The Middle East is preparing for a landmark year in 2026, with major trade fairs set to showcase digital transformation and sustainable solutions across the printing, packaging, and signage sectors.
The year opens with FESPA Middle East 2026 returning to Dubai Exhibition Centre from 13-15 January, building on the event’s rapid ascent as the region’s premier platform for specialty print, signage, and textile decoration. The event is expected to host 3,000 visitors and 125 global brands, reflecting a year-on-year 11% increase in visitors and 25% increase in exhibitors.
Under the tagline ‘Your Industry. Your Community’, the 2026 edition offers a people-first experience where printers, sign-makers, and visual communicators can explore the latest technology, engage with world-class content, and discover new avenues for business growth.
Besides the vast array of product solutions on the exhibition floor, other key features include free-to-attend conference sessions covering a range of industry related topics; Sustainability Spotlight highlighting practical ways to embed responsible practices and materials; the fast-paced, high-stakes World Wrap Masters Middle East and wrap demos delivered by World Wrap Masters judges; the FESPA AI Clinic with focused one-to-one sessions discussing how company workflow can be improved with AI, and the chance to relax and network at Club FESPA Lounge.
As the second quarter begins, the focus shifts to the 15th edition of Gulf Print & Pack 2026, with the milestone edition attracting a gathering of printers, print service providers (PSPs), and brand owners. After making a smashing debut in Saudi Arabia in January 2025, the event – MENA’s leading exhibition for the commercial and package print sectors – returns to the Emirates, where it will be held from 31 March to 2 April at Dubai World Trade Centre.
Alternating between Dubai and Riyadh, Gulf Print & Pack has cemented its position in the region, serving the burgeoning GCC markets.
The show is expected to host over 300 exhibitors and highlights the region’s rapidly growing digital printing market, which is projected to exceed by $1 billion by the end of the decade. Visitors will have the unique opportunity to see the full production journey in one place – from pre-press through to post-press – and discover the latest innovations in digital, flexo, and hybrid printing, besides advances in finishing, embellishment, and materials. Live demonstrations on the show floor showcasing a range of machinery will be a highlight.
Concurrently, the global pulp, paper, and allied industries are set to converge at ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi for a landmark event featuring a strategic trio of co-located exhibitions. From 31 March to 2 April, the flagship Paper & Tissue Show will run simultaneously with two new specialised events: Hygiene & Nonwoven Show and Packaging & Recycle Show, attracting a broader spectrum of industry professionals from around the globe.
The triple events will significantly broaden the product categories to encompass the full spectrum of the industry – from raw pulp and finished goods to advanced machinery and sustainable packaging solutions.
More than 300 exhibitors will showcase their latest innovations across three distinct exhibition platforms. Paper & Tissue Show will feature raw paper, pulp, tissue products, corrugated cardboard, specialty papers, paper chemicals, and converting machinery. Hygiene & Nonwoven Show will cover personal care, medical, and home care nonwovens, as well as associated production technologies. Lastly, Packaging & Recycle Show will focus on sustainable packaging materials, recycling technologies, packaging machinery, smart packaging solutions, and waste management.
This comprehensive approach offers unmatched opportunities for discovery and collaboration to over 16,000 expected visitors.
The month of April will also have the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia hosting two major exhibitions in Riyadh. The flagship Saudi Signage & Labelling Expo prepares for its third edition along with the second edition of the co-located Saudi Paper & Packaging Expo. Scheduled to run from 20-22 April at Riyadh International Convention & Exhibition Center (RICEC), the expos will bring together over 14,000 industry professionals interested in the latest advancements in digital signage, labelling automation, and high-tech paper manufacturing and to foster strategic partnerships.
Driven by Saudi Arabia’s extensive infrastructure investments, a rapidly expanding visual communications sector, and a rising demand for eco-friendly solutions, the signage, labelling, paper, and packaging industries are experiencing significant growth. Both these expos serve as a crucial platform to meet this demand and align with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030 for a diversified and knowledge-based economy.
Though the exact dates have not been finalised, SGI Dubai 2026 will be held in the month of September, all set to welcome the printing, signage, and imaging industries to showcase their latest innovations and cutting-edge technologies to a global audience.
The 29th edition, to be held at Dubai World Trade Centre, is gearing up to be the most ambitious, dynamic, and forward-looking edition yet. The show brings together the entire ecosystem – from global tech providers, OEMs, and material suppliers, to local fabricators, designers, retailers, and brand owners – under one roof.
SGI Dubai 2026 will feature an expanded portfolio of categories that reflect the changing face of the industry. These include digital and large-format printing, textile printing, 3D printing, LED and digital signage, labelling, screen printing, signage materials and supplies, inks and substrates, metal cutting and fabrication, and retail branding. Alongside the core segments, new and emerging categories such as AI and robotics will highlight the future of the market.
Curated buyers and high-calibre investors from over hundred countries are expected to visit SGI Dubai 2026.
Paperworld Middle East 2026, the region’s largest trade platform for paper, stationery, office supplies, and creative materials, will be held at Dubai World Trade Centre from 13-15 October 2026. The 15th edition expects to host over 450 exhibitors and attract approximately 15,000 trade professionals from more than 140 countries.
Along with the co-located Gifts & Lifestyle Middle East 2026, the dual exhibitions serve as a critical sourcing hub for the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia, reinforcing their status as the region’s most influential trade platforms for stationery, office and school supplies, craft and art supplies, teaching materials, paper processing machinery and controls, home décor, corporate gifts, lifestyle products, and essential baby products.
The 2026 showcase will place heightened emphasis on sustainability and digital transformation, reflecting a regional market shift towards eco-conscious and smart office solutions. Key features include the Hub Forum that will host discussions on the impact of AI and circular economy strategies; Project Sustainability, a dedicated zone for biodegradable and recycled products; Artistry Workshop for learning and developing multiple creative skills with some of the most talented artists in the industry; and The Spotlight that brings together clever ideas, bold designs, and products that stand out.
Paperworld Middle East and Gifts & Lifestyle Middle East bring together the global paper, stationery, gifting, and lifestyle industries under one roof, offering opportunities to explore the latest trends, meet international suppliers, and be inspired by creative expression and innovation.
To conclude the year’s major activities, ProPaper Dubai 2026 will convene from 20-22 October at Festival Arena by InterContinental Dubai Festival City, offering a specialised look at the entire paper and paperboard value chain.
The trade fair serves as a critical networking platform, bringing together leaders from across the paperboard, converting, corrugation, label, and printing sectors to discuss the latest trends and drive new growth strategies.
ProPaper Dubai 2026 will provide the most innovative solutions in paper, packaging, and hygiene, besides relevant technical information, under a single roof. The conference programme brings together global manufacturers, converters, suppliers, and innovators for high-value insights and future-focused discussions. The conference serves as a strategic platform to explore market trends, sustainability, automation, raw material challenges, circular economy models, and next-generation manufacturing technologies. Topics on the agenda for the 2026 conference include sustainable paper production, advanced packaging materials, automation and Industry 4.0 for paper mills, smart converting technologies, energy efficiency and cost optimisation, and future trends in tissue manufacturing.
The ProPaper Dubai Awards 2026 is another highlight, honouring the individuals, companies, and breakthrough solutions that are redefining performance, sustainability, and technological advancement across the sector.
These events collectively underscore the Middle East’s transition toward smart manufacturing and its increasing influence on the global supply chain.
