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CMF Conference & Training Workshops

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CMF Conference

 

VITALITY:
How can design become the foundation of confidence in life?

Design Shanghai CMF Conference aims to enhance product value through CMF design and create a better life. In 2026, the CMF Conference will center on “VITALITY”, responding profoundly to the question: “How can design become the foundation of confidence in life?” Building on last year’s “Feeling of Touch”—awakening people’s attention to the sensory experience of CMF—this year we advance to “VITALITY”. Our goal is to transform the wonderful experiences brought by design into energy and confidence that support people in facing everyday life.

 

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CMF Training Workshop

 

CMF Training Workshop blends foundational insights with advanced strategies, showcasing how material-led design is driving innovation across products, interiors, and furniture. As consumers increasingly seek stories, emotion, and meaning in design, materials have become the narrative—the bridge between concept and connection. Join Chris as he shares exclusive, hands-on methods used by global leaders like Google, TCL, and Hyundai Elevator, helping you elevate your creative process and deliver design that truly resonates. Discover the power of CMF. Design with purpose. Inspire with materials.

 

CMF Conference 2026 Theme

VITALITY

The Design Shanghai 2026 CMF Conference centers on “VITALITY”, responding profoundly to the question: “How can design become the foundation of confidence in life?” Building on last year’s “Feeling of Touch”—awakening people’s attention to the sensory experience of CMF—this year we advance to “VITALITY”. Our goal is to transform the wonderful experiences brought by design into energy and confidence that support people in facing everyday life.

Today, fatigue and powerlessness pervade our life, yet many companies and designers worldwide continue their pursuit of warmth against the prevailing chill. They still seek solace in materials, infuse hope through color, and embed belief within craftsmanship. What they create transcends mere products--it represents a quiet yet resolute response, using design to kindle sparks of “VITALITY”. At this conference, you will experience VITALITY awakened through color and texture; you will encounter vibrant colors and dynamic material textures that imbue products with emotional resonance reaching deep into your heart. This is more than visual impact—it is an instant ignition of passion for life.

Yet VITALITY is not merely momentary brilliance; it resides in the enduring power that withstands the test of time. The stable palettes and timelessly fresh material touch embedded in classic products quietly infuse daily life with reassuring confidence, becoming our gentle anchor in facing life’s challenges. This emotional connection--from surface to depth, from fleeting to lasting--is the profound charm of CMF design.

How can we transform this moving “sense of VITALITY” into replicable design logic? We are attempting to anchor the vibrancy of color, the affinity of materials, and the warmth of craftsmanship to data points, enabling dialogue between sensory experience and rational standards--so that design innovation possesses both sensuous inspiration and rational methodology.

In an era swept by digitalization, tangible design is demonstrating its irreplaceable emotional value. We believe that the most moving of CMF is always rooted in the profound understanding of and respect for human emotion. We believe that every subtle yet sincere design gesture can become a spark warming our times, and these sparks will ultimately spread, bringing transformative strength.

4 Key Sub-Themes 

Day 1 Morning

Theme 1: Awakening VITALITY

Starting from real-life scenarios, we explore CMF designs that trigger positive emotions. Through lively colors and energetic material textures, we break through the inertia of complacency, delivering an immediate surge of VITALITY that awakens users’ inner passion for life.

Key topics:

  1. Vibrant Color Applications
  2. Energetic Material Textures
  3. Trigger of Scenario-Based Emotions

Day 1 Afternoon

Theme 2: Sustaining VITALITY

VITALITY goes beyond surface-level energy; it stems from inner peace and certainty. We will focus on classic life scenarios and brand case studies, exploring CMF vitality designs that can withstand the test of time—how they use stable color palettes and durable materials to settle lasting confidence in life for users, becoming spiritual support against feelings of powerlessness.

Key topics:

  1. Classic Life Scenarios
  2. Brand Vitality Case Studies
  3. Enduring Chinese-inspired Design

Day 2 Morning

Theme 3: Symbiotic VITALITY

Under the trend of sustainable development, VITALITY also means harmonious coexistence with nature and the world. We will explore how to integrate environmental principles into CMF design, i.e., how to create products that are both eco-friendly and allow users to perceive "life force," by using recyclable materials and low-consumption color processes, enabling vitality to continue spreading in green living.

Key topics:

  1. Cutting-edge Environmental Material Technologies
  2. Environmental Protection in Materials
  3. Innovative Applications of Eco-Friendly Textures

Day 2 Afternoon

Theme 4: Decoding VITALITY

How can we transform “VITALITY” from an abstract sensation into implementable design standards? We will explore quantifiable dimensions of the “sense of VITALITY” in CMF design--such as the correlation between color saturation and perceived energy, or the relationship between material tactility and sense of security--leveraging professional digital management and a standardized system to help companies more precisely craft vital products while reducing design iteration costs.

Key topics:

  1. Enduring Vibrant Colors
  2. Enduring Vibrant Touches
  3. Relationship between Material and Emotion
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