It might not feel like it quite yet, but fall and winter will soon be on their way. Once temperatures start to dip, consumers will start looking to trade their flip-flops for fleece socks. And they’ll start turning their attention to readying their nests for winter. Read on for what trends, consumer data and innovative products deserve retailers’ attention in the home environment category this season.

First-Time Interest and Upgrades
The MarketOutlook section of the 2025 International Housewares Association (IHA) State of the Industry report compiles exclusive consumer data on 15 home and housewares categories. Within the data are two interesting findings about what’s driving interest in home environment:

Out of all the categories in this year’s survey, home environment had the highest percentage of consumers intending to buy a product for the first time (14%).

The category also tied for the highest percentage of consumers looking to upgrade existing items (24%, tied with kitchen electrics).

Within the home environment category, air purifiers (45%) are the top product consumers said they intend to buy in 2025. That’s followed by portable fans (33%), water filters (32%), humidifiers (27%), dehumidifiers (25%), portable air conditioners (23%) and portable heaters (19%).

Air Purifiers
A number of factors may be contributing to significant interest in air purifiers.

First — unlike some home environment sub-categories, air purifiers aren’t just tied to one season. Consumers may be just as likely to want or need them in warm weather (to counter allergens in the air when windows are open), as they are in colder weather (to tackle cold and flu germs that peak in winter). Pet allergens are another important reason people use air purifiers year-round.

Air purifiers were also a popular purchase at the beginning of the pandemic — that may be starting to hit replacement cycles. It’s also a category that’s seen a good amount of innovation in shape, size and functionality that can inspire upgrades (Case in point: The ultra slim Wall Mount Air Purifier-H13 True HEPA by Cuckoo Electronics or this cute little Desktop Air Purifier with HEPA filter by Gforest.)

For Cooler Weather
That said, cooler weather is sure to spur interest in sub-categories like portable heaters and humidifiers. Again, newer innovations will draw consumers’ eye. Consider items that have a low-profile like Objecto’s modern T3 Panel Heater or multi-functional ones such as Crane’s 1.2 Gal. Cool Mist Top Fill Humidifier & Aroma Diffuser for Medium to Large Rooms.

When considering which products to stock, know that safety was the feature MarketOutlook respondents were most likely to say was “very important” (65%) in home environment products. However, when you factor in both “very important” and “somewhat important” responses, safety, easy maintenance and energy efficiency all essentially tied as the top features and benefits.

Learn more about the size of the home and housewares market, consumer purchase intent, and consumer/lifestyle trends in the 2025 IHA State of the Industry report.

Discover more about the featured products by clicking the images below.