Messe Frankfurt Features

Heimtextil 2012: ideas crossing

Sustainability is and will remain an important issue

• “Sustainability” and “Green Hospitality” lecture series with renowned speakers
• Updated Green Directory of exhibitors and parallel special show “Green Exhibition – let it grow!”

Sustainability is and will remain an important issue for Heimtextil and its industry. According to a 2010 study commissioned by Messe Frankfurt, the market segment for sustainable textiles continues to enjoy above-average annual growth of roughly 10 percent worldwide. And 81 percent of all visitors to the most recent Heimtextil in January 2011 rated the topic as important. All the more reason for the organisers of this leading flagship fair to again focus on sustainably produced textiles at the upcoming event from 11 to 14 January 2012.

Environmental awareness and responsibility are increasingly being demanded by consumers. Hardly any other concern has impacted the market so quickly. “Our goal is to systematically focus greater attention on sustainable products at our international textiles fairs, as we observe ongoing strong interest in the ecological segment”, announced Olaf Schmidt, Vice President Textiles & Textile Technologies at Messe Frankfurt. “Green issues will be a recurring theme throughout the fair as a result.”

New lecture series: "Let’s talk about ..."
One of the key topics featured in the new “Let’s talk about...” lecture area in the foyer of Halls 5.1/6.1 will be sustainability, and trade visitors can look forward to an interesting series of talks on the first day of Heimtextil. >>read more

Innovation Award Architecture Textiles Objekts:
searching for products demonstrating creative and technical excellence

• For the third time: Public Award and Trend Scouting
• New category: sustainability

The Innovation Award Architecture Textiles Objekts underscores the importance of the architectural quality of textile products and interiordesign solutions. The competition will be held by Messe Frankfurt for the eighth time in cooperation with AIT and xia architecture magazines on the occasion of the Heimtextil trade fair in Frankfurt am Main (11 to 14 January 2012). The Award is given for products and concepts distinguished by creative and technical excellence.

The Innovation Award Architecture Textiles Objekts is aimed at architects, interior architects and designers, industrial companies and processors of textile products, contract textiles and interior solutions (ceiling / wall / floor / furniture / dividing walls and sunprotection systems). Manufacturers and designers can enter products from the technical sphere or project-related solutions using textiles. The winners will be selected by a jury of renowned architects, interior architects and designers. The award-winning products or solutions will be on show in a special exhibition in the foyer of Hall 4.1 throughout the fair.

New category: sustainability
For the first time, the award will also be given in the sustainability category and go to manufacturers and designers whose products represent a significant contribution to sustainability in architecture. Additionally, as in both previous years, the competition organisers will give a public award. In this case, trade visitors will have the chance to choose, on the basis of architectural criteria, their favourite from the products submitted. The closing date for entries to the Innovation Award Architecture Textiles Objekts is 2 December 2011. >>read more

Renowned exhibitors, important returnees and new participants

• International Trade Fair for Home and Contract Textiles offers new services for visitors and exhibitors
• Attractive programme focusing on the contract business, sustainability and the Heimtextil Trend

Companies from all around the globe are demonstrating great interest in exhibiting at the world’s biggest trade fair for home and contract textiles. “The sector relies on Heimtextil as the world’s leading marketing and ordering venue and we are looking forward to an event distinguished by numerous top exhibitors”, says Olaf Schmidt, Vice President Textiles & Textile Technologies of Messe Frankfurt. From 11 to 14 January 2012, trade visitors will be able to see a broad spectrum of textile products, trends and innovations in 19 exhibition halls. Additionally, the trade fair is coupled with an attractive complementary programme, as well as a wide range of services for both visitors and exhibitors.

Renowned returnees and new exhibitors
After an absence, numerous companies from the home-textiles sector have now decided to exhibit at the fair again. Among the returnees from Germany are Nya Nordiska, SAHCO, Sonnhaus and Vorwerk. Companies from other nations taking part again include Byron & Byron (Great Britain), Chivasso (The Netherlands), Elitis (France), Engelbert E. Stieger (Switzerland), Fabrics Castello del Barro (Italy), Hijos de Antonio Ferre (Spain), Nelen & Delbeke (Belgium), Penelope (Turkey), Ter Molst (Belgium), Vamvax/Guy Laroche (Greece) and Yebane (Spain). The organisers are also pleased to announce the return of several companies from the household-textiles segment, e.g., Billerbeck Betten-Union (Germany), Grund (Czech Republic), Luzmonte 2 (Portugal), Marzotto and Zambaiti Concept (both from Italy). Refreshing new ideas for the bathroom, bedroom and table will be contributed by a number of younger companies, including Peppa Grace and Robespierre Europe (Germany) and La Maison Blanc (Morocco ), who will occupy a new platform called ‘new@more’ in the premium segment.

