The Forest Stewardship Council, the leader in sustainable forestry, will bring globally recognised responsible sourcing expertise to Paperworld Middle East 2026 reinforcing the event’s commitment to sustainability and sector transformation.
The event returns to Dubai World Trade Centre from 13-15 October 2026 for three days of unmatched sourcing, networking and knowledge exchange.
Dubai, UAE: Paperworld Middle East, the region’s leading trade show for paper and stationery products, taking place from 13–15 October 2026 at Dubai World Trade Centre, has announced a strategic partnership with the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). The collaboration reinforces the event’s commitment to responsible sourcing while supporting the long-term development and transformation of the paper and stationery industry across the Middle East.
Recognised leader in sustainable forestry, FSC promotes environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial and economically viable forest management through its globally recognised certification system. The new partnership with Paperworld Middle East will bring this expertise to the region’s leading international trade platform for paper and stationery products, creating new opportunities for knowledge exchange, collaboration and responsible procurement.
The collaboration reflects growing demand from businesses and public-sector organisations for internationally recognised sustainability standards as they seek to strengthen procurement frameworks, improve supply chain transparency and meet evolving environmental objectives. Beyond visibility, FSC’s approach supports a broader shift in business practices by enabling organisations to integrate responsible sourcing into their operational culture and decision-making processes.
The partnership marks an important milestone for the 15th edition of Paperworld Middle East, where sustainability will be embedded throughout the exhibition through knowledge sharing, industry collaboration, and increased exposure for FSC-certified exhibitors and responsibly sourced products. It also signals a forward-looking commitment to shaping more resilient, transparent, and responsible value chains across the sector.
Mark Palmer, Show Director, Paperworld Middle East, said: “Across every conversation we’re having with exhibitors and buyers, sustainability is moving from aspiration to expectation. Businesses want greater transparency throughout the supply chain and increasing confidence that the products they source meet internationally recognised standards.
“Partnering with FSC allows Paperworld Middle East to reflect that shift, bringing together the organisations, expertise and certified solutions that will help businesses source with greater confidence while accelerating the adoption of responsible forestry practices across the region.”
Throughout the 2026 edition, FSC-certified exhibitors and products, including IPM, Main Paper and The Navigator Company, will be showcased, enabling visitors to discover and access responsibly sourced solutions from around the world.
Helen Chepkemoi Too, Senior Director, Markets, FSC, said:
“FSC is pleased to partner with Paperworld Middle East to further strengthen awareness and uptake of responsibly sourced materials within the paper, stationery, gifting, and promotional products sectors across the Middle East. Through collaborations like this, we aim to support businesses and consumers in making choices that contribute to responsible forest management and credible sourcing practices worldwide while helping to drive meaningful, long-term change in sourcing behaviours and industry standards.”
Paperworld Middle East will bring together the most influential manufacturers, suppliers, and buyers, providing a dedicated marketplace for sourcing, innovation, and business partnerships. The exhibition serves as a strategic trade platform, as demand continues to grow, with the global paper and stationery markets projected to reach US$294 billion and US$268 billion, respectively, by 2034, according to Fortune Business Insights.
About Paperworld Middle East:
Paperworld Middle East, the region’s definitive trade platform for paper and stationery products, will take place from 13–15 October 2026 at Dubai World Trade Centre in the UAE. The event translates regional demand and industry innovation into real business opportunities, positioning itself as a key destination for sourcing, distribution, and long-term commercial partnerships. Over three days, Paperworld Middle East brings together innovators, global manufacturers, and supply chain leaders, strategically connecting them with a global network of buyers across the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas.
About Messe Frankfurt:
The Messe Frankfurt Group is the world’s largest trade fair, congress and event organiser with its own exhibition grounds. With a workforce of some 2,700* people at its headquarters in Frankfurt am Main and in 29 subsidiaries, it organises events around the world. Group sales in financial year 2025 were more than € 766* million. We serve our customers’ business interests efficiently within the framework of our Fairs & Events, Locations and Services business fields. One of Messe Frankfurt’s key strengths is its powerful and closely knit global sales network, which covers around 180 countries in all regions of the world. Our comprehensive range of services – both onsite and online – ensures that customers worldwide enjoy consistently high quality and flexibility when planning, organising and running their events. We are using our digital expertise to develop new business models. The wide range of services includes renting exhibition grounds, trade fair construction and marketing, personnel and food services.
Sustainability is a central pillar of our corporate strategy. Here, we strike a healthy balance between ecological and economic interests, social responsibility and diversity.
With its headquarters in Frankfurt am Main, the company is owned by the City of Frankfurt (60 percent) and the State of Hesse (40 percent).
*Preliminary figures 2025
About Messe Frankfurt Middle East:
Messe Frankfurt Middle East’s portfolio of exhibitions includes: AERO Middle East, ACHEMA Middle East, Automechanika Dubai, Automechanika Riyadh, Beautyworld Dubai, Beautyworld Riyadh, Intersec Global, Intersec Saudi Arabia, Light + Intelligent Building Middle East and Paperworld Middle East. In the 2024/25 event season, Messe Frankfurt Middle East exhibitions combined featured 8,400 exhibitors and attracted 266,000 visitors from over 178 countries.
