Textination Newsline

Reset
15 results
(c) Ligne Roset
22.02.2022

Home textile trends for 2022: A craving for constancy

Sometimes loud, sometimes very gentle – but always on the move: the world of textiles has real expertise in the art of the quick change. The home textile trends for 2022 see nature quietly and discreetly settling inside our homes, making a clear statement – it’s time to take a fresh look at familiar things.

Home textile trends for 2022: back to basics
Before the pandemic, our homes were just one part of our lives. We spent much of the day out and about. The coronavirus pandemic changed all that. Many people spent more time within their own four walls than ever before – our homes took on a central role in our lives. “Home living” became an inescapable theme last year. In times when instability seems to be everywhere, many people switch their focus to the essentials and crave security and peace, turning their homes into a natural refuge where they can recharge their batteries. This trend is also influencing the interiors and lifestyle sector.

Sometimes loud, sometimes very gentle – but always on the move: the world of textiles has real expertise in the art of the quick change. The home textile trends for 2022 see nature quietly and discreetly settling inside our homes, making a clear statement – it’s time to take a fresh look at familiar things.

Home textile trends for 2022: back to basics
Before the pandemic, our homes were just one part of our lives. We spent much of the day out and about. The coronavirus pandemic changed all that. Many people spent more time within their own four walls than ever before – our homes took on a central role in our lives. “Home living” became an inescapable theme last year. In times when instability seems to be everywhere, many people switch their focus to the essentials and crave security and peace, turning their homes into a natural refuge where they can recharge their batteries. This trend is also influencing the interiors and lifestyle sector.

Pure nature in colour and form
The connection between nature and home living is becoming increasingly important when it comes to textile design. It’s a matter of creating a symbiosis between natural materials, colours and textiles to infuse rooms with a warm atmosphere. Soft textures, amorphous shapes and muted earthy tones define the home textile trends for 2022.

Rediscovering the classics: bouclé & corduroy
When most people think of bouclé, the first image that springs to mind is probably the world-famous and timeless Coco Chanel suit from the 1950s. In the 1980s and 1990s, the fabric disappeared from the trend radar. But this year it’s celebrating a fantastic comeback in interior design. Bouclé hits just the right spot between soft and hard-wearing. The upholstery is typically made of cotton and is especially durable. Whether on a sofa, armchair, cushion or as curtains, bouclé fabric is a real all-rounder and gives any room a cosy vibe. Paired with wood or metal, it softens the more hard-edged elements.

Another tactile highlight from days gone by is enjoying a revival, too – corduroy. A timeless classic that is quite rightly settling back in to our homes. Its soft structure means the fabric is well-suited for sofas and seating furniture of various kinds, with its characteristic vertical furrows making the material particularly exciting. And best of all, corduroy fits into any interior design style with ease – contrary to its stereotype of being stuffy.

A mix & match of natural materials and shapes
Natural materials like linen, wool and wood immediately lend an organic, vibrant quality to any home. The natural connection is especially apparent from last year’s DIY boom, with many walls now adorned by macramé – decorative art made by knotting wool. Cushions and blankets made of woven and braided wool in muted cream tones also create a natural and cosy look. Organic patterns and structures inspired by nature are now a must in every home.

Catapulted straight into the 2022 textile trends from the fashion world, “organic camouflage” gives camo patterns a makeover. In warm earth and pastel shades, this on-trend motif calls to mind soft, sandy beaches, the sea or the forest. On a rug or a cushion, “organic camouflage” creates a vibrant look when paired with a low-key couch.

Take the plunge with bold patterns
Whether on wallpaper, rugs or accessories, floral prints in sumptuous colour combinations are still in fashion when it comes to fabric design. In dark shades of green, they forge an elegant connection to nature, and dramatic floral prints on wallpaper make a statement in any room. But even small accessories and decorative elements like floral cushions or blankets on a monochrome sofa or armchair can have a big impact. Combined with light hues and patterns, the overall result is a harmonious interplay of colours and textures. Alongside floral textiles, upholstered furniture with geometric prints is a trend that demands the courage to be different. Large and small geometric patterns add depth to any material and are an artful way of bringing life into the home.

Sustainable materials and textiles
The global sustainability trend also raises questions concerning textile production. Where does the product come from? Is the manufacturing process environmentally friendly? The textile industry has responded with fabrics made from recycled polyester or resource-friendly hemp, cork as a substitute for wood, or fair-trade organic cotton. Alternatives to animal-derived fabrics are also becoming more common in the textile industry. Vegetarian or vegan leather can be produced from many natural resources, from apples and pineapples to mushrooms and cacti. The range of sustainable and environmentally friendly textiles has expanded in recent years and is expected to continue to grow.

Source:

imm cologne / Koelnmesse

Koelnmesse 1 (c) Koelnmesse / imm cologne
29.09.2020

imm cologne "We make it happen"

“We make it happen” is the idea that is currently guiding the whole imm cologne team. As a message to imm cologne exhibitors and visitors, it underscores Koelnmesse’s firm commitment to the industry event and signals that imm cologne will be ready to welcome visitors on 18 January 2021. To increase the event’s reach further, the trade fair organisers in Cologne are working to extend it into the digital sphere with the new imm cologne @home platform.

“We make it happen” is the idea that is currently guiding the whole imm cologne team. As a message to imm cologne exhibitors and visitors, it underscores Koelnmesse’s firm commitment to the industry event and signals that imm cologne will be ready to welcome visitors on 18 January 2021. To increase the event’s reach further, the trade fair organisers in Cologne are working to extend it into the digital sphere with the new imm cologne @home platform.

“We at Koelnmesse believe firmly that everything is possible with our hygiene and safety concept #B-SAFE4business and a positive attitude,” explains Matthias Pollmann, Vice President Trade Fair Management at Koelnmesse. “This progressive attitude is one that many national and international exhibitors and visitors share with us. They are looking forward to networking at the emotional high point of the year for the industry – even if it is clear to everyone that many things will be different next year,” he adds.

Digital formats will ensure maximum reach
The second key challenge facing the team led by Matthias Pollmann and Claire Steinbrück is reaching those visitors who are unable to or do not want to travel to Cologne due to the pandemic. “By extending the trade fair into the digital sphere, we have the best opportunities to increase our reach. Digital reach will be used as a new success criterion for all our trade fairs going forward. It will no longer simply be about the numbers of exhibitors and visitors and where our visitors come from – we want to be measured in terms of our digital reach as well,” says Matthias Pollmann, as he explains the future strategy for imm cologne. “Our goal is to show how many contacts our exhibitors can generate globally in addition to the purely physical visitors,” adds Claire Steinbrück. “gamescom was something like our future lab for reaching consumers, and DMEXCO, which will be hosted this month, will be our blueprint for trade events. Based on our experiences with these two trade fairs, we will draw up a tailored digital strategy for imm cologne by the end of October,” says the trade fair management team, sketching out imm cologne’s evolution into a hybrid format.

Ready for launch: imm cologne @home is in beta
With the launch of the new imm cologne @home platform, the Interior Business Event is doing more than simply expanding business opportunities for its exhibitors. It will also reach a broad spectrum of visitors, creating a diverse range of further possibilities for interaction. The platform will be a forum for virtual exchanges between industry peers, for networking with relevant contacts and elevating business to the next level. In addition to a variety of live-streamed digital stages – including the highly respected talks forum The Stage – there will be open and thematically curated video chats in the virtual cafe, and online trade fair visitors will be able to experience exclusive new launches by imm cologne exhibitors in private showrooms.

Exhibitors to benefit directly from additional contacts and broader reach
Unlike standard webinar and video conferencing systems, imm cologne @home will offer exhibitors more than just the option to stream content – they will also be able to start one-to-one conversations with customers directly. imm cologne @home will thereby offer real networking opportunities, direct dialogues and real-time solutions – a decisive advantage for any exhibitor.

LivingKitchen visitors and exhibitors will also benefit from the new hybrid format. In addition to presenting events and talks programmes digitally, all the functionalities of the new platform will be made available for LivingKitchen as well. Visitors to the Interior Business Event will be able to access imm cologne @home as a website and an app. The platform is designed to serve as an information and communication hub between the industry events and as a digital trade fair for visitors and exhibitors.

Digital content by imm cologne and its exhibitors is crucial to the hybrid trade fair’s success
“By the end of October, we will decide which tools we will take from the large toolbox for DMEXCO and use for imm cologne. What our exhibitors think will play an important role in this. Everything that supports their business is crucial,” says Pollmann. He adds an appeal to the industry: “The path into a hybrid future is one that we cannot and do not want to take alone. In order to reach virtual visitors, it is vitally important that our exhibitors also produce digital content to accompany the content that we can generate as imm cologne. The same rule applies here as it does with a physical trade fair: We provide the platform and activate the visitors. But the products, the innovations, the stories – this is content that has to come from the exhibitors themselves.”

“You make it possible – we make it happen.”
It is crucial for imm cologne that both exhibitors and visitors realise that the trade fair can be a success for their companies, for the entire industry and for Germany and Europe as a hub for commerce and industry only if they themselves adopt the guiding idea behind imm cologne. “You make it possible – we make it happen,” is how Matthias Pollmann puts it in his invitation to the industry to join imm cologne on this journey.

Koelnmesse 1 (c) Koelnmesse / imm cologne
29.09.2020

imm cologne "We make it happen"

„We make it happen“ ist zurzeit der Leitgedanke des gesamten imm cologne-Teams. Als Botschaft an die Aussteller und Besucher der imm cologne unterstreicht der Leitsatz das klare Bekenntnis der Koelnmesse zum Messe-Events und signalisiert, dass die imm cologne am 18. Januar 2021 ihre Tore öffnen wird. Zur Erhöhung der Reichweite arbeiten die Kölner Messe-Macher an der Verlängerung des Messe-Events über die neue Plattform imm cologne @home ins Digitale.

„We make it happen“ ist zurzeit der Leitgedanke des gesamten imm cologne-Teams. Als Botschaft an die Aussteller und Besucher der imm cologne unterstreicht der Leitsatz das klare Bekenntnis der Koelnmesse zum Messe-Events und signalisiert, dass die imm cologne am 18. Januar 2021 ihre Tore öffnen wird. Zur Erhöhung der Reichweite arbeiten die Kölner Messe-Macher an der Verlängerung des Messe-Events über die neue Plattform imm cologne @home ins Digitale.

„Wir bei der Koelnmesse glauben fest daran, dass mit unserem Hygiene- und Sicherheitskonzept #B-SAFE4business und mit einer positiven Einstellung alles möglich ist“, erklärt Matthias Pollmann, Geschäftsbereichsleiter Messemanagement der Koelnmesse. „Diese progressive Einstellung teilen viele nationale und internationale Aussteller und Besucher mit uns. Sie freuen sich auf den emotionalen Höhepunkt der Branche zum Networken – auch wenn allen klar ist, dass im nächsten Jahr vieles anders sein wird“, so der Bereichsleiter weiter.

