Decorex Africa: Local design & global vision at 100% Design Africa 2025

The countdown has begun to 100% Design Africa, returning to the Sandton Convention Centre from 24 to 27 July.

Co-located with Decorex Joburg, Africa’s flagship design and lifestyle event, this four-day showcase brings together the best in contemporary design, hospitality innovation and cultural craftsmanship. The event offers a dynamic and expansive view of the design world anchored by four curated pavilions – Local, International, Materials and Capitec handmadeAFRICA – and enriched by the highly anticipated Future Talks series. Be inspired at Decorex.

Capitec handmadeAFRICA Pavilion

This curated showcase of 10 exceptional brands from across the continent, including designers from Morocco, Botswana and South Africa, highlights the very best in high-end African craft, with a spotlight on luxury, heritage and future-forward design.

Local Design Pavilion

A celebration of South African design ingenuity, this pavilion presents a standout selection of studios, makers and collaborators who embody bold creativity and cultural storytelling.

Casamento will introduce ‘The Field’, an armchair-and-ottoman set created in collaboration with Swazi handweaving studio Coral Stephens. Crafted from timber, recycled cotton and handspun wool, and finished with intricate embroidery, the pieces reflect the warmth and texture of truly slow-made design.

Ananta Design Studio will showcase its striking Purna collection, ornate beaded vases inspired by the Sanskrit concept of abundance. Among them, the sculptural Purna Rupa evokes the exuberance of life in full bloom.

Han + NISH join forces to debut the OLIO Wall Sconce, a lighting collaboration that explores sculptural form through minimalist design, as well as a new standalone sculptural work by Han.

Adding a playful punch, Mash .T Design Studio presents the Smiley Pendant, a joyful beaded design that channels nostalgia and tactile delight.

Clout/SA, in partnership with the Nando’s Hot Young Designer (HYD) programme, unveils its first woven upholstery collection, the Clout/SA Thread Collection (Chapter 1), presented on Naturalis’s iconic school chair, featuring HYD textile designs by Thandazani Nofingxana, Dziriba, Spamandla and Xolela Madlanga.

Urbanative will launch its Raha Daybed, a refined reflection on return, rest and Swahili-inspired joy.

Kilnhouse Design Studio, founded by Nicola Smith, presents a new high-fired stoneware collection inspired by Joburg’s urban surfaces.

Indigenus unveils its sculptural Petra planters, created in collaboration with New York-based artist Fernando Mastrangelo.

Stuart Graham Fabrics will showcase locally designed textiles that bridge decorative tradition and commercial sophistication. And industrial design consultancy and furniture brand uMugqa Studio will demonstrate storytelling through thoughtful,  functional furniture design.

International Design Pavilion

This pavilion brings a global perspective to the Johannesburg stage, featuring brands and designers whose work speaks to innovation, luxury and cultural exchange. From Brazil, Nosso brings together a curated selection of decor and furniture infused with colour, heritage and play, from wood to ceramics and textile-based art.

Créma Design, based in Cape Town, offers a curated collection of furniture, lighting, rugs and accessories from premier European brands, including Gubi, Flos, HAY and Muuto.

French maison Ligne Roset, in operation since 1860, will present its collection of avant-garde furniture, lighting, rugs and textiles.

ErgoKonzept will present its signature ergonomic steel furniture systems that reflect sleek industrial aesthetics and people-first design.

Materials Pavilion

Curated by Alan Hayward and Garreth van Niekerk, the co-executive creative directors of Decorex Africa, this pavilion explores the intelligence, history and innovation of material design across the continent. The exhibits move fluidly between traditional craft techniques and contemporary experimentation, from ancestral knowledge systems to biomaterials and tech-infused applications.

Sett & Beat is a conscious textile studio led by a mother-daughter duo who design and weave small-batch homeware and bespoke textiles using locally sourced natural fibres. Known for their thoughtful use of low-impact materials and botanical dyes, their 100% Design Joburg showcase will offer a fresh look at new weaves and fabrics.

Also joining the Pavilion is Wolkberg Casting Studios, a design and manufacturing studio reimagining concrete in contemporary interiors and architecture. At the heart of their practice is Limesite™, a proprietary, concrete based material developed in-house. With its refined surface finishes and versatile design potential, Limesite™ takes centre stage as a bold exploration of material innovation.

Expect more trailblazing contributors to be announced via 100% Design Africa’s social channels as the show approaches.

Future Talks

Design thinking takes centre stage in the show’s daily CPD-accredited talk series that’s included in the entry ticket. With a focus on what’s next in design, architecture, retail and innovation, this year’s programme features a lineup of voices from around the world.

Architect Charles O Job, Decorex Joburg Designer of the Year 2025, will headline with ‘Body of Work’, supported by Pro Helvetia, a talk and exhibition reflecting on a decade of cross-continental creativity, sketching and cultural influence.

Internationally respected independent design curator Federica Sala will unpack how work is selected for the world’s top design fairs, drawing from her experience at Milan Design Week, Centre Pompidou and beyond.

Tracy Lee Lynch, executive creative director of Clout/SA and long-time curator of the HYD programme, will reflect on a decade of talent cultivation and commercial platform-building for South African designers.

Adding a sensory and emotional layer, Retha Erichsen, head of brand at Babylonstoren, will explore how scent, sound and story turn spaces into experiences that linger in memory, particularly within the hospitality sector.

The Future of Work

This brand-new feature, presented by 100% Design Africa in partnership with furniture provider Ergoform and high-end audio outfit E‑piphany, will offer an immersive space for live talks and activations exploring circularity, biofabrication, Web3, the metaverse, African design systems and workplace transformation, plus how acoustics can shape collaboration and focus in future-facing environments.

Women in Design curated by Bilala Mabuza of Cocoon Lifestyle Studio

This landmark showcase celebrates some of the most compelling design voices on the continent, exploring both legacy and next-generation designers. The curation features an inspiring cross-section of creatives whose work blends local influence and global relevance, including Maira Koutsoudakis (Life Interior Architecture & Strategic Design), Andrea Kleinloog and Megan Hesse (Anatomy Design and HK Studio), Julia Day (Julia Day Interiors), Mpho Vackier (TheUrbanative), Lee Ann Bell (Mezzanine Interiors), Nicole Botha (Raw Manufacturing), Tanya Solomon (Living Inspired), and photographers Elsa Young and Sarah de Pina.

Essential information for Decorex Joburg 2025

Show days and times

Thursday 24 July to Sunday 27 July, 10am to 6pm.

Venue:

Sandton Convention Centre, 161 Maude Street, Sandton, South Africa.

Tickets online

Adults: R160

Pensioners/Students R130

Children under 12: FREE

Children 12-16: R50

VIP Experience: R350

Visit https://register.decorex.co.za/joburg/tickets/register/default

Tickets at the door

Adults: R170

Pensioners/Students R140

Children 12-16: R60

Children under 12: FREE

VIP Experience: R360

TRADE VISITORS

Trade pre-registration for Decorex Joburg is open: https://decorex2025.it-em.co.za/joburg/delegate/register/

Pre-registered trade: FREE

Trade onsite: R160

Decorex VIP Trade Experience: R390

PARKING

Parking is charged at an hourly rate, and visitors are required to use the convenient pay-on-foot parking ticket kiosks to pay for their parking. For best parking routes

For more information visit www.decorex.co.za. For regular updates follow @decorexafrica on Instagram and Facebook and for the latest decor and design industry news visit the Decorex JRNL