Renowned names on board
The home-textiles companies that take part in Heimtextil every year include A.S. Création, Karl F. Buchheister, Erismann, Gardinia, Garotex and Gustav Gerster from Germany, as well as Backhausen Interior Textiles, Baumann Dekor (both from Austria), Rafael Catala (Spain), Coulisse (The Netherlands), Edinburgh Weavers (Great Britain), Giber (Italy), Grandeco (Belgium), Limonta (Italy), Linder (France), Romain Maes (Belgium), SATI (Spain), Dina Vanelli (Turkey) and York Wall Coverings (USA). Among the established exhibitors from the household-textiles segment showing their latest products will be Badenia, Cawö Textil, Christian Fischbacher, Fleuresse, Irisette, Gebrüder Sanders, Schlossberg (all from Germany), Fratelli Graziano (Italy) and Vossen (Austria). >>read more

Coupon Business Finder: Suppliers of small batch sizes

• Efficient trade-fair planning, better orientation and an easy way to find new suppliers and business partners
• Associations welcome new service for visitors

A service geared to the needs of specialist retailers and interior decorators: for the next Heimtextil (11 to 14 January 2012) Messe Frankfurt is offering a new theme-specific exhibitor directory in the shape of the Coupon Business Finder. The Finder lists exhibitors that offer home and household textiles in small and very small quantities.

The new Coupon Business Finder is deliberately aimed at Heimtextil visitors from the specialist retail trade and the interior decorating business who want to order quantities tailored to their varying needs for a flexible product range. “The new Coupon Business Finder provides an overview of exhibitors whose production facilities enable them to offer even small batch sizes”, explains Ulrike Wechsung, Director Heimtextil. Thanks to the new publication, the people responsible for Heimtextil can provide all those interested in coupons with a guide to their trade fair visit, thus making it easier for them to find new suppliers and business partners. The exhibitors’ stands listed in the Coupon Business Finder are marked by a logo on the exhibition stand.

ZVR and BTE praise for new service offer
The new service offer for visitors to Heimtextil is very much appreciated by the Central Association of Interior Design & Decorating Societies (Zentralverband Raum und Ausstattung – ZVR): “The new directory is a convenient form of orientation that will be really useful for visitors from the interior decorating business. This service once again underlines the great importance that Heimtextil has for interior decorators”, says Henning Cronemeyer, Managing Director of the Central Association of Interior Design & Decorating Societies. Axel Augustin, General Manager of the German Association of the Textile Retail Trade (Bundesverband des Deutschen Textileinzelhandels e.V. – BTE) is also pleased: “Small and medium-sized specialist retailers can only afford to invest the little time they have available at the fair to visit the stands they want to visit. So they are glad of any assistance that will guide them precisely to the exhibitors they are looking for.” >>read more

Heimtextil Trends 2012/2013: Colour and Sustainability

• New trend themes – ‘Colour Riot’, ‘Dark Lux’, ‘Craft Industry’ and ‘Split Clarity’
• ‘MONTAGE’: Heimtextil Trend Book presents avant-garde projects from the interior, architecture, fashion and design sectors

The ‘off’ for the new Heimtextil Trend Season: on behalf of the Heimtextil Trendtable, Claudia Herke of designers bora.herke.palmisano gave an initial preview of the Heimtextil Trends for 2012/2013 in an atmospheric presentation held in the Portalhaus of Frankfurt Fair and Exhibition Centre on 26 August 2011, during the Tendence trade fair in Frankfurt am Main. The four new trend themes are published officially in the Heimtextil Trend Book, ‘MONTAGE’, and summarise the trend predictions for the 2012/2013 season.

‘MONTAGE’: existing elements remixed
Entitled ‘MONTAGE’, the Heimtextil Trend Book 2012/2013 reflects the thoughts, ideas, inspirations, theses and predictions of the members of the Trendtable in a compact and informative way. “For us, ‘Montage’ means we take existing elements, mix them anew and create something of our own, something that has never existed before. This process symbolises the individuality and needs of the consumer”, explained Herke during her presentation. Thus, the Trend Book includes topical examples of avant-garde projects from the fields of interior design, architecture, fashion and design.

