Textination Newsline

Every two years, interzum presents pioneering innovations for the design of tomorrow’s living spaces. The world’s largest event for the supplier industry will unveil the latest developments and groundbreaking trends for homes and interior design from 21 to 24 May 2019. International exhibitors will present new materials and functions that are set to have a major influence on furniture production and interior design in coming years. The three exhibition segments – Materials & Nature, Function & Components, and Textile & Machinery – focus on innovative surfaces, sustainable materials and new technologies. Global mega-trends such as digitalisation, individualisation, mobility and urbanisation will also be addressed in the presentations by exhibitors. These are some of the trends and innovations that will appear in the showcases at the forthcoming edition of interzum.

Technology and emotion: the diversity of surfaces
The importance of the material dimension of design is growing, and with it attention is focusing on surfaces – a trend clearly in evidence at this year’s interzum. Many consumers today expect their living environments to both look and feel good, and to be tailored to their individual needs and wants. Furniture manufacturers can impress them with attractive surfaces. Design trends in this field are guided by both technological developments and emotional impressions. From super matt to high-gloss and custom, the diversity of new decors and surfaces that will be on display at interzum is almost limitless. New or rediscovered materials and combinations, as well as innovative manufacturing processes, have paved the way for these developments. Digital printing enables unique patterns while soft-touch or anti-fingerprint effects ensure an excellent look and feel that lasts. Alongside an immense diversity of design, the exhibitors in this segment will present a wide spectrum of functional features.

Reproducing nature: a feel in harmony with the look
Reproducing materials remains especially popular in laminated surfaces. Imitating the appearance of very different woods is a trend that shows no sign of stopping and one that appears today in many different forms. “What we’re seeing at the moment is trends going in different directions,” says Klaus Monhoff, Head of Design and Décor Management at the Egger Group. The manufacturer is responding to current demand for striking, rustic woods with a new synchronised pore surface with the look of old wood. Screen printing and digital printing specialist Stainer will have extra-large-format wood decors on display at its stand at interzum 2019. Its six-by-two metre panels with the look of different deciduous woods are suitable for walls and flooring. In the field of digital reproductions, the influence of matt, metallic-look surfaces is growing. The Viscora® Supermatt metallic coloured lamination film by Austrian exhibitor Hueck Folien is an example of this trend, as is a new surface by Egger that imitates the look and feel of finely brushed metal.

Focus on environmentally friendly materials and components
Sustainability is a global mega-trend that remains a current and future challenge for the interiors industry. Consumers want the interior design of their homes to be as contaminant-free as possible, and many are also seeking to minimise their ecological footprints. Eco-friendly materials and furniture components are therefore a crucial point of focus for many exhibitors at the forthcoming edition of interzum. Among them is wood processing company Swiss Krono. It will be showcasing BE.YOND, the world’s first biobased chipboard that meets the most stringent indoor air quality requirements. As a renewable, carbon-neutral recyclable material, wood plays a major role in lightweight design and furniture construction. Austrian plywood manufacturer Sperrholzwerk Schweitzer will have aerowood® on display in Cologne. The lightweight panel is resource-efficient, extremely light and available in any dimensions. “Nature is here” is Proadec’s slogan for its showcase. Its new, exceptionally environmentally friendly edge banding will be on display at the trade fair. Another key area of focus at interzum will be biobased plastics. Among the innovations on show in this category are fittings by Swedish exhibitor Ackurat and a new launch by Oskar Lehmann, whose product portfolio includes cable guides for desks. Sustainability can result in great creativity, as Austrian manufacturer Organoid will demonstrate at its stand: natural surfaces produced from hay or moss are made to sparkle with upcycled Swarovski Zirconia gemstones.

Adaptable solutions: individualisation is the new standard
The mega-trend for individualisation is a theme that runs throughout the exhibitors’ presentations at the forthcoming interzum. The desire for solutions that are as individually tailored as possible is transforming consumers’ expectations of their lives and homes. This shift has prompted many exhibitors to present new products that allow interiors to be adapted to personal requirements. The new Innovus collection by Portuguese wood-based materials manufacturer Sonae Arauco is one of the products that promise design freedom. With five new finishes and around 100 new decors, it opens up a multitude of possible combinations and applications. The Marino collection by Spanish exhibitor ServiCanto is similarly versatile and can be paired with different types of surfaces. A unique interpretation of classic wood surfaces makes the new product on show from Italian manufacturer Alpi a standout. Its Gamperana Triplex veneer collection is a collaboration with designer Martino Gamper. Instead of appearing in isolation, the veneer sheets are grouped in threes, paving the way for highly original compositions. Praveedh Décor, based in Mumbai, India, has expanded the colour spectrum of its acrylic prelaminated boards: its new product OpuLux Fantasy is available in multicolour designs that can be adapted to customer preferences.