Maximale Reichweite durch digitale Formate
Die zweite zentrale Herausforderung für das Team um Matthias Pollmann und Claire Steinbrück ist es, auch die Besucher zu erreichen, die wegen der Pandemie nicht nach Köln reisen können oder wollen. „Mit der Erweiterung der Messe in den digitalen Raum haben wir die besten Chancen, unsere Reichweite zu erhöhen. Die digitale Reichweite wird künftig von all unseren Messen als neues Erfolgskriterium herangezogen werden. Es wird also nicht mehr nur um die Anzahl der Aussteller und die Anzahl der Besucher sowie deren Herkunft gehen – wir wollen uns auch an der digitalen Reichweite messen lassen“, kommentiert Matthias Pollmann die Strategie der imm cologne für die Zukunft. “Es soll gezeigt werden, wie viele Kontakte die Aussteller über den rein physisch anwesenden Besucher hinaus global generieren können“, ergänzt Claire Steinbrück. „Die Gamescom war so etwas wie unser Future Lab für die Konsumentenansprache, und die noch in diesem Monat stattfindende DMEXCO wird unser Blueprint für Fachbesucher-Messen. Aus den Erfahrungen dieser beiden Messen werden wir für die imm cologne bis Ende Oktober einen digitalen Maßanzug schneidern“, skizziert das Messemanagement-Team die Weiterentwicklung der imm cologne zu einem hybriden Format.

Startklar: imm cologne @home ist in der Beta-Phase
Mit der neuen Plattform imm cologne @home erweitert die imm cologne nicht nur die Business Opportunities der Aussteller, sondern erreicht auch ein breites Spektrum an Besuchern. Hierdurch erhält die Messe vielfältige zusätzliche Möglichkeiten der Interaktion. Hier kann man sich mit der Branche virtuell austauschen, mit relevanten Kontakten vernetzen und sein Business voranbringen. Neben verschiedenen digitalen Bühnen mit Live-Streams – zum Beispiel vom anerkannten Vortragsforum „The Stage“ – gibt es offene und thematisch kuratierte Video-Chats im Virtual Café, und online teilnehmende Messebesucher können zudem in privaten Showrooms der imm cologne-Aussteller exklusive Neuheiten erleben.

Aussteller profitieren unmittelbar von zusätzlichen Kontakten und Reichweiten
Anders als gängige Webinar- und Videoconferencing-Systeme bietet die imm cologne @home ihren Ausstellern neben dem Streamen von Inhalten auch die Möglichkeit, in den sofortigen direkten Austausch mit den Kunden zu treten. Die imm cologne @home bietet somit echtes Networking, direkte Gespräche und Lösungen in Echtzeit – ein entscheidender Vorteil für jeden Aussteller.

Auch die Besucher und Aussteller der LivingKitchen werden von dem neuen hybriden Format profitieren. Hier werden nicht nur Events und Vortragsprogramme digital abgebildet, sondern auch alle Funktionen der neuen Plattform auf die LivingKitchen übertragen. imm cologne @home wird als Website und als App den Besuchern der internationale Einrichtungsmesse zur Verfügung gestellt und soll in Zukunft auch zwischen den Messe-Veranstaltungen als Informations- und Kommunikations-Hub und als digitaler Messeplatz für Besucher und Aussteller genutzt werden können.

Digitaler Content von imm cologne & Ausstellern für das Erfolgskonzept hybride Messe
„Wir werden bis Ende Oktober entscheiden, welche Tools wir aus dem großen Baukasten der DMEXCO auf die imm cologne übertragen werden. Dafür ist uns auch die Meinung unserer Aussteller wichtig. Entscheidend ist alles, was sie in ihrem Business unterstützt“, so Pollmann. Dabei appelliert er auch an die Branche: „Den Weg in die hybride Zukunft können und wollen wir nicht allein gehen. Um die virtuellen Besucher zu erreichen ist es von entscheidender Bedeutung, dass neben dem Content, den wir als imm cologne generieren können, auch unsere Aussteller digitalen Content produzieren! Denn auch hier gilt, genauso wie bei der physischen Messe: Wir stellen die Plattform und aktivieren die Besucher zur Teilnahme; die Produkte, die Innovationen, die Geschichten – das ist Content, der von den Ausstellern selbst kommen muss.

„You make it possible – we make it happen.“
Für die imm cologne ist es wichtig, dass sowohl die Aussteller als auch die Besucher realisieren, dass die Messe nur ein Erfolg für sie selbst, für die Branche und für den Wirtschaftsstandort Deutschland bzw. Europa werden kann, wenn sie den Leitgedanken der imm cologne für sich adaptieren. „You make it possible – we make it happen,“ formuliert Matthias Pollmann deshalb seine Einladung an die Branche zur imm cologne.

imm cologne 2020 © Koelnmesse GmbH / imm cologne / Thomas Klerx
21.01.2020

imm cologne 2020: Ready for better living

  • The industry kicks off the new year with a dynamic start

imm cologne drew to a close on 19 January 2020, with positive overall results. More than 128,000 visitors (including estimates for the last day of the trade fair) attended the event to find inspiration from the industry. Going against the trend for other industry trade fairs held early in the year, imm cologne achieved an increase in visitors compared to the most recent similar edition of the event (2018: 125,000 visitors).

  • The industry kicks off the new year with a dynamic start

imm cologne drew to a close on 19 January 2020, with positive overall results. More than 128,000 visitors (including estimates for the last day of the trade fair) attended the event to find inspiration from the industry. Going against the trend for other industry trade fairs held early in the year, imm cologne achieved an increase in visitors compared to the most recent similar edition of the event (2018: 125,000 visitors).

As in previous years, imm cologne also had a very strong international profile. Of the 82,000 trade visitors (2018: 80,704) around 50 per cent came from outside Germany. Despite the concentration visible in the German wholesale and retail trade, the event recorded a small rise in domestic trade visitors, again bucking the trend in recent years. “With these results, imm cologne not only underscores its prominent position in the global business; the increase in planners, architects and contract furnishers from Germany further emphasises its importance for the German market,” said Gerald Böse, President and Chief Executive Officer of Koelnmesse. The Managing Director of the Association of the German Furniture Industry, Jan Kurth, also gave the event a highly positive verdict: “For the exhibitors, imm cologne was a commercially successful trade fair that allowed the industry to make an excellent start to the 2020 furniture year. Cologne has once again demonstrated its significance as a platform for contacts and inspiration but also as an ordering fair. Together with all those involved, we will continue to strengthen the importance of this key event in a transforming market environment.”
 
The eight most important living trends of imm cologne 2020
How we live is important to us. An ever increasing number of people are considering how they can live and reside more sustainably, where they will live, with whom they will live, how their apartment should look so they can feel at home there and what the furnishings of their homes say about them. The international interiors show imm cologne is a mirror image of current interiors trends and demonstrates the inventiveness of furniture makers.

Interior design is currently becoming increasingly cosy, and the theme of comfort appears to be dominating not only private living space, but also property and hospitality areas. Following the bathroom, the entrance area is now also being discovered as an object of design. The wish for a good interior design appears to become all the more important, the more one wishes to or is forced to limit oneself to a few, high-quality furnishing elements. This is because, conscious limitation toa little is one of the trends characterising contemporary interior design.

Like in fashion, the pendulum seems to be moving from "more and more and cheaper and cheaper" toward a relative orientation to quality. In the process, there seem to be two stylistically and qualitatively differentiating main directions: while the interiors culture characterised by the design scene continues to prefer a reduced, simpler language of form with natural expression and materials, more glamour is called for in more traditional and in fashionable interiors worlds: it should be refined, be originally expressive and possess classic charm.

Yes, living is becoming more important. This is also an increasingly decisive factor for how life is organised, with concepts like co-working and co-living, the patchwork house or urban gardens. More thought is also being given to the things we bond ourselves with, and we tend to look twice before a decision is made in favour of a good piece. An orientation to quality does not necessarily exclude the search for bargains. While one person might research prices, the other researches the previous life of the item of furniture, including the origin of the materials, recycling capability and general harmlessness with regard to nature, climate and social standards. All agree that we want to live better: more comfortably, more stylishly, using space more effectively, more colourfully, smarter and more sustainably.

More natural living   
An ever increasing number of people are seriously attempting to change their consumer behaviour in order to initiate a trend turnaround toward a sustainable society. Consumer decisions with regard to mobility, mobile phone or nutrition, just as much as for furniture, are being increasingly evaluated under the aspect of climate neutrality. The story behind the product, the storytelling, is thus becoming more important all the time. This means that natural materials and solid wood are preferred in the home, not only for reasons of cosiness, but also with an eye to ecological considerations. Supporting decorative items, such as plants, untreated fabrics and indoor greenhouses are becoming important furnishing elements for home design and are also conceived of as statements. Furniture of high design quality also holds the promise of sustainability.

Wood and natural materials, but also lightweight design and recycling materials are being used everywhere where they are functional, meaning also for products that are usually manufactured from other materials. Bamboo is being tried out as an alternative to wood, just as much as plastic-reinforced paper as a leather-like upholstery fabric. Wickerwork of rattan, willow or bamboo brings a winter garden feeling into the house. The longing for natural living is keeping the trend toward Scandinavian design alive. It is after all associated with a near-natural, uncomplicated and original, rustic lifestyle, which is expressed in the traditionally simple design cultivated in the 20th century.

Greener living
We increasingly want to be close to nature: no new apartments are being built without balconies; apartments and houses with access to gardens or patios are in high demand, especially in urban areas. These touchpoints with nature are now also becoming an integral part of our homes, with patios taking on the role of a second living room. In the wake of the "Indoor – Outdoor" trend, weatherproof outdoor furniture now not only looks like it comes from the living room, it is also used there! Elegant materials and high-tech textiles also make it possible for them to be used indoors. An aesthetic difference is hardly recognisable in the upper price segment and, in the case of the new indoor/outdoor furniture, the comfort of use is also increasingly comparable. In the case of outdoor colours, the colour grey seems to have passed its zenith. White positioned itself as the base colour for outdoor furniture at the spoga-gafa trade fair in Cologne.

The furniture that suits this trend in some cases resembles that from the trend of more natural living: bamboo and wickerwork furniture is popular, but wicker armchairs of high-tech materials and more fashionable accents are also opportune. Plants are found as accessories not only in pots, but also on wallpaper. Green can be found in all shades.
 
Smarter Living  
Can we use an app to grow herbs? Can computers nurture plants to improve air quality? Does the climate have an impact on building services? Does a smart control system switch off the lights and the coffee machine when you leave the house? Smart applications are becoming ever more diverse, reliable and easy to use and can be tailored increasingly precisely to the specific needs of residents. As a result, smart technologies are increasingly playing a key role in architecture. Whether computer-controlled optimisation of indoor air quality, the innovative control and operation of shower toilets or the anticipatory and energy-optimised regulating of room temperature, smart technology is being increasingly integrated into the way we live.

Lamps that serve as Bluetooth loudspeakers; night tables with cordless mobile phone charging stations; cabinets that provide mood lighting; mirror cabinets with multimedia function, tables that adjust to our ideal amount of movement and sofas that note the individual favourite seating position; lights that help us fall asleep and beds that nudge us gently into another position when we snore. Technology is becoming an integral, ideally inconspicuous element of furniture.

More efficient living
Rising rents and smaller homes will continue to drive the demand for space-saving furniture. The first wave of the trend toward tidiness and renunciation aesthetics has already reached us from the USA and Asia. Renouncing consumption and restricting ourselves to the essential things in life are strategies for creating order in the home. And more and more people are finding this approach extremely beneficial. Order is trendy, so anything else is once again “uncool”. Quality over quantity could therefore be the perfect home furnishing philosophy for many people, especially as it is also consistent with the desire for natural living.
          
A trend for some time now has been small and compact sofas and armchairs with a design often oriented to classic typologies. Even more sought after in future will be affordable system furniture and compact individual items, which are scalable (adaptable to different room dimensions), variable (pull-out technology, etc.) and versatile. Life on a second level is also becoming trendy; the high sleeper is making a comeback. In view of the wide range of applications for such furniture systems, from the mini-apartment to the loft, suppliers are, however, attaching great importance to modern aesthetics in an urban living style that goes far beyond any teenager’s bedroom atmosphere.

