Classes & Workshops.
h+h americas Fall Edition 2026 features three full days of education, workshops, and business programming at Reliant Center (formerly NRG Center) in Houston, TX, designed for craft industry professionals. Sessions span needlecraft, quilting, sewing, fiber arts, handicraft, and business development topics.
Fall Forum.
Wednesday, September 30 · 9:00 AM – 3:30 PM
You're invited to join us for h+h americas Fall Edition's educational conference: Fall Forum. Enjoy an all-inclusive full day of education, networking, and community before the trade show floor opens. Learn from top instructors, participate in industry roundtables, and make new friendships. Your day includes:
- A morning mingle with coffee and light breakfast
- A 90-minute class taught by a top-tier expert
- Lunch and networking
- Industry roundtables
- A fantastic keynote speech
Enter the show when it opens at 4:00 PM and enjoy cocktails on the show floor before attending Sample It, the cash-and-carry event in the evening.
Full Program Schedule.
Class – TBA
Fall Forum: Class & Roundtable Descriptions.
Roundtable Discussions · Wednesday, 12:15–2:15 PM
New Shops, moderated by Kathy Cruz. For owners in their first one to three years of business. Talk through the challenges of the startup phase: building your first customer base, managing early cash flow, choosing your initial inventory and class offerings, and avoiding the mistakes that trip up so many new shops.
Small Shops, moderator TBA. For established shop owners running lean, close-knit operations, often with a small staff or just family help. Dig into the realities of wearing every hat: balancing the books, buying inventory, running the sales floor, and building community without a large team behind you.
Large Shops, moderator TBA. For owners managing multiple staff members, higher inventory volume, and more complex operations. Discuss the challenges of scale: hiring and training, delegating without losing your shop's personality, managing systems and logistics, and planning for growth.
Designers & Teachers, moderated by Sandra Chandler. For pattern designers, class instructors, and other creative professionals working across the industry rather than from behind a single storefront. Talk through building and protecting your creative brand, pricing your work and your time, and structuring licensing and teaching relationships with shops.
Business Classes · Thursday & Friday, 8:00–9:30 AM
The $120K Turnaround Case File: How to Spot the Profit Leaks Holding Back Your Store's Cash Flow, with Kathy Cruz (Thursday). If you've ever looked at your sales and wondered, "I'm making money…so where is it going?", this session is for you. Independent Retail Coach Kathy Cruz shares the real story behind one retailer's $120K turnaround and the first step that changed everything. Through a real-life case study and a hands-on Profit Leak Analyzer exercise, you'll learn how to identify hidden profit leaks and better understand the relationship between profit margins, inventory, and cash flow.
Online Sales Academy: How Craft Retailers are Creating Thriving Online Stores, with Josh Orr (Friday). A strategic walkthrough of how retailers are approaching online sales, not as a technology focus but as a sales channel that serves customers just like a storefront: driving both online and storefront traffic, converting sales, and creating repeat purchases. You'll gain:
- A strategic understanding of how to apply your brand and customer connection in your online store
- Short-term tactical changes you can make to begin moving the needle
- How to rethink your site to make it about the customer rather than the brand
- A toolkit with easy-to-implement Canva templates, AI prompts for site copy, and more
Additional Fall Forum classes will be announced soon.
Sample It — Opening Night Event.
On the evening of Wednesday, September 30, the program closes with Sample It — a ticketed cash-and-carry shopping event from 7:30 PM to 9:00 PM. Shop directly from exhibitors before the full show floor opens to trade buyers.
Registration & Pass Information.
Passes range from the free Exhibit Only Pass to the all-inclusive Fall Global Pass ($375 early bird). Business classes are available in a Business Pass ($250 early bird) or individually ($100 early bird). Craft Industry Alliance members receive discounted rates. All registered attendees will have access to Main Stage programming.
Ready to Attend?
Register for h+h americas Fall Edition 2026 and access the full program.
