companies want to know where their materials come from and what they are made of, because those choices say something about the brand itself.
We have seen this first-hand this season. One of our clients chose their curated branded portfolio from exclusively recycled and recyclable products. Another, an Irish port, included promotional material produced from ocean-bound plastics. What is striking about these decisions is that they are intentional. These companies understand how they wish to be seen, both by their own employees and by the wider market, and they are deliberately selecting goods that tell their brand story in a tangible, visible and meaningful way.
Traceability, in other words, has become a branding tool in its own right.
Portability: Displays That Travel
As events become more prolific again across Ireland, the UK, mainland Europe and the US, portability has moved up the priority list. It is becoming increasingly important that business people can carry their displays easily, that a stand fits in cars, trains, planes and trams without fuss.
This is reflected in what clients are choosing. Our bestselling exhibition models are light, multifunctional, durable, washable and easily transported. The modern exhibitor wants a display that works as hard on the road as it does on the show floor.
The Demise of the Roll-Up Banner
If there is one prediction we will stand over, it is this: the day of the roll-up banner is coming to an end.
Its replacement is the double-sided fabric zipper wall, and the advantages are difficult to ignore. A fabric wall offers brand visibility from both the front and the back. It avoids the shiny, dated appearance of vinyl. And, crucially, it can be used repeatedly without the inevitable “pull” marks that appear along the top rail of a roll-up over time. For any business still relying on roll-ups, this is the shift worth watching.
Rental Is a Thing
Rental has quietly become one of the most attractive options in the market. Depending on how often a company attends trade fairs, and on how its marketing budget is structured, renting a display rather than buying it can make real sense.
The appeal is simple. Rental lets a business exhibit professionally without impacting capital purchase budgets or committing valuable storage space year-round. For companies attending only a handful of shows a year, or testing a new market, it is often the smarter commercial choice.
Global Markets and a Growing Trade Show Family
Finally, as Irish companies enter new global markets, our fitting teams have become part of a growing global trade show family. As event coordinators, Studio GBM manages events across Ireland, the UK, Europe and the US.
We have been in the exhibition market since 2001. That experience means we can help you think through the questions that matter: what you need to bring to a show, how it needs to look to get noticed, whether rental is the way to go or purchase offers better value, and whether we can support you with installation.
Let Us Talk About Your Next Show
If you are planning your exhibition calendar for the year ahead, talk to Studio GBM. Whether it is design, print, rental, purchase or on-the-ground installation, we would be glad to help you make your next show your best yet.
Reach us at sales@studiogbm.ie or call +353 61 317 977.
About Studio GBM
Studio GBM is the creative home of General Business Machines Limerick, an Irish-owned family business trusted since 1967. From large format print and signage to exhibition stands, fine art printing and visual storytelling, we help brands across Ireland and beyond make an impact. Good branding matters.
Want to see what our sub-brands can do for you? Explore our Services or browse the Just Exhibit range to get started.