Living more comfortably
We are worth it! Comfort is written in capital letters in every home (no matter how small), especially in the bedroom. However, investments are also being made in the bathroom and seating furniture. Comfort also involves several standards of building services; keywords here include the heated car seat, heated or cooled rooms. Compact, design-oriented seating, such as two-seater sofas or armchairs, is the trend in the upper product segment. Here, special attention is paid to ergonomics. Console table, wall rest tables or small shelves not only assure a sense of order in everyday life, but are instead an integral element of interior design.
          
And the favourite place for a comfortable hammock is found not only in the garden. It began with stools, and now bench seats, with and without backrests, have also been given soft upholstery to add a comfortable highlight to the kitchen and dining area. For sofas, the trend is toward a platform raised off the floor, which lifts the cushions to a higher level, as well as toward individualisation and adjustability. Integrated occasional tables are a theme.

Living without limits
The requirements of living are currently changing quite rapidly. More sophisticated singles apartments with a scarce offering of space and a lifestyle that also seeks freedom from conventions when it comes to furnishings are reinforcing the trend toward generously dimensioned one-room apartments with a loft feeling. These are complemented by one or two work rooms or bedrooms as needed. The flowing into one another of the rooms leads to a need for multifunctional furniture that marks living areas or delimits them from one another. Kitchen and living merge, the bathroom remains separate, if also, at least in the high price range, "en suite" and a little bit bigger. Instead of separate rooms, modern apartments present an open spatial structure, and compartmentalised apartments in old buildings are "aired out" through the removal of wall elements. Winter gardens and converted attics open up bright spaces, and generously dimensioned window fronts, ideally opening without thresholds, also optically expand the space outwards.

With the exception of built-in cabinets, single items of furniture are called for. Consistent collections and walls of cabinets in the living room encumber the feeling of freedom too much; mix & match is better suited. However, the single items of furniture must be combinable to this purpose. Finding the right balance in the design, autonomous, but not extroverted, pleasing but not boring, is the art of this furniture with classic qualities. Multifunctional furniture like tables that function convincingly as a workplace and dining area, freestanding sofas, cabinets that function as storage space and wall elements, room partitions that enable functions on both sides (like integrating the pivoting monitor that can be used from both sides), mobile furniture for indoors and outdoors; these are the heroes of living without limits.

Colourful living
Among the colour trends in interior design, brown is surely the one with the strongest impact, because it can be used both neutrally and in an avant garde fashion. On the whole, shades of brown are responsible for cosiness and are therefore currently very popular. While things are very harmonious in the range from greige through taupe to moor oak, the combination of, for example, nougat brown with other, mostly reserved colours (meaning not used in neon or pastel) ranging from orange to turquoise is also quite bold. However, whether with green, pink, purple or brown, colour brings glamour into the apartment. Dark wood shades, reminiscent of Art Deco or Danish modernity, with gold, brass or other metallic accents on sumptuous rugs stand for pure luxury. While the overall interior design trend is toward dark colours, from dark greens and blues to black, the minimalist interiors style remains loyal to the lighter and more natural shades. Avant-gardists pledge themselves to the Bauhaus tradition with primary colours colourfully combined with a white base colour. However, the interiors scene as a whole is becoming more colourful through the intensive use of colour schemes. Monochromaticity is also being increasingly abandoned in favour of patterns.

Decorative living
After clothing, living is today the number one means of expression. We are not only what we wear, but how we live. This makes every decorative element a statement. The basis for any eyecatcher is a space to make an impact. Tidy optics and decorative elements thus don't need to contradict one another. Lifestyle and the decorative are staged, on the wall elements, in the textiles, on the floor … or also behind (illuminated) glass. Each element and each item of furniture is simultaneously a decorative element. Which is why single products are preferred over homogeneous interior design with the furniture of a collection. Lights adjust to any furnishing style and are increasingly used as an optical highlight of the space. Designer lights are now what the folding table on rollers was in the 1970s.
     
Both mirrors and pictures are readily used as design elements: the classic here is the circular mirror in all versions; here the mirrors are often used graphically (thus pronouncedly two dimensionally) and bring depth to the room. As cement or Metro tiles, tiles transform from tepid floor coverings to the cool highlight at the kitchen bar, in special sections of the wall or in the entrance area. On the walls, it is wallpaper with small and large-format patterns that turn a room into a veritable work of art. On the floor, rugs with geometrical patterns, floral elements or graphic fancies provide accents, here too as a single product again. Oval shapes are especially pronounced, and, among furniture items, the sideboard is by far the most decorative: not only as a presentation surface, but also as a type.

(c) Koelnmesse GmbH
19.11.2019

IMM COLOGNE 2020: STILL INDOORS OR ALREADY OUTSIDE?

  • “Das Haus 2020” by MUT Design brings the Spanish outlook on life to imm cologne
  • Young design team MUT from Valencia to create “Das Haus” as guest of honour
  • The Spaniards’ design addresses the longing for an interior concept in which possibilities for retreat can be sustainably combined with outdoor living.

 “Das Haus” is erected at the international furniture and interiors fair imm cologne: a design that points the way ahead to how we might live in future. For seven days in January every year, it’s constructed from scratch, painted and lovingly furnished, visited by thousands, discussed and photographed. The simulated interior in Cologne – a combination of architecture, interior design and furnishings – gives a designer or design team the opportunity to make their own personal statement on contemporary living.

  • “Das Haus 2020” by MUT Design brings the Spanish outlook on life to imm cologne
  • Young design team MUT from Valencia to create “Das Haus” as guest of honour
  • The Spaniards’ design addresses the longing for an interior concept in which possibilities for retreat can be sustainably combined with outdoor living.

 “Das Haus” is erected at the international furniture and interiors fair imm cologne: a design that points the way ahead to how we might live in future. For seven days in January every year, it’s constructed from scratch, painted and lovingly furnished, visited by thousands, discussed and photographed. The simulated interior in Cologne – a combination of architecture, interior design and furnishings – gives a designer or design team the opportunity to make their own personal statement on contemporary living. In a wide-ranging variety of styles – from minimalist to extravagant, from matter-of-fact to sensuous – the installation blends current trends and products into a finely tuned interior design. Koelnmesse has nominated the young Spanish design team MUT to be its guest of honour for the ninth edition of “Das Haus” at imm cologne 2020 (13.-19.1.).

“A project like ‘Das Haus’ gives a designer a unique opportunity to create something that’s totally independent of production and market conditions while simultaneously understanding and rediscovering their designs in terms of how they impact the space,” says MUT, describing the challenge of designing a fully furnished house for the international furniture and interiors fair imm cologne.

“In our design, we want to go one step further and explore the potential architecture and interior design have for opening the space up to the outdoors.” As a result, the architectural dimension of “Das Haus” is particularly significant this time round. “Mediterranean life is synonymous with outdoor living,” says MUT of the inspiration the team draws from its traditional lifestyle culture. “Our houses have always integrated a little bit of nature into their interiors.”

Founded in 2010 by Alberto Sánchez and Eduardo Villalón, the design studio is one of the most successful teams of the “new wave” in Spanish design. In their native Valencia, a hotspot of Spanish design that’s bolstered by the traditional furnituremaking and ceramics industries round about, the team creates furniture, carpets, tiles and lamps for the interiors sector, as well as designing hotels and exhibitions. All their work is characterised by a tendency towards simple, soft, circular shapes. Their creations – which have won major accolades such as the Red Dot award – exhibit forms with a vaguely unfamiliar quality or translate a familiar shape into a modern design. Their international clientele includes firms such as Expormim, GAN, Ex.t, Sancal, Preciosa Lighting, Bolia, E interiors, Harmony Inspire, Missana and LZF.

The name MUT comes from Valencian (a variant of Catalan) and translates roughly as “Quiet!” – a request for silence when you want to make yourself heard. But the designers can also identify with the German meaning of “Mut”, i.e. courage: “It rounds off the way we see ourselves perfectly, because nowadays it takes a lot of courage to stand up for your own principles instead of going with the flow dictated by trends,” says the Spanish team. And it’s definitely true to say that emotionality and an expressive design language are the most outstanding characteristics of their work.

With MUT, “Das Haus” is deliberately remaining within the sphere of European design this time round, while simultaneously selecting a decidedly progressive team with a contemporary profile. “MUT isn’t so much a classic design team as the kind of multidisciplinary community of like-minded people that exists in all sorts of constellations nowadays: modern, flexible and creative. They work in a surprisingly diverse range of fields: they’re product designers, creative directors, graphic designers, interior designers and curators, all rolled into one,” says Dick Spierenburg, creative director of the imm cologne, on the decision to nominate MUT. “As a result, they stand for a new generation of design studios that’s responding to a changed market landscape in which huge demands are made of designers’ adaptability and inventiveness.”
 
“Das Haus” – half portrait of the designer, half model home
The “Das Haus – Interiors on Stage” installation simulates a residential house at the international furniture and interiors fair imm cologne. The fair constructs an approximately 180-square-metre house in the middle of the Pure Editions area, Hall 3.1, designed according to the plans of a designer who is newly nominated every year. The furniture, colours, materials, lighting and accessories are also selected by the designer, rendering the finished house an individual, integrated configuration of interior design. The project thereby deals not just with contemporary furnishing trends but also with people’s aspirations as well as social change.
          
“Das Haus” from 2012 to 2019 – eight ideas of home
“Das Haus” was staged for the first time in 2012 and the Indian-British design team of Nipa Doshi and Jonathan Levien was nominated to introduce the new format. They installed a seemingly organically grown space that allowed inhabitants and cultures to interact in a spirit of communication. In 2013, the Italian product designer Luca Nichetto introduced the next installation of the design event with an elegant ensemble, the construction open on all sides. In 2014, the Danish designer Louise Campbell turned “Das Haus” into a low-tech place of calm within the bustle of the fair, representing the reconciliation of the most diverse human characters and preferences in style. In 2015, the Chinese architect couple Rossana Hu and Lyndon Neri challenged traditional home life rituals by taking “cages for living” packed full with classic and modern furniture and setting them in a spatial construction that recalled the narrow alleyways of Shanghai, turning visitor into voyeur and calling for reflection. German designer Sebastian Herkner was on home turf in 2016. With his circular “Haus”, he created a house that was airy and fully accessible – with no barriers to people or cultures – and limited only by adjustable curtains in order to permit changing perspectives. The transatlantic “Haus” by Todd Bracher that trade fair visitors could experience in Cologne in 2017 drew its inspiration from paring down to the essentials. While the Czech designer Lucie Koldova transformed “Das Haus 2018” into an experiment about the emotional dimension of various lighting compositions, Rotterdam-based Studio Truly Truly turned its idea of mood-driven, “fluid” living into reality with a design consisting of organically interlinked zones.

Source:

Koelnmesse GmbH
Design Press Talk imm cologne 2020 in Valencia on 18 September 2019/ Studio

 

© Koelnmesse GmbH, Kind + Jugend
23.07.2019

KIND + JUGEND 2019: ONCE AGAIN AROUND 1,200 PROVIDERS FROM MORE THAN 50 COUNTRIES

  • For the first time with a Start-up Area
  • More than 200 applications for the Innovation Award
  • New concept for The Connected Kidsroom
  • Kids Design Award
  • Design Parc
  • Trend Forum with concentrated lectures

 
Kind + Jugend in Cologne: it is not only the most important and most international business and communication platform of the baby and toddler outfitting industry. It is surely also the world's most inspiring and cheerful event for this theme. For the coming trade fair from 19 to 22 September 2019, around 1,200 providers from more than 50 countries will present an almost complete overview of the latest trends and products for the first baby and toddler years.