The new openness: the merging of living worlds
The boundaries between the different areas of the home have been eroding for some time. The increasing fluidity of transitions is having an effect on systems, fittings and lighting. Many exhibitors at interzum 2019 are focusing on flexible design elements that act as the foundation for a consistent home architecture. One example of this trend is the new Schüco Openstyle system, which allows spaces to be flexibly joined or subdivided in line with requirements and the current living situation. “OpenUp” is Vauth-Sagel’s slogan for its interzum appearance. The storage specialist will premiere solutions for all areas of the home at the fair. Highly flexible also sums up the presentation by Hettich, a specialist in functional fittings: “We are simplifying diversity,” says Uwe Kreidel, Managing Director. The company will present multifunctional new products for different living situations in its product showcase.

The art of omission: increasingly invisible components
Increasing flexibility and multifunctionality in furniture is going hand in hand with rising standards for the design of technical solutions. “It is a matter of principle for us that a movement system must enhance the overall design of the item of furniture,” says Albert Trebo, Managing Director for Sales and Marketing of Grass, based in Austria. In this context, the miniaturisation of fittings technology and components such as control and lighting elements continues to play a major role. At interzum, Kesseböhmer will present a new flap fitting that is significantly different to the previous standard solutions on the market in its dimensions, design and functions. Lighting systems manufacturer Hera is also devoting its energies to miniaturisation. Its stand will feature luminaires that can be integrated into furniture almost invisibly. German start-up ambigence, based in Herford near Bielefeld, is taking advantage of this year’s interzum to present a completely new product category. It starts from a simple principle: instead of seeing the furniture panel and fittings as two separate components, they are conceived as a single unit. “Furniture is freed from limiting fittings by integrating functions into the space inside the furniture panel,” explains Norbert Poppenborg, Director Marketing & Business Development.

Micro living: greater comfort in limited space
A further global issue that many exhibitors at the forthcoming interzum are addressing is increasing urbanisation. With growing numbers moving to cities, living space is in increasingly short supply, especially in major conurbations, and rents and house prices are soaring as a result. This trend calls for optimal utilisation of the available floor space and components to provide more space per square metre. The latest solutions here include intelligent storage solutions, such as Kesseböhmer’s urban smart kitchen. “By employing intelligent fittings technology, the collection sets out to make optimal use of the storage space on small floor plans and to provide an overview of the contents, as well as easy access to them, with voice control as an option,” says Managing Director Burkhard Schreiber. A special event area at the trade fair will highlight the development potential that the intensifying shortage of living space presents: a number of exhibitors will showcase new concepts and solutions in the Tiny Spaces – Living in Compact Homes Piazza. To accompany the piazza, star architect Yasmine Mahmoudieh will present her experience of working with tiny spaces and discuss the future requirements that will apply to this field in a talk on Tuesday 21 May 2019.

Mattress production: efficiency provides enhanced sleeping comfort
Diversity is also on the increase in the world of mattresses. Materials are becoming more and more innovative, and processing standards are nearing perfection. Industry quality leaders therefore need to position themselves carefully. Many interzum exhibitors have focused their attention on developing efficient production and new processes that provide enhanced sleeping comfort. Schreiner Machine Service (SMS) represents various machine manufacturers on the European market. At the event, it will announce a world first in the manufacture of spring cores that allows customers to produce innovative mattresses while cutting their production costs. Production optimisation is also a focus for Brother, a specialist in automated sewing solutions whose product showcase will feature its BAS-370H model. The freely programmable bridge type electronic pattern sewer saves floor space in the production line when sewing large areas and enables fast sewing. Spanish company Visdeltex is heading in a similar direction with a new system for fast and automated quilting of bed and divan tops.

interzum 2019: the platform for new ideas
It is the supplier industry that has demonstrated time and again in the past how innovations can transform the market and the standards expected of living environments. The innovations on display at the forthcoming interzum will determine the materials, surfaces and technologies for the design of tomorrow’s interiors. A showcase packed with exhibitors’ latest ideas and solutions is lined up visitors.