"CMF: Designing a New Era from Everyday Life to Technology"... Korea Institute of Design Promotion Hosts 2025 CMF HOW'S Conference

About 200 Experts and Designers Gather for the Event

The Korea Institute of Design Promotion announced that on the 12th, it held the '2025 CMF HOW'S Conference' at COEX in Seoul, where future CMF (Color, Material, Finish) trends and industry-specific response strategies were shared.

This event was organized to bring together domestic and international CMF experts to discuss new directions for the design industry. Under the theme "CMF: Designing a New Era from Everyday Life to Technology," experts from leading CMF companies such as Adobe, Kia, Chris Lefteri Design, CreaPort, and Labcrete gathered to share their experiences and philosophies.

On the 12th, attendees of the '2025 CMF HOW'S Conference' held at COEX in Seoul are taking a commemorative photo. Photo by Korea Institute of Design Promotion

Chris Lefteri, CEO of Chris Lefteri Design, gave a lecture highlighting the need for a shift in CMF strategies within the context of the circular economy, based on the "2026-2027 CMF Design Trend" report produced in collaboration with the Korea Institute of Design Promotion.

Marilia Bill, Head of CMF at Kia Next, presented a CMF design vision rooted in brand philosophy and inspiration from nature, and introduced the principles of CMF combination and the direction of applying sustainable materials through the EV show car case study.

Nicolas Pollack, Head of 3D Content at Adobe, shared strategies for implementing and managing CMF in digital environments, focusing on standardizing material representation based on Substance 3D and advancing workflows to ensure consistency between digital and physical outputs.

Additionally, the "Materials Loved by Designers" session invited domestic design studios and artists specializing in specific materials and techniques to explore the creative process and experimental approaches of material-centric design.

Yoon Sangheum, President of the Korea Institute of Design Promotion, stated, "The institute will establish, operate, and expand a virtuous cycle of CMF support systems to strengthen the CMF capabilities of small and medium-sized enterprises. By integrating new technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), we will provide accessible CMF solutions. We will also listen more closely to the voices of the industry to deliver tangible support outcomes."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.