  • For the first time with a Start-up Area
  • More than 200 applications for the Innovation Award
  • New concept for The Connected Kidsroom
  • Kids Design Award
  • Design Parc
  • Trend Forum with concentrated lectures

 
Kind + Jugend in Cologne: it is not only the most important and most international business and communication platform of the baby and toddler outfitting industry. It is surely also the world's most inspiring and cheerful event for this theme. For the coming trade fair from 19 to 22 September 2019, around 1,200 providers from more than 50 countries will present an almost complete overview of the latest trends and products for the first baby and toddler years.

As usual, top, smaller and medium-sized companies will explore the extensive bandwidth of the theme worlds. These include the baby carriage, children's car seat, children's furniture, textile and care outfitting, hygiene item, safety and networked electronics, as well as educational toys and toys sections. The trademarks of the exhibitors and thus also of the trade fair are the high quality requirements for the products and concepts shown, as well as the wealth of innovations presented.

The theme of sustainability is also proving to be a growing trend. Kind + Jugend is also offering the manufacturers of textiles a special listing service for the first time this year. The event programme at Kind + Jugend, with award ceremonies, special events and impulse lectures on the most important themes also plays a central role for the representation and mediating of trends.

Among the key players exhibiting at Kind + Jugend 2019 are ABC Design, Angelcare, Artsana/Chicco, Babybjörn, Babymoov, bibi/Lamprecht, Bébécar, Brevi, Britax Römer, Cam il mondo, Cybex, Delta Children, Diono, Dorel, Doudou et Compagnie, Ergobaby, Easywalker, Foppapedretti, Geuther, Haba, Hartan, Hauck, HTS Besafe, iCandy, Infantino, Jané/Concord, Joie/Nuna, Joolz, Julius Zöllner, Kaloo/Juratoys, Lässig, Leander, Mayborn/tommee-tippee, Melissa&Doug, Micuna, Munchkin, Mutsy, Nattou, Newell, Nuby, Odenwälder, Paidi, Peg Perego, Pinolino, reer, Roba Baumann, rotho, Schardt, Sauthon, Sterntaler, Thule, Tobi, Uppababy and Vulli.. New exhibitors or returnees in 2019 once again include Bugaboo, Mattel and Silver Cross. Among the new companies at Kind + Jugend 2019 are APOLO Baby from Japan, Felice from Italy or Warmbebe from France.

The share of foreign exhibitors is once again impressive. Around 85 percent of exhibitors come from abroad, with strong participation of German manufacturers on the whole. Especially well-represented are exhibitors from the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, the USA, France, Spain and Poland. Belgium and Denmark are also in place with large-scale participation. Asian providers also have their fixed place at the trade fair, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Korea especially worthy of mention. In addition to this, around 20 companies from Australia exhibit regularly.

The foreign share of visitors is also very high at 75% and spans the globe. In 2018, the trade visitors came to Kind + Jugend in Cologne from 125 countries. Besides Germany, the European nations also take the lead here. Asian, Eastern European and North American buyers were also strongly represented at the trade fair. Visitors come from all segments of the trade: from the specialised and wholesale trade to department stores and chemist's shops, as well as the various online commerce channels.

Kind + Jugend once again covers all levels of halls 10 and 11, as well as hall 4.1, and thus spans a gross exhibition surface of 110,000 m². The clear hall structure with two entrances makes it easier for visitors to orient themselves and clusters the trade fair offerings in clearly defined theme areas. Vistors can prepare for the trade fair especially well with the help of the exhibitor database. On the grounds, the practical trade fair app assists in the search for exhibitors, products and brands. Familiar and new special events, as well as the much appreciated award ceremonies and the trend forum with expert lectures bring out the main points of the trade fair happenings.
 
For the first time: Start-up Area at Kind + Jugend

For the first time, Kind + Jugend is offering young, international companies the opportunity to present themselves in the context of a Start-up Area at favourable conditions. Sixteen providers from six countries will take advantage of the opportunity to exhibit at the world's leading trade fair for the baby and toddler outfitting industry at favourable conditions. The 16 start-ups come from Australia, Germany, France, Italy, Japan and the Netherlands. Their products suit the theme worlds of Kind + Jugend extremely well and extend from a sustainable diaper system through digital measuring devices for child care to exclusive accessories for mothers and children, as well as children's furniture for learning and playing. (Hall 11.1, B50 – C59)

Sustainability and environmental awareness are the trend. Joint action together with BTE for the first time.
Together with the German Textile Trade Association (BTE), which is also a member of the Partnership for Sustainable Textiles, we will separately list those exhibitors who can attest to the sustainable production of their exhibited textiles by means of recognised seals of approval and/or other certificates. The recognised seals include, for example, GOTS, Oekotex, bluesign or Made in Green. The BTE assumes responsibility for the formal examination of the submissions. The list of manufacturers showing sustainable textiles at the trade fair will be available at the Kind + Jugend website, so that trade fair visitors can plan their tour with a focus on this area of interest.

The Connected Kidsroom
Since 2017, the The Connected Kidsroom special event has drawn attention to digital and smart products or concepts for the outfitting of nurseries and children's rooms. The theme will also receive special attention this year with a new concept. Attractively integrated into a complete children's room with furniture, doors and windows, the special event shows the various products that control technical functions, measure values like the temperature or pulse of the child, regulate climatic room conditions, register movement and much more. All products are already available in retail outlets. In order to be able to represent the functions even more informatively for trade fair visitors, an expert will be on location to demonstrate the applications, provide explanations and answer questions. (Hall 11.2, E21)

Innovation Award
More than 200 applications for the Kind + Jugend Innovation Award have been submitted this year for evaluation by a jury of trade journalists and health experts, a new record. Following intensive consultation, the jury nominates a selection of products for a special event that is regularly one of the crowd pullers at Kind + Jugend. The Innovation Awards are then presented to the eight winners in eight categories on the first day of the trade fair. The award is the most important recognition of innovations in the baby and toddler sector, and is also highly respected outside of the industry.

Kids Design Award
The Kids Design Award promotes products and concepts that distinguish themselves through special design, but are not yet commercially available. The ten best designs of the competition, which Kind + Jugend tenders in advance of the trade fair with a particular view to young designers, are shown in an attractive special area. The winner of the Kids Design Award will also be honoured on the first day of the trade fair (Hall 11.1, D40/E49)

Design Parc
Design has a high standing at Kind + Jugend. International design products that are ready for the market therefore appear in the special event of the Design Parc, which shows select products and furniture – from children's beds to play kitchens and dishes suitable for children. (Hall 11.1, C40 - D59)

Trendforum
The stage of the Trend Forum can once again be found in hall 11.1 this year. Not only are the Innovation Award and the Kids Design Award presented on the first day. All those interested can look forward to a high quality expert lecture program on the first three days of the trade fair. The trend researchers from GfK, Trendbible and The Insights People will once again present market data, as well as trends and tendencies from a global perspective. The German association of children's outfitting manufacturers (BDKH) is also participating once again, this time with a focus on the theme of the children's car seat. (Hall 11.1, E50/F59).

(c) Koelnmesse GmbH
21.05.2019

INTERZUM 2019: TRENDS AND INNOVATIONS FOR TOMORROW'S LIVING SPACES

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.

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.

 

European press conference on 6 September 2018 in Madrid for imm cologne/LivingKitchen 2019 © Koelnmesse GmbH
02.10.2018

FURNITURE INDUSTRY GREW ONLY MARGINALLY BY 1% IN THE FIRST HALF-YEAR

  • Almost 1 in 3 pieces of furniture is exported
  • 14% of furniture sales now online

At the European press conference in September 2018 in Madrid for imm co-logne/LivingKitchen 2019, Jan Kurth, Chief Executive of the Association of the German Furniture Industry (VDM), reported on the state of business in the sector:

  • Almost 1 in 3 pieces of furniture is exported
  • 14% of furniture sales now online

At the European press conference in September 2018 in Madrid for imm co-logne/LivingKitchen 2019, Jan Kurth, Chief Executive of the Association of the German Furniture Industry (VDM), reported on the state of business in the sector:

At the end of an exceptionally hot summer, which has driven consumers to outdoor pools and beer gardens rather than furniture showrooms, the German furniture industry looks back on correspondingly subdued growth in the sector. Following a decline in sales in the second half of 2017, the business climate for manufacturers did improve slightly in the first half of 2018, but the bottom line is that furniture sales have stalled, especially within Germany. While the year began distinctly positively on the back of imm cologne, a significant slowdown in business subsequently set in.
From January to June, sales in the sector reached approximately Euro 9.1 billion, just 1 per cent higher than in the same period of the previous year. Following a 0.7 per cent fall in sales for 2017 as a whole, marked in particular by a negative trend in the second half-year (–1.6%), German furniture manufacturers were thus able to generate slight sales growth, but the situation remains disappointing.

Growth stimulus comes from abroad
This marginal increase in sales was exclusively attributable to international business, since sales outside Germany grew in the first six months by 2.7 per cent in comparison with the same period of the previous year. Domestic sales, on the other hand, stagnated with a minimal rise of 0.3 per cent. Export business benefitted from revived demand in key European sales markets and, increasingly, from the positive economic development in the major growth regions outside the EU. Almost one third of German furniture exports are now sold to non-EU countries.

Results of the latest VDM survey
In summer 2018, the VDM conducted a survey of the economic situation faced by companies in the sector. Participants rated the current business climate as satisfactory (34%) to poor (40%), with only 26 per cent judging it to be good. Compared with summer 2017, the situation for business had worsened in the view of 51 per cent of those surveyed.

State of export business better than domestic market
The disparity between the domestic market and export business is also reflected in the business survey. While most respondents (57%) judged the situation for domestic business as poor, an overwhelming number of manufacturers considered the situation for export business to be good (29%) to satisfactory (56%).

The current difficulties in domestic demand are largely confirmed by the furniture retail sector. Naturally, the long period of high temperatures moved many activities outdoors, but still this explanation falls short. To discover a little more about this, the VDM commissioned a representative study from the prestigious market research institute Kantar TNS, which put the furniture buying behaviour of Germans under the microscope. We were particularly interested to learn where people seek information about furniture and where they buy it. Do they look at advertising supplements in daily newspapers or rather retailers’ websites? Are people increasingly buying furniture online, or is the official sales channel statistic correct, which has been citing an almost stable figure of between 7 and 8 per cent for several years?

Customers increasingly seek information online
First, a look at the information sources. Overall, the furniture store itself – that is to say, looking at furniture in person – remains the most important source of information (68%), followed by brochures from furniture showrooms (54%). But 48 per cent of all those surveyed now use the Internet as a source of information and inspiration. In the younger target groups (<40 years old), the significance of the information source sees a clear shift, with the Internet dominating (77%) but furniture stores still being used by 63 per cent.

When it comes to formal educational attainment, there is a clear correlation with the information sources used. Those with a lower level of education favour brochures and advertising from furniture stores. The higher the level of education, the more buyers actively seek information online.

