A successful start to the new furnishing season: around 70,000 visitors from 135 countries experienced design innovations by 2,975 international exhibitors at Heimtextil 2018 held during January 9 to 12. Urban design in the context of architecture and the hotel industry became the top topic of the international trade fair for home and contract textiles.
“With growth on both the visitor and exhibitor side, Heimtextil has convinced across the board and underpinned its unique position as a world-leading trade fair”, says Detlef Braun, CEO of Messe Frankfurt. Around 70,000 visitors, including representatives from the retail and wholesale trade, interior decorators, design, architecture and interior design, the hotel industry and industry, benefited from the fair’s unique range of products and inspiration.
For the eighth time in a row, the trade fair increased the number of participating companies, the total at 2,975 international exhibitors. In addition to global market leaders and industry leaders, the event also provided an international platform for more than 50 young designers and start-ups with its newcomer programme “New & Next”.
One of the focal points of the trade fair was contract furnishing and the associated focus on the target group of architects and property planners. “For us it was a fantastic trade fair première”, said Tom Puukko, owner of the wallpaper manufacturer Feathr from Finland. “We were able to generate new and excellent contacts from all parts of the world. A special highlight for us was a group of architects who stopped by our stand, enabling us to present our products to them”.
Architecture meets textile design
With a first-rate lecture programme, topic-specific guided tours and a prominent presentation area, namely, the new Interior Architecture.
Hospitality Expo in hall 4.2, Heimtextil expanded its commitment to textile contract furnishings, and with great success. Numerous architects and interior designers, hoteliers and furnishers took advantage of the diverse information and networking opportunities. “I considered a visit to Heimtextil as a valuable incentive for my work, i.e., for the interior furnishings and design of shops and restaurants at the airport. I was able to make interesting contacts and discover exciting, very high-quality products”, said Jun-Florian Peine, Project Manager Retail Development Fraport AG.
In the immediate vicinity of the new area, carpet suppliers were able to present themselves as part of a joint presentation by the Association of German Home Textiles Manufacturers (Heimtex) entitled “Carpet by Heimtex”.
Volker Knieß, responsible for International Sales at Toucan-T, drew a positive conclusion: “We found the new concept of a joint presentation interesting and are very satisfied with how the fair went. With the main focus on acoustics, flexibility and design, we appeal particularly to the architects who we encounter here at Heimtextil. The guided tours for architects in particular bring us into contact with this target group and open up interesting contacts for us”.
Urbanisation, a major trend topic
With the “Theme Park” trend area, Heimtextil gave an outlook on the design and furnishing trends of the future. Under the title “The Future is urban”, international design experts visualised the megatrend of urbanisation. Based on the statement that more than half of the world’s population already lives in major cities, the area not only showcased the colour and material trends of the coming season, but above all real future prospects in the field of textile interior design.
The London-based studio FranklinTill directed the showcase in hall 6.0 and received great acclaim for a trend presentation that was both progressive and tangible and clear.
New concept 2019
Based on discussions with exhibitors and visitor surveys, Messe Frankfurt has developed a new Heimtextil concept for 2019. “From the perspective of buyers in particular, we are repositioning Heimtextil 2019 and grouping themes and product groups according to target groups. In this way, synergies can be better recognised and exploited”, said Olaf Schmidt, Vice President – Textiles & Textile Technologies at Messe Frankfurt.
In addition, the demand for stand space on the exhibitor side has grown sharply in some product groups in recent years. The opportunity to optimise the concept is not least due to major construction measures currently being implemented at the Messe Frankfurt exhibition site: the new hall 12 will be erected on the western side of the site and will be available to Heimtextil for the first time in 2019. Further structural measures are to follow around halls 5 and 6.
The next Heimtextil, international trade fair for home and contract textiles, will be held in Frankfurt from January 8 to 11 2019.