Five key takeaways from CDW 2025

Now the dust has settled on another busy Clerkenwell Design Week 2025 (CDW), we’ve been reflecting on some of the highlights from last month’s festival – which has once again solidified its reputation as a premier event in the design world, showcasing cutting-edge trends that are shaping the future of commercial interiors.  

With Agilité’s office in the heart of the action, and over 15 venues and 160 local design showrooms open to visit, we made the most of a packed schedule of product launches, installations, exhibitions, talks and workshops. From sustainable innovations to sensory-focused designs, this year's event provided plenty of food for thought, and here are some of our key takeaways: 

1. Responsibility takes centre stage

Environmental consciousness was a dominant theme at CDW 2025 – and something we spent a lot of time discussing with the various exhibitors dotted around the neighbourhood. A standout launch came from Mirfield (Yorkshire) brand, Camira, choosing the United Nations’ International Day of Zero Waste to unveil ‘Lucia T2T’ – a new recycled polyester made entirely from 100% textile-to-textile (T2T) waste, in a bid to address the growing, global textile waste crisis and promote a circular approach to textile design. A shout-out too to Mater, which showcased its Ocean furniture line – made from upcycled fishing nets and ocean plastic waste – opening the doors to its St John Street showroom to display the waste streams used in the production of its chairs. 

2. A closer look at sustainable sampling  

In years gone by, we’ve been no stranger to collecting our fair share of product samples – which often end up on a shelf or storage cupboard in the office. The shift to more responsible methods of sampling, from the likes of CDW sponsors Material Bank and Swatchbox, has been a welcome step in the right direction, and it was good to discover more about both brands during our tour of the city. We joined Swatchbox’s talk, ‘from waste to resource - rethinking samples in design’ to hear how the brand – along with CD (UK) Ltd and The Ethical Stone Company are tackling material waste and disorganised sample libraries, including the development of circular solutions from excess materials. 

3. Emphasis on sensory and inclusive design

We know from our work across the retail, office and hospitality sectors, that brands are increasingly prioritising the sensory experience of their spaces. Furniture manufacturer Sixteen3, in collaboration with Crown Paints, transformed its showroom into an interactive space exploring neuroscience, accessibility, and inclusivity in interior design. On a much larger scale, as the winner of Dezeen’s Shaping Water competition, architect Arthur Mamou-Mani’s ‘Harmonic Tides’ installation at St John's Gate created an immersive ‘water corridor’ allowing for a peaceful retreat from the bustle of the event. Yes, we admit, we spent quite a few minutes there, drinking in the calm. 

4. Integration of technology  

The topic of technology was an interesting one on many levels – with some brands exploring the hottest new trends, while others talked of a shift to disconnect from the online world and return to analogue. We found a seminar by IA (Interior Architects), hosted at Spacestor’s London Design Centre, incredibly insightful. Helena Keeling (Workplace strategist) and Carlotta Dove (Consumer experience director and head of humanX research) explored the impact of space on how we feel – highlighting key talking points around designing for belonging, fostering real human connections, and a desire to digitally detox.  

5. Inspiring installations 

A trip to CDW wouldn’t be the same without a visit to two of the most talked-about installations of the festival, so we went to check out Alex Chinneck’s surrealist sculpture, ‘A Week at the Knees’ – featuring 7,000 bricks displayed in such as way as to ‘defy the rigidity of the material’. And finally, there was nothing like stopping (for just a moment) to admire ‘Brick from a Stone: Arch Revival’ on Clerkenwell Green. It was a great display of strength, blending ancient techniques with 21st-century engineering – and a perfect meeting point, too! 

With plenty of conversations to follow-up on, and a great evening at The Fence to close out this year’s event, we’re already looking forward to what 2026 has in store.