80% have bought large furniture items in the past 5 years
Online shopping or a trip to the shops? Generally speaking, over 80 per cent of Germans have bought relatively large items of furniture in the past five years. As can be expected, this proportion tails off with increasing age. Of those who bought furniture, 75 per cent carried out this latest transaction in a furniture store. Just under 10 per cent of shoppers bought from a purely online retailer and only 4 per cent purchased via the website of a furniture retailer. This gives a 14 per cent share of sales now taking place online and thus double the figure given out by the official sales channel statistics. In terms of online shoppers, people living alone and the under-30s lead by a clear margin. As young people get older, they are unlikely to move away from online shopping for furniture, and new “Internet savvy” consumers enter the market, the “normality threshold” for the remaining age groups is also expected to fall. There is therefore clearly still a great deal of potential for online furniture sales, and the industry and trade would be well advised to exploit this potential through engaging concepts and information suited to the target groups, moving away from discount and clearance promotions.

Additional online potential
We also see the growth of online business as offering opportunities for the furniture sector as a whole. Firstly, the fixation on prices and discounts is not as pronounced online as in highly concentrated bricks-and-mortar retail. Secondly, the short delivery times and short-notice availability typical of online trading tend to be served more flexibly from internal German sources than from Asia.

Official assessment: sales in the individual segments
According to official statistics, the individual segments in the German furniture industry developed unevenly between January and June 2018. Kitchen furniture manufacturers recorded sales growth of 4 per cent to around Euro 2.5 billion. The office furniture industry reported a distinctly positive result with sales of around Euro 1.1 billion (+7.9%). Manufacturers of shop and contract furniture saw a year-on-year increase of 7.2 per cent and generated sales of around Euro 920 million.

Manufacturers of upholstered furniture registered a noticeable decline, with sales falling by 5.3 per cent to around Euro 480 million from January to June 2018. With a drop of 1.6 per cent to Euro 3.7 billion, the sales performance in household furniture, other furniture and furniture parts was also more negative than the industry average. The smallest segment in the industry – mattresses – recorded the most significant decline in sales of 12.8 per cent to Euro 400 million. This must, however, be put in the context of the above-average growth in sales in this segment in recent years.

Furniture industry generates new jobs
We now take a look at the employment figures for the industry. The 482 businesses currently operating with more than 50 staff (–2.2%) employ 84,300 men and women, which is slightly above (+0.7%) the previous year’s level. Approximately 600 new jobs have been created in the industry in the last year, despite the difficult market conditions.

Compared with the same period of the previous year, German furniture exports in the first half of 2018 grew by 2.2 per cent to Euro 5.5 billion. With an increase of 1.2 per cent, sales to EU countries only crept slightly above the previous year’s level, thus developing much more sluggishly than exports as a whole. Having said this, exports to the German furniture industry’s largest external market, France, achieved growth of 3.5 per cent, and the Dutch (+6.2%), Polish (+10%) and Spanish (+6.1%) markets also saw positive developments from the perspective of the German furniture industry. However, furniture exports to the important sales markets of Austria (–1.3%) and Switzerland (–3.8%) declined.

Negative trend in Great Britain
The furniture industry also clearly felt the negative effects of the Brexit negotiations and the fall in the pound over the course of the previous year, with furniture exports to Great Britain contracting by 8.9 per cent in the first half of 2018. No other major export market performed as badly as the United Kingdom from the perspective of German furniture manufacturers.

Boom in exports to the USA, China and Russia
The key growth markets for German furniture now lie outside the EU. The outstanding performance of German furniture manufacturers in the largest growth markets of the USA (+9.5%), China (+25.9%) and Russia (+14%) is particularly noteworthy. Given the size of each of these markets and the strong demand for high-quality furniture, these figures are sure to see further growth. Other markets outside Europe, such as Canada, Mexico, Japan, South Korea and Singapore, are currently developing well, although exports to these countries are still at a relatively low level. Overall, the non-EU market is expected to become an important driver for growth for the German furniture industry in the years ahead.

Export ratio up by 32.6%
The industry’s export ratio – that is to say, the proportion of goods shipped directly abroad by domestic furniture manufacturers against total sales by the industry – climbed to 32.6 per cent in the first half of 2018, thereby achieving a new record. The corresponding figure for the first half of 2017 reached 32.1 per cent. This means that the furniture industry’s export ratio has doubled since the turn of the millennium.

Furniture “made in Germany” highly regarded
The success of German furniture manufacturers abroad can be put down to the quality, reliability of supply, design and individuality of our products. German manufacturers often have a better grip on processes and logistics than their international competitors. These are important selling points for consumers – whether they be in Shanghai, St Petersburg or San Francisco.

Greater support for exporters
In view of the increasing importance of exports for the industry, the VDM will be expanding the support it offers exporting companies. A new VDM Export working group aims to encourage dialogue between individual manufacturers, identify the main markets and coordinate export and trade fair activities for the industry as a whole. Information days and workshops for furniture manufacturers will be organised to share industry-specific expertise relating to the individual export markets. Practical tools will also be made available to support the successful involvement of German furniture manufacturers abroad. These additional export activities are intended to help German furniture manufacturers to grow their market share on the world market.

Slight increase in imports
Import competition remains strong: after German furniture imports achieved growth of 0.8 per cent to Euro 12.7 billion for 2017 as a whole, in the first half of 2018 they rose by a further 0.6 per cent to Euro 6.6 billion. However, the trade deficit reduced by 8.1 per cent to around Euro 1.2 billion in the same period as a result of substantially increased exports. Overall, furniture imports to Germany from eastern Europe are increasingly gaining ground from their Asian competitors. Poland enjoyed growth of 7.4 per cent and, as has been the case for a number of years, remained by far the largest source country in terms of furniture volume. Nowadays, more than one in four pieces of furniture (26.3%) imported into Germany originates from our neighbour to the east. The Czech Republic remains the third-largest source of imports with a slight rise of 0.7 per cent. Altogether, imports from EU countries achieved a significant increase of 1.8 per cent. By contrast, imports from Asia fell disproportionately (–5.9%), especially from Vietnam (–12.3%), Taiwan (–13.9%) and Indonesia (–9.8%). Imports from the second-largest originating country, China, declined significantly with a drop of 5.2 per cent. The structure of German furniture imports is highly concentrated, with around 56 per cent of all German furniture imports now attributable solely to the three largest supplier countries: Poland, China and the Czech Republic.

56% of all imports from Poland, China and the Czech Republic
Almost two thirds of participants in the VDM survey expect the business outlook to remain the same in the six months ahead. 24 per cent anticipate an improvement in the situation and just 12 per cent a worsening. According to the assessment of the respondents, the major factors affecting the trading climate in the next six months will be increasing prices of raw materials (33% of respondents), a shortage of skilled personnel (27%), growing pressure from imports (18%) and increasingly protectionist trade policies (9%).

Rising material costs hit the industry hard
The rising cost of materials as regards solid wood are seen as a particular obstacle for development in the sector. Companies in the German furniture industry taking part in the survey report an average increase of 9 per cent in the cost of solid wood when compared with summer 2017. Prices of wood-based materials increased by 5 per cent in the same period, with logistics costs also up by 5 per cent and staffing costs by 3 per cent. Given the market power of purchasing associations, it is not possible to pass on this rise in costs in full to the German furniture retail trade.

Forecast for the current year: +1%
While the contribution of foreign markets to German furniture industry sales is expected to remain positive in the second half-year, in view of the very significant growth in recent times, there are clouds on the horizon as far as domestic trade is concerned. Consumer confidence in Germany is also on the wane. Economic forecasts for this year have recently been revised downwards by leading economists. On this basis, we continue to anticipate sales growth at the end of the year by around 1 per cent in 2018.

 

More information:
imm cologne Furniture market
Source:

Jan Kurth, Chief Executive of the Association of the German Furniture Industry (VDM), at the European press conference on 6 September 2018 in Madrid for imm cologne/LivingKitchen 2019

KIND + JUGEND 2018 (c) Koelnmesse GmbH
21.08.2018

THE EVENT PROGRAMME FOR KIND + JUGEND 2018

  • Prestigious awards, special events, Trend Forum, networking platforms

Kind + Jugend, the leading international trade fair for high-quality baby and toddler products, will once again bring together around 1,200 providers from approximately 50 countries with over 22,000 trade visitors from all over the world. As usual, the spotlight will be on new products and further developments, which the innovative industry regularly presents at the trade fair. Kind + Jugend is bundling its event programme under the heading "Support Circle" in order to systematically document this outstanding pace of innovation within the industry and provide trade visitors with quick access to the most important information. Interesting events and special shows aimed at the needs of the industry offer comprehensive information in a pleasant atmosphere.    
 
Awards

  • Prestigious awards, special events, Trend Forum, networking platforms

Kind + Jugend, the leading international trade fair for high-quality baby and toddler products, will once again bring together around 1,200 providers from approximately 50 countries with over 22,000 trade visitors from all over the world. As usual, the spotlight will be on new products and further developments, which the innovative industry regularly presents at the trade fair. Kind + Jugend is bundling its event programme under the heading "Support Circle" in order to systematically document this outstanding pace of innovation within the industry and provide trade visitors with quick access to the most important information. Interesting events and special shows aimed at the needs of the industry offer comprehensive information in a pleasant atmosphere.    
 
Awards
New products and further developments are important market drivers in the innovative baby and children's sector. Kind + Jugend is an excellent marketing platform for companies that want to distinguish themselves with innovations at every phase of their market participation. A key instrument are the award presentations at the trade fair, which are accompanied by attractive special events.

The KIDS DESIGN AWARD honours outstanding concepts and designs in the area of products and furniture for babies and children. This year, a top-class jury has once again selected the most inventive and trendsetting prototypes from a large number of applications. The ten nominated designs show how creative and visionary the industry thinks. The winner will be announced on the Trend Forum stage on the first day of the trade fair on 20 September 2018, at 1 pm. The related special event can be seen in Hall 11.1.

The Innovation Award has been highly regarded within the industry since its inception in 2005.It honours outstanding new developments that are expected to come on the market in the coming season. This year, the international jury has selected the award recipients from almost 200 applications, which is a new record. Prizes will be awarded in eight categories on the Trend Forum stage on the first day of the trade fair on 20 September 2018 at 10 am. The accompanying special event in Hall 11.1 will present all of the award recipients as well as the nominated products.

The Kind + Jugend Consumer Award opens the floor to consumers. Since 2014, international partner magazines and portals have been asking parents about their favourite products. This practical insight into the current requirements of parents and children established itself quickly at Kind + Jugend as a significant indicator of the industry. The surveys are carried out in eight different countries and in various categories, ranging from accessories and safety seats to baby carriages and furniture. The special event with the winners of the Consumer Award takes place in Hall 10.1.

Special events
Besides the special events for the awards, two other presentations show which topics and creative approaches are having an impact on the industry.

The Connected Kidsroom deals with the topic of digitalisation. The event, which was shown for the first time last year, presents ideas and technologies that can be used in baby and children's rooms for greater safety and well-being. As in the previous year, an equally interesting and inspiring presentation also lies ahead for 2018 and will take place in Hall 11.2.

The special DESIGN PARC event will also be stimulating. The Design Parc exhibition features objects, furniture and toys with an extraordinary design and which have already reached market maturity. Eleven different products, including accessories, toys and children's furniture, will be sure to also delight visitors at Kind + Jugend this year with their innovative design.
 
