In its 17^th year, CTCO – a promo and print show held in Lyon, France, from Feb. 4 to 6 – welcomed more than 315 global exhibitors and over 11,100 attendees eager to meet key industry players and discover modern, sustainable and creative products.

CTCO, a promo and print show, was held in Lyon, France, in early February.

According to show organizers, CTCO’s theme, “A New Perspective on Gifts,” encouraged exhibitors and attendees alike to rethink how to communicate with promotional products, placing a strong focus on eco responsibility and the reinvention of iconic items.

“Once again this year, C!Print and CTCO have shown that the graphic arts and promotional gifts and garment ecosystems offer unrivaled, sustainable and innovative communication solutions,” said Pierre Mirlit, show director for CTCO. “We are honored by the growing presence of international players at these events, which confirm the importance of CTCO and C!Print on the French and European markets.”

On the first show day, CTCO held a panel discussion on the global promo market moderated by Mirlit and featuring Heather Smartt, global head of Counselor Top 40 supplier Goldstar (asi/73295) and a member of Counselor’s Power 50; PPAI Editor-in-Chief and Publisher Josh Ellis; and ASI’s Senior Vice President of Content and Global Alliances Michele Bell. Panelists discussed tariffs, market and product trends in North America vs. Europe and predictions on the health of the European and North American promo markets in 2025.

“CTCO and its sister show for the printing industry, C!Print, were a great reminder of how international the promo business is truly becoming, as quite a few American distributors and suppliers attended the show for the first time,” Bell said. “And while there are many areas in which the American promo market leads – technology, operational efficiencies and turnaround time being three of them – going to a show like CTCO is a reminder of how the European promo industry, especially in Southern Europe, dominates in the areas of product design and presentation, the stunning way the booths are showcased – like retail boutiques and salons – and sustainability.”

The show also hosted several other discussions, developed in collaboration between C!mag, 2FBCO and European Sourcing, with topics that ranged from an analysis of the French promotional products market to practical case studies.

This year’s CTCO show encouraged conversation between exhibitors and attendees, inviting them to think about promo in a new way.

Other key features of the show included The Print Lab – Live Customization Zone, which featured two interactive workshops over three days, allowing participants to discuss their customization challenges and objectives. Attendees also received beanies and T-shirts printed with colorful designs as a bonus. The Workwear Corner, a new addition to CTCO, featured professional outfits – from the medical, industrial and construction sectors – displayed on mannequins, each customized to highlight the possibilities of printing on technical fabrics. Another section of the show, Les MUST CTCO, was dedicated to market trends and showcased over 100 flagship products from suppliers. Supplier Cybernecard won first prize in the Les MUST showcase, followed by Idées Nature and SCX Design.

France is the third-largest market for promotional products in Europe, with nearly $1.7 billion in 2023 promo sales, according to ASI Research. Overall, the European promo market accounted for nearly $14.1 billion in annual distributor sales in 2023.

Next year’s CTCO show is scheduled for Feb. 3 to 5, 2026 at Eurexpo, Lyon.

Click through gallery below for more images from CTCO 2025.

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