The four new trend themes are called ‘Colour Riot’, ‘Dark Lux’, ‘Craft Industry’ and ‘Split Clarity’. In all cases, colour plays a dominant role. “Colour is the decisive signal for the coming season. Powerful and omnipresent, colour refreshes the senses, sets important accents and is a conscious part of all styles”, says Claudia Herke. Additionally, sustainable materials are an interdisciplinary subject that plays a leading role throughout the trend prognoses. >>read more

96 percent of the area used in 2011 occupied

• Heimtextil on course for success: eight months to go before the fair starts and exhibitors are already showing a keen interest
• Editors announce their intention to come – convincing concept in Hall 3.1

With a five percent increase in the number of exhibitors compared with the previous year, Heimtextil 2011 in Frankfurt am Main got off to a successful start to the new season. And now, in the middle of the year, all the signs are still on ‘Go’. Olaf Schmidt, Vice President Textiles & Textile Technologies Messe Frankfurt, is very optimistic. “The current number of registrations clearly exceeds our expectations. The industry is still on the way up again and is banking on Heimtextil as the world’s most important trade meeting for the sector. All the indications are that Heimtextil is acquiring even more importance.“

Editors strongly represented
Among the exhibitors so far registered there are many new names in addition to companies that exhibited in earlier years and are now returning to the international stage provided by Heimtextil. “It is precisely these registrations that strike us as being a strong indication that our trade fair is perceived as the most important event in the business, both nationally and internationally. Thus Heimtextil is, and remains, the showcase for all the companies relevant to this sector”, says Schmidt. The editor segment in particular will be maintaining a stronger presence in 2012. After being absent for many years, Elitis, the renowned editor from France, has once again registered for the fair. Kobe and Sonnhaus, the textile publishing companies, will be among the exhibitors in Hall 3.1. One is returning, the other is a newcomer to the fair. Yann De Zutter, Managing Director of the Belgium Wind textile publishing company is pleased “that more editors with high-quality products are coming to Heimtextil, so the standard is bound to be good.” The first-class contacts it established at the last Heimtextil have induced the Belgium editor to return to Frankfurt in 2012. “During the last Heimtextil, we had good, new customers visiting our stand who had come there especially because wallpapers are now also located in Hall 3.1”, said De Zutter. >>read more

International design agencies begin work at the Trendtable

• Designer agency bora.herke.palmisano responsible for the 2012/13 Trend Book and the Trend Show
• New impulses from US designer Marc Woodman of Global Color Research

The preparations for Heimtextil 2012, International Trade Fair for Home and Contract Textiles, officially begin with the meeting of the Heimtextil Trendtable. Thus, seven renowned design agencies came together in March to prepare the trends for the 22nd Heimtextil. For the first time, a US designer also took part in the Trendtable and contributed to the Heimtextil trend statements, which are the subject of great interest in the worldwide textile sector. “The contribution by Global Color Research USA will enrich the work of our team of designers and we are looking forward to a variety of interesting impulses from the US design scene for our global Heimtextil trends”, says Olaf Schmidt, Textile Fairs Vice President, Messe Frankfurt.

Now, with around ten months preparatory time until the doors open, work has begun on the Heimtextil Trends for 2012/13. Seven renowned international design agencies took part in the Trendtable in Frankfurt am Main. For two days, designers from Germany, Great Britain, France, Italy, Japan, The Netherlands and the USA exchanged ideas and opinions on current themes, colours and tendencies in the fields of art, fashion and architecture.

Designers bora.herke.palmisano responsible for the 2012/13 Trend Book and the Trend Show
All design agencies taking part presented their own trend prognoses, which were discussed and developed to mould them into globally valid trends for the next 18 months. At the same time, the designers also evaluated a wide variety of new materials, textures, colours and patterns from all over the world. Every year, a different Trendtable agency assumes responsibility for the preparation of the Trend Book and the Trend Show. This year, the honour falls to design agency bora.herke.palmisano. Designers Cem Bora, Claudia Herke and Annetta Palmisano have been developing contemporary trends since 1990. They identify and visualise new tendencies in the fields of fashion, furniture and lifestyle. With their extraordinary presentations and exhibitions for international companies, they have been members of the creative team since the first Heimtextil Trendtable. >>read more

Source: Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH Ludwig-Erhard-Anlage 1 60327 Frankfurt am Main