Trend Forum
Which products will be important for parents and children in the future? Which trends will be reflected in children's rooms? Which colours and materials will provide inspiration? The Trend Forum prepares these and other topics that are relevant for the market in keynote speeches. Renowned experts report from practical experience and take a look into the future. Questions about marketing, brand management and licensing are also on the agenda. The experts on stage include trend researchers from GfK, Trendbible and The Insights People. The German Association of Children's Equipment Manufacturers (BDKH) will also provide information about an important topic: the effects of the general data protection regulation. In addition, exhibitors have booked information slots for product presentations.   

All presentations will be held in English and are interesting for both exhibitors and trade visitors alike. The Trend Forum is in Hall 11.1.

 

Kind + Jugend - Fair in Cologne © Koelnmesse GmbH
27.06.2017

KIND + JUGEND 2017 GATHERS THE WHO'S WHO OF THE CHILDREN'S OUTFITTING INDUSTRY

Preparations for a successful Kind + Jugend from 14 to 17 September 2017 in Cologne are running at full speed, and the leading international trade fair for baby and children's outfitting is really picking up speed. Four months before the event, around 1,000 exhibitors from more than 50 countries have already confirmed their participation in the trade fair. Virtually all of the renowned manufacturers and brands have applied to participate. Around 85 percent of the confirmations are from foreign companies. In addition to the comprehensive industry offerings, the target group-specific event program, the so-called Support Circle, is considered to be one of the key factors of the trade fair’s success.

Preparations for a successful Kind + Jugend from 14 to 17 September 2017 in Cologne are running at full speed, and the leading international trade fair for baby and children's outfitting is really picking up speed. Four months before the event, around 1,000 exhibitors from more than 50 countries have already confirmed their participation in the trade fair. Virtually all of the renowned manufacturers and brands have applied to participate. Around 85 percent of the confirmations are from foreign companies. In addition to the comprehensive industry offerings, the target group-specific event program, the so-called Support Circle, is considered to be one of the key factors of the trade fair’s success.

In past years, the traditional trade fair Kind + Jugend has been able to continuously expand its position as the world's leading trade fair of the baby and children's outfitting industry. Exhibitors from the industry of many years, including the following key players, contribute to this: ABC Design, aden & anai, Alvi, Angelcare, Artsana-Chicco, Baby Björn, Babymoov, bibi-Lamprecht, Bebecar, Brevi, Britax Römer, Cam il mondo, Combi, Concord, Cybex, Delta Children, Diono, Dorel, Doudou et Compagnie, ergobaby, Easywalker, Foppa Pedretti, Gautier, Geuther, Hauck, Hartan, HTS, iCandy, Infantino, Jané, Joie/Nuna, Joolz, Kaloo, Kiddy, KidsII, Kidsmill, Lässig, Lodger, Mayborn – Jackel, Medela, Munchkin, Mutsy, Nattou, Newell, Noukies, Novatex, Nuby, Nürnberg Gummi, Odenwälder, Paidi, Peg Perego, Philips Avent, Pinolino, Playgro, reer, Reisenthel, roba-Baumann, rotho, Schardt, Sauthon, sigikid, Silver Cross, Sterntaler, Suavinex, Takata, Tobi, Uppababy, Vulli, Wickelkinder – manduca and Julius Zöllner. Kind + Jugend also has renowned exhibitors or returnees in all segments, like Blue Seven – H. Obermeyer, David Fussenegger, Didis, Koelstra, lief! Lifestyle, nobodinoz, Teddy-Hermann, Tiriciclo and VTech.

In addition to the high-class product show, the leading international trade fair once again offers an interesting event and supporting programme with many awards for all exhibiting companies, from start-ups and young designers to established, globally active brand manufacturers.

The successful and proven concept of the "Support Circle" is thereby oriented to the typical development and distribution chain of a product. A convincing concept and a prototype is always at the start of a product development process. Kind + Jugend presents the best prototypes with the nominees of the KIDS DESIGN AWARD. Further information can be found here:
http://www.kindundjugend.com/kindundjugend/Trade-Fair/Events/Kids-Design-Award/index.php 

The DESIGN PARC presents extraordinary objects, furniture and toys that are already ready for the market, and thus offers a good possibility for traders to distinguish their assortment from those of competitors. The newly created #DESIGNINFOCUS design hotspot in hall 11.1 rounds off the offering in this segment.

The Kind + Jugend Innovation Award is a permanent fixture in the industry and is viewed as an important marketing and sales argument in the trade. The award is seen as a springboard for establishing oneself on the market with a product. The award is traditionally conferred in eight categories at the start of Kind + Jugend on the first day of the fair.
Further details: http://www.kindundjugend.com/kindundjugend/Trade-Fair/Events/Innovation-Award/index.php or http://news.kindundjugend.de/2017/02/kind-jugend-fragt-nach-ein-interview-mit-whisbear/

A real drawing card is the Consumer Award, which was established in 2014, with which Kind + Jugend addresses the wish of visitors to also be presented with the favourite products and best sellers of the consumers that are already well-established on the market in addition to the brand-new product innovations. This year the following partner magazines and portals provided support with the surveying of consumers: Germany participated with 1st Steps, the Netherlands with Baby Stuf, Austria with NEW MOM, Poland with Branza Dziecieca, Russia with Rodi, France with Parole de Mammans, Turkey with Baby & Kids Store and the UK with Mother & Baby.

Kind + Jugend supports startups and smaller companies in the form of country pavilions. This year there will be group stands from Australia, the UK, France, South Korea, Latvia, Singapore, Spain, Taiwan and the USA. Twenty young German companies will also present themselves in the special area of the Young Innovative Companies, which is sponsored by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi).

The Kind + Jugend Trend Forum also offers valuable pro tips and best practices for everyday application in the form of lectures, discussion groups and workshops. High-quality speakers will pick up on the trend themes of the industry and acknowledged experts will present information and strategies that are tailored to meet the needs of the trade and which are practice-oriented, as well as offering the trade visitor added value. The benefits of visiting the trade fair are thus double.

Online admission tickets are available under the following link:
http://www.kindundjugend.com/kindundjugend/For-Visitors/Admission-ticket/index.php

interzum2017 © Koelnmesse GmbH
02.05.2017

INTERZUM 2017: FROM UPCYCLING TO THE TINY HOUSE

  • Groundbreaking ideas

interzum is a unique platform for exciting new ideas and innovations: right on cue when the start of spring leaves its first traces in nature, the leading international fair for the furniture and interior construction industries' supplying sections also turned its attention to nature. From biomaterials and green innovations to upcycling, future home lifestyles were the talking point this month, with the other major theme being interzum's importance for design, interior decor and architecture.

  • Groundbreaking ideas

interzum is a unique platform for exciting new ideas and innovations: right on cue when the start of spring leaves its first traces in nature, the leading international fair for the furniture and interior construction industries' supplying sections also turned its attention to nature. From biomaterials and green innovations to upcycling, future home lifestyles were the talking point this month, with the other major theme being interzum's importance for design, interior decor and architecture.

"Upcycling" is one of the words to keep in the back of your head at interzum 2017. It refers to a kind of recycling where selected products are reused and, in the ideal scenario, new, high-quality materials for completely new products are produced. From paper and clothing to fabrics, almost anything that would otherwise end up in the rubbish can be reused with the right creative mindset. Upcycling isn't just fun; it helps to protect our environment. Resources circulate, and less waste is produced. What's more, we get a "new" product at a lower cost or no cost at all - a win-win situation. The special Circular Thinking event area at interzum will present ideas, products and manufacturers, and provide an overview of sustainable upcycling. It's also where visitors will find chairs made from biomaterials. Seats made from plant or vegetable waste? It may sound a little strange at first, but the idea is actually as simple as it is ingenious. After all, the raw materials are freely available in plentiful quantities and can be sustainably reused. The Zostera Stool by designer Carolin Pertsch, for example, is made from seagrass that is washed up on the coasts.

Natural materials and conscious use of resources will have an immense influence on how we live in the future, probably more so than ever before. The global population is constantly growing, and supplies of resources are dwindling. This is yet another good reason to visit the special Circular Thinking event area to find some inspiration. One organisation that has done just that is the American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC). Taking its inspiration from nature, the Workshop of Dreams shows just what can happen when American hardwoods are used creatively. interzum will present creative and surprising designs, including The Smile pavilion, a wooden installation.

So much sustainability and innovation should, of course, be rewarded, too. The Green Product Award is presented in 14 categories at the fair. True to its motto, "How will we live tomorrow?", it recognises exceptionally innovative and green products.

How we will live tomorrow is also a question that the Tiny House examines. Living space is becoming more and more expensive, and this is driving the search for solutions that can offer maximum comfort in a limited space. On an area of just 8 square metres that can be surveyed at a glance, the Tiny House is a home in miniature that provides everything you need for a space-saving life and more besides: the house is on wheels, so there are no limits to its mobility.

The special Mobile Spaces event area will also explore the immense impact of mobility on our lives. Cars, planes and ships mean that we are more mobile today than ever before. Designing for these mobile spaces calls for individual solutions because they have their own specific requirements. Surfaces, textiles and fittings will be presented in the event area as ideally suited examples of mobile furnishings, especially in caravans.

This year interzum will present a host of diverse ideas for designing future living spaces. This rich source of inspiration is something that many leading names value and appreciate, not least international architect Peter Ippolito. Professor Peter Zec of Red Dot is also keeping a close eye on current developments and industry trends, and spoke highly of the development of natural materials and how they can be combined with cutting-edge technology. To do justice to these innovations, the interzum award: intelligent material & design will be presented in Cologne.

And to make sure no innovations go undiscovered, Koelnmesse is committed to representing young companies at interzum. This initiative is supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy's (BMWi) funding programme. Eligible companies can benefit from assistance with trade fair costs and have the opportunity to present their innovations and market them.

How we will design our future living spaces is the focus of this year's interzum. The world's leading trade fair provides the ideal platform for all kinds of groundbreaking innovations and will do much more than just start a conversation about tomorrow's worlds of interior design.

Koelnmesse is the world's top trade fair organiser for the areas of furnishing, living and lifestyle. At the trade fair hub of Cologne, the leading international fair imm cologne as well as the trade fair formats of LivingKitchen, ORGATEC, spoga+gafa, interzum and Kind + Jugend rank among the internationally renowned and established industry meeting places. These fairs comprehensively represent the upholstered and case furniture segment, the kitchen industry, the office furniture sector and outdoor living as well as the innovations of the furniture supply industry. Over the last few years, Koelnmesse has specifically added international fairs in the most important fast-expanding markets to its portfolio. These include the LivingKitchen China/CIKB in Shanghai, interzum guangzhou in Guangzhou and Pueri Expo in Sao Paulo. With ambista, the network of the interior decorating industry, Koelnmesse offers direct access to relevant products, contacts, competence and events.

Further information: http://www.global-competence.net/interiors/ and http://www.ambista.com

 

imm cologne 2017 © Koelnmesse GmbH, Thomas Klerx
07.02.2017

TRADE FAIR DUO OF IMM COLOGNE AND LIVINGKITCHEN ACHIEVES MORE THAN 150,000 VISITORS FOR THE FIRST TIME

  • One in two trade visitors came from outside Germany
  • The top 30 global retail chains were in Cologne
  • Cologne expands its position as the global capital for interior design

imm cologne and LivingKitchen have achieved a record number of visitors this year. "We met our target and have broken the 150,000-visitor mark," said Gerald Böse, President and Chief Executive Officer of Koelnmesse GmbH, who is delighted with the results. Roughly every second trade visitor came from outside Germany, with foreign trade visitors accounting for nearly 50 per cent. "That shows we are right on track with our drive to internationalise the events," Böse continued. Dirk-Uwe Klaas, Managing Director of the Federal Association of the German Furniture Industry, was similarly pleased with the figures. "The Cologne furniture show was a wonderful summit for interior decor.

  • One in two trade visitors came from outside Germany
  • The top 30 global retail chains were in Cologne
  • Cologne expands its position as the global capital for interior design

imm cologne and LivingKitchen have achieved a record number of visitors this year. "We met our target and have broken the 150,000-visitor mark," said Gerald Böse, President and Chief Executive Officer of Koelnmesse GmbH, who is delighted with the results. Roughly every second trade visitor came from outside Germany, with foreign trade visitors accounting for nearly 50 per cent. "That shows we are right on track with our drive to internationalise the events," Böse continued. Dirk-Uwe Klaas, Managing Director of the Federal Association of the German Furniture Industry, was similarly pleased with the figures. "The Cologne furniture show was a wonderful summit for interior decor. The German furniture industry is completely satisfied with imm cologne. It was the ideal start to 2017, which will no doubt be an excellent year for the industry," said Klaas.

On behalf of retailers, the President of the German Federal Association of Furniture, Kitchens & Furnishing Retailers (BVDM), Hans Strothoff, gave the following verdict: "The trade fair met retailers' expectations. The quality of the exhibitors was high; a large number of new launches were on show, and visitors had a chance to experience attractive product presentations. This makes a visit to the trade fair well worth its while. And it's why retailers also see the trade fair as a fantastic way to launch the 2017 furniture year."

Of the 104,000 trade visitors, around 56,000 came from Germany and approximately 48,000 from abroad (an increase of 4 per cent). Within Europe, increases in visitor figures were recorded in particular from Spain (up 25 per cent), Russia (up 26 per cent), Italy (up 19 per cent) and the UK (up 13 per cent). Visitor numbers from the Netherlands and Poland also increased. Numbers of overseas trade visitors rose, in particular visitors from China (up 5 per cent), South Korea (up 12 per cent) and India (up 5 per cent). A rise was also recorded in visitor numbers from the Middle East  (up 19 per cent), with particularly strong growth from the United Arab Emirates. With these excellent numbers of foreign visitors, the two trade fairs will boost exhibitors' exports.

Koelnmesse Chief Operating Officer Katharina C. Hamma emphasised the quality of the trade visitors: "No other event brings supply and demand together as effectively in this quality as imm cologne and LivingKitchen." Initial evaluations of the results showed that the trade visitors included large numbers of the global top 30 retail chains, such as John Lewis, Home Retail Group, Harveys Furniture -all from the UK - as well as Conforama from France and Nitori from Japan. The major industry players in online retail - including Amazon and the Otto Group - also used the event intensively for their businesses. With these results, the trade fair duo has confirmed its importance for the interior design industry's global commercial operations on a national and an international level.

LivingKitchen closes with good results

In parallel with the world's most important furnishing fair, imm cologne, the international kitchen event LivingKitchen took place this year. For the seven days of the event, 200 exhibitors from 21 countries - including around 50 first-time and returning exhibitors - showed how much innovation the industry has to offer and how high its standards of design and quality are. This year's LivingKitchen not only followed on seamlessly from its success in 2015, but significantly improved on the key figures in many areas. "For us, LivingKitchen 2017 was a complete success. The world's best-performing kitchen industry needs a leading international trade fair in Germany. Our industry presented an outstanding showcase, and we are convinced that the trade fair will significantly boost demand for kitchens, nationally and internationally," said Kirk Mangels, Chief Executive of the Modern Kitchen Working Group e.V. (AMK). A great number of positive comments were received on the event's concept, which is aimed at both business and the general public. When asked about the event's added value, many exhibitors mentioned the fact that Cologne is the only trade fair where they can present their products in the context of a globally oriented interiors show. "LivingKitchen in Cologne is on an excellent course. We will analyse the results right after the trade fair to see how we can work together to continue to develop the event," said Mangels. But it was not just the exhibitors' innovative products that attracted a highly diverse audience interested in the latest kitchens and good food - the cooking events and large cooking shows also drew visitors to the trade fair on the public days.

The next imm cologne will take place from 15 to 21 January 2018 in Cologne, co-located with LivingInteriors.

Koelnmesse - Global competence in furniture, interiors and design
Further Information: http://www.global-competence.net/interiors/

 

imm cologne 2017 © Koelnmesse GmbH
29.11.2016

IMM COLOGNE 2017: SUSTAINABILITY TAKES OVER THE BEDROOM

  • In Cologne, bed manufacturers will be presenting their new products and ideas in the Sleep Segment.
  • The subject of sustainability will be a key area of focus in a segment strong on Innovation.

"You made your bed, now sleep in it", so the saying goes. The choice of bed determines how well we sleep. That sounds simple, but is in fact quite complex. There are beds of different heights, with varying levels of mattress thickness, type and size, box spring beds, waterbeds and futons. This year, once again, the Sleep segment at imm cologne 2017 offers a complete overview of what is currently on offer from the industry. Across approximately 18,000 square metres, all of the big names in the industry will be presenting their ranges. The themes of the action areas are sustainability and Recycling.

  • In Cologne, bed manufacturers will be presenting their new products and ideas in the Sleep Segment.
  • The subject of sustainability will be a key area of focus in a segment strong on Innovation.

"You made your bed, now sleep in it", so the saying goes. The choice of bed determines how well we sleep. That sounds simple, but is in fact quite complex. There are beds of different heights, with varying levels of mattress thickness, type and size, box spring beds, waterbeds and futons. This year, once again, the Sleep segment at imm cologne 2017 offers a complete overview of what is currently on offer from the industry. Across approximately 18,000 square metres, all of the big names in the industry will be presenting their ranges. The themes of the action areas are sustainability and Recycling.

imm cologne is the perfect place to guide the trade through the multiplicity of beds and mattresses: once again, in 2017 bedroom furniture for every taste and need will be on show here. Says Arne Petersen, Vice President Trade Fair Management at Koelnmesse: "Our Sleep segment is again expected to be hugely popular at the coming imm cologne 2017. Hall 9 is already fully booked and Hall 5.1 has also to a large extent been booked by vendors from the Sleep segment."

The big exhibitors will without exception be represented again in the coming year in the city on the Rhine, including the German company Oschmann, which has been manufacturing upholstered beds for five generations, and the home textile specialist Frankenstolz.

And Tempur, Hilding Anders from Sweden, Badenia, Rummel Matratzen, Veldeman, Auping, Fey & Co. as well as De Rucci will be showcasing their contributions to a restful sleep in Cologne. A lot of international companies will be debuting at imm cologne in 2017, including Perzona International, Ecus Sleep, Ersan Madeni, Boydak and Toom Tekstiil, among others. And a number of German companies will also be among those represented at imm cologne for the first time, including Centa Star and Shogazi. Shogazi has been specialising in healthy sleep since 2002. With its mattresses made from natural materials, the Munich-based manufacturer is a perfect match for the focal point of the Sleep segment at imm cologne 2017.

The subject of sustainability will be addressed in two special areas: in cooperation with the American organisation ISPA (International Sleep Products Association), Koelnmesse is creating a Lounge area in Hall 5.1 on the theme of "Mattress Recycling".Hall 9 also addresses the topic of the responsible use of resources: "The Recycling Lounge ties in with the topic we'll be covering in Hall 9, which is the subject of sustainability", explains Petersen. "In this way, the Sleep segment in 2017 will again illustrate the current state of the bedroom furniture segment whilst at the same time offering answers to issues that are relevant to society."

Orgatec © Photo: Koelnmesse
25.10.2016

ORGATEC 2016 ADDRESSES THE OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES IN TOMORROW'S WORLDS OF WORK

From 25 to 29 October, at ORGATEC in Cologne, 665 companies from 40 countries will be presenting the current trends in the world of work of the future. Long gone are the days when just desks, filing systems etc. were presented at the leading international trade fair for the modern world of work. Nowadays, it is much more to do with work culture, work processes and work environments. With its wide spectrum of products and concepts from international exhibitors, plus an excellent programme of events, ORGATEC 2016 is once again set to act as a think tank for the international office furniture industry. Topics to be addressed at the fair, which is expected to attract around 50,000 trade visitors from all over the world, will be new ideas on the current trends of team working, digitalisation, holistic interiors and the attractiveness of the workplace. The following is an overview of what is on offer in the supporting programme.

From 25 to 29 October, at ORGATEC in Cologne, 665 companies from 40 countries will be presenting the current trends in the world of work of the future. Long gone are the days when just desks, filing systems etc. were presented at the leading international trade fair for the modern world of work. Nowadays, it is much more to do with work culture, work processes and work environments. With its wide spectrum of products and concepts from international exhibitors, plus an excellent programme of events, ORGATEC 2016 is once again set to act as a think tank for the international office furniture industry. Topics to be addressed at the fair, which is expected to attract around 50,000 trade visitors from all over the world, will be new ideas on the current trends of team working, digitalisation, holistic interiors and the attractiveness of the workplace. The following is an overview of what is on offer in the supporting programme.
In high-calibre congresses and forums, trade visitors from all over the world can find out about current trends and discuss pressing issues of theory and practice.

ZEIT Work & Style conference
The Work & Style conference, a premium congress format hosted by the renowned German weekly newspaper "DIE ZEIT" will launch this year's ORGATEC and address both sociopolitical and aesthetic questions, in particular the following issues: what role does work play in the identity of the upcoming generation? How will work, life and lifestyle interact? What is it that makes an employer attractive? Which approaches to work will be successful in the future?
26 October 2016, from 10:00 a.m., Congress Centre

ORGATEC  Trend Forum
At the Trend Forum hosted by Hajo Schumacher, creativity and design will be the focus of discussion: with numerous exciting talks on the various different aspects of office design and work culture by distinguished speakers from the International Interior Design Association (IIDA) and the Fraunhofer Institute, among others. On the very first day of the trade fair, it's already all about "Working differently and better!" This is where Bernd Fels, co-founder of if5, will be presenting trends, facts, ideas and examples for the journey into the world of work 4.0. The talk by AECOM, entitled "See further, go further - transformational change" will provide an in-depth exploration of the new challenges facing the world of work in the future and what new approaches global companies are adopting. And trend consultant Brigitte Gebhard will delve into the subject of creative learning environments under the banner of the "New Work Order".
25.-28. Oktober 2016, Halle 6, Stand B 029    

workplace congress
The trade journals "Der Facility Manager" and "industrieBAU" are hosting the second workplace congress at ORGATEC in Cologne. The congress, like its first edition, will focus on all aspects of the challenges posed by the office, in particular how to provide functioning, motivating workplaces. Practical concepts and solutions for office workplaces will be presented. Acclaimed speakers from research, teaching and practice will explore topics such as space and room planning, lighting, acoustics, air conditioning and ergonomics, and discuss current trends and their experiences, gathered over the course of many years in the field. The event is recognised by the Chamber of Construction Engineers of North Rhine-Westphalia as an advanced training course with six time units of 45 minutes each.
27 October 2016, 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., Offenbachsaal 

SEO Day
Presented for the first time at ORGATEC 2016: the SEO Day is an annual industry meeting of the search machine optimisation scene. Around 800 experts are expected to attend, with more than 40 German-speaking industry experts on hand, holding numerous talks and sharing the latest tips and tricks in the area of search engine optimisation, Google and co.
27 October 2016, Konrad-Adenauer-Saal, Congress Centre North

Speakers' Corner
Following a successful premiere in 2014, exhibitors at ORGATEC will this year once again have the opportunity to present themselves as well as new products and services to a broad trade audience and answer questions directly on site. In half-hour-long presentations, speakers will introduce trends, innovations and methods from their particular field of expertise (daily between 11.00 a.m. and 3.00 p.m).
25 through 28 October 2016,11:00 a.m. to 3.00 p.m., Hall 11.2, Stand J 002

Alongside the congresses and the forum, ORGATEC 2016 also offers numerous special events that offer trade visitors real added value. The offering ranges from the presentation of innovative materials, through Scandinavian design for indoors and outside, to the current trend of co-working spaces.

"RE/WORK - Moments of Inspiration by Ippolito Fleitz Group"
The competence centre "RE/WORK - Moments of Inspiration by Ippolito Fleitz Group" is an inspiring staging that traces valuable moments of inspiration, combines analogue and digital experiences, enabling a fresh view on the world of work from new perspectives. It shows, in a creative and humorous way, what the office of the future might have to look like in order to address changing requirements. The workplace is no longer bound to a particular space, but rather to moments: moments of networking through the perfect integration of technology, moments of well-being, of inspiration, of lifelong, playful experimentation. The competence centre takes ten examples of these moments and brings them to life in three dimensions. The Competence Centre takes ten examples of these moments and brings them to life in three dimensions.
Daily, Hall 11.2, Stand E 031/ F 030

The influence of design on co-working spaces can be seen by visitors to ORGATEC at the special event "The smart working space", in which the "smart co-working lobby" model showcases a module that will be at the core of the modern office block and that enables the co-working philosophy to be adopted in existing buildings. Using this approach, the trend towards co-working can be embraced relatively quickly and economically. The model will be presented in the form of a fully functioning prototype at ORGATEC. The curator of this specially designed area is Michael O. Schmutzer who, as Managing Director of Design Offices, has turned the idea of "New Work" into a remarkable success story. "The Smart Co-working Lobby" was developed in cooperation with the prestigious interior design office, brandherm + krumrey interior architecture (b-k-i), based in Cologne and Hamburg.
Daily, Hall 9, Stand B 010

Innovation of Interior
In Hall 8, the experts from Haute Innovation will be demonstrating the potential offered for modern working environments by the latest innovations in materials. They will be presenting about new sources of raw materials for manufacturers and planners, sketching out scenarios for the deployment of intelligent materials in the context of the smart office or smart home and outlining the opportunities for additive manufacturing in the furniture industry.
Daily, Hall 8, Stand B 010

Design meets movement
Creative design will be lined up for the visitors in the Passage between Halls 10 and 11. In the special exhibition Design meets Movement, leading European designers will present smart solutions from Scandinavia that go beyond working indoors and act instead as an interface to the outside world - a multifunctional installation for outdoor working.
Daily, Passage 10/11

ORGATEC Boulevard - Creativity Works
Exceptional design will also be on display on the Boulevard. This is where Koelnmesse, in cooperation with the German association for the office and working environment (IBA / Industrieverband Büro und Arbeitswelt e.V.) will be presenting various projects on the topic of "Creativity Works". For instance, the magazine FRAME will be staging a captivating exhibition of forward-looking workplace design in collaboration with young creative professionals. The magazine "100 working SPACES" will be presenting 100 current and innovative workplaces and office concepts from Germany, Austria and Switzerland, as well as the best and most amazing projects from the rest of the world. And, presenting the results of their research project, students of design at the University of Applied Sciences, Düsseldorf (HSD / Hochschule Düsseldorf) will be showing an ingenious fusion of fashion, workspace, performance and identity.
Daily, Boulevard

ORGATEC, with its 50,000 trade visitors from all over the world, has also traditionally been the appropriate place for the awarding of important honours. This is also the case in 2016.

Prize ceremony for the "Büro & Umwelt" ("Office & Environment") competition 
Sustainable behaviours in everyday office life and attention to environmental requirements in the procurement of office equipment are extremely important for our environment. The German Association for Environmental Management, B.A.U.M e.V. (Bundesdeutscher Arbeitskreis für Umweltbewusstes Management) aims to draw attention to this with the "Büro & Umwelt" competition. At the heart of the competition is the sustainable handling of resources in everyday office life, as well as the awareness of environmental concerns when procuring office equipment.
25 October 2016, 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., Trend Forum stage, Hall 6, Stand B 029

"Architektur + Office" Innovation Prize
The 9th Architecture + Office Innovation Prize will be awarded by AIT and xia during ORGATEC 2016. Designers and manufacturers will submit their products to the critical judgment of renowned architects. The aim of the award is to underline the importance of quality in architecture in the office interiors sector. Products on the market that are particularly effective in addressing the concerns of the target group will be awarded a prize. All of the submitted products will be displayed in a special exhibition at ORGATEC 2016 in Cologne.
25. October 2016, Hall 10.1, Stand E 011

Time is money. The same is true for the trade visitors to ORGATEC 2016. In order to get a comprehensive overview of the important new developments and trends on show, guided tours around the trade fair are available.

Guided tours around the fair by the Mensch&Büro-Akademie (People&Office Academy)
The Mensch&Büro-Akademie (MBA) and PRIMA VIER Publishing Frank Nehring (P4) will be offering two guided tours around ORGATEC 2016, based on the topics of "Health & Ergonomics" and "Design & Innovation", both taking place twice daily on 26, 27 and 28 October 2016.
Meeting point: Hall 7, Stand B 073

Guided tours for architects organised by Bauverlag
Actively promote dialogue between architects, interior designers, lighting planners and exhibitors - with this aim in mind, Bauverlag publishers is offering guided tours on four trade fair days to selected trade fair highlights at ORGATEC. The "Bauverlag architects' tours" around the trade fair will be conducted by editors from the magazines "Bauwelt" (Building World) and "DBZ" (Deutsche Bauzeitschrift/German Building Magazine). In the approx. 2 ½ hour tour around 10 important exhibitors will be visited. You will be met by competent representatives at the stands, who will demonstrate their new products and systems specifically from the viewpoint of the architect.
25 through 28 October 2016, 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., setting off from: Passage 3/11, Stand P 001  
 
SIX-TO-NINE Party
What could be better than bringing the exhibition day to a relaxed close? On the first day of the fair, nothing could be easier - the ORGATEC Boulevard is the perfect setting for the legendary ORGATEC SIX-TO-NINE party. On the evening of the first day of the fair, all exhibitors, visitors and journalists are invited to this industry meeting to engage in lively conversations and exchange ideas in a relaxed atmosphere.
25 October 2016, 6.00 p.m. to 9.00 p.m., ORGATEC Boulevard

 

Kind + Jugend 2016 © Koelnmesse GmbH Kind + Jugend
26.07.2016

KIND + JUGEND COMPLETELY BOOKED

  • The best products on 100,000 square metres of exhibition space
  • Successful 'Support Circle' concept with offers for all market participants is being continued
  • New opening hours on the last day of the trade fair: Kind + Jugend will this year already close at 4:00 p.m. on Sunday

Kind + Jugend enjoys unabated popularity: the year's most important business platform for the international baby and children's outfitting industry opens its doors in Cologne from 15 to 18 September 2016. The 100,000 square metres of exhibition space in halls 10 and 11 of Koelnmesse are already completely booked, three months prior to the start of the fair. Around 1,200 companies from more than 50 countries will present their new products and continuing product developments in the segments of children's furniture, safety seats, textile outfitting, prams and hygiene items.

  • The best products on 100,000 square metres of exhibition space
  • Successful 'Support Circle' concept with offers for all market participants is being continued
  • New opening hours on the last day of the trade fair: Kind + Jugend will this year already close at 4:00 p.m. on Sunday

Kind + Jugend enjoys unabated popularity: the year's most important business platform for the international baby and children's outfitting industry opens its doors in Cologne from 15 to 18 September 2016. The 100,000 square metres of exhibition space in halls 10 and 11 of Koelnmesse are already completely booked, three months prior to the start of the fair. Around 1,200 companies from more than 50 countries will present their new products and continuing product developments in the segments of children's furniture, safety seats, textile outfitting, prams and hygiene items. Trade visitors from around the world can look forward to industry products of the highest quality. With its 'Support Circle' concept, KInd + Jugend also offers support and information for all target groups of the trade fair.

In terms of the quality of the offering, Kind + Jugend is the measure of all things in international comparison: nowhere else will industry pros find a similarly high number of the most important and high quality manufacturers of baby and toddler products. In 2016, a number of renowned companies from around the world are once again represented with their brands, for example: Alvi, Angelcare, Artsana - Chicco, Britax Römer, Cybex/GB, Done by Deer, Dorel, Doudou et Compagnie, ergobaby, Geuther, Hape, Hartan, Hauck, iCandy, Joolz, kiddy, Käthe Kruse, Mayborn - Tommee Tippee, Micuna, Mutsy, Nuby, Osann, Paidi, Peg Perego, Philips Avent, Pinolino, Recaro, Roba, Rotho, Silver Cross or Julius Zöllner.

Among others, Kind + Jugend this year welcomes Sigikid (Germany), Easywalker (Netherlands), Mima (Spain), 3 sprouts (Canada) or Little Unicorn (USA) as new or return exhibitors.

Supporting programme provides support for industry pros

In addition to the high-class product show, Kind + Jugend, with its so-called 'Support Circle', offers promotional and information offerings for all target groups of the trade fair, from startups and young designers to established, globally active brand manufacturers.

The information and promotional offering is oriented to the typical development and distribution chain of a product. A convincing concept and a prototype is always at the start of a product development process. Kind + Jugend presents the best prototypes with the nominees of the KIDS DESIGN AWARD. The best design will be distinguished on the first day of the trade fair. Furthermore, sponsorships between young designers and industry representative also have an appealing effect. The entry deadline for this year's KIDS DESIGN AWARD is 24 June 2016. Further information can be found here: http://www.kindundjugend.de/kindundjugend/Die-Messe/Events-Veranstaltungen/Kids-Design-Award/index.php.

The DESIGN PARC presents exceptional objects, furniture and toys that are already ready for the market, and thus offer a good possibility for traders to distinguish their assortment from those of competitors.
Kind + Jugend supports startups and smaller companies in the form of discounted participation fees in country pavilions - this year from twelve countries. Poland and Turkey are represented with group stands for the first time in 2016. Twenty young German companies will present themselves in the special area of the Young Innovative Companies, which is sponsored by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi).
 
The Kind + Jugend Innovation Award has established itself as a permanent fixture in the industry and is viewed as an important marketing and sales argument in commerce. The award is traditionally conferred in eight categories at the start of Kind + Jugend on the first day of the fair. Established companies have the opportunity here to submit new and further developments and win one of the coveted winner's or nominee's seals. The entry deadline for the Innovation Award is 14 July 2016.
 
The Consumer Award introduced in 2014 proved to be very informative for buyers and traders. Parents are asked to vote for their favourite products in advance of the trade fair. Those with the best ranking are awarded the Consumer Award. This year the Consumer Award will be awarded in seven countries: in Germany, France, Poland, Austria, the Netherlands, Russia and Turkey. All results are presented at the trade fair and provide the buyers and specialised dealers with valuable information on possible expansions of their line-ups or for entering the market in new countries.
 
The Kind + Jugend Trend Forum also offers valuable pro tips and best practices for everyday application in the form of lectures, discussion groups and workshops. International experts inform themselves and advise visitors, for example, about the typical buying behaviour of young parents or provide suggestions for idea and innovation management within one's own Company