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31.05.2022

OEKO-TEX® Association celebrates 30th birthday

The international OEKO-TEX® Association, which consists of a total of 17 independent research and testing institutes in Europe and Japan, turns thirty this year. As one of the founding members, OETI is taking this as an opportunity to talk to OEKO-TEX® expert Helene Melnitzky (Head of the Ecology Department at OETI) about the role of the OEKO-TEX® Association, market trends and current OEKO-TEX® certifications and labels.

The international OEKO-TEX® Association, which consists of a total of 17 independent research and testing institutes in Europe and Japan, turns thirty this year. As one of the founding members, OETI is taking this as an opportunity to talk to OEKO-TEX® expert Helene Melnitzky (Head of the Ecology Department at OETI) about the role of the OEKO-TEX® Association, market trends and current OEKO-TEX® certifications and labels.

The international OEKO-TEX® Association is celebrating its thirtieth anniversary this year. What role has it played so far with regard to the product safety of textile and leather products?
Helene Melnitzky:
In the area product safety1, OEKO-TEX® has had a great impact over the last three decades by ensuring certain pollutant additives, some of which were found in large quantities in textiles 30 years ago, no longer exist. The OEKO-TEX® Association was also the first to limit certain heavy metals. Based on our actions, legal provisions were ultimately passed. We have been testing banned dyes since before there even was an EU regulation in this regard. Of course, we now test according to the EU regulation, but in this respect OEKO-TEX® was a clear trailblazer.

In addition to product safety, OEKO-TEX® has been working on the topics of ‘environmentally friendly textile products manufactured under fair working conditions for 30 years, which also included leather products for the last five years, and with STeP by OEKO-TEX® on the ‘certification of environmentally friendly production sites’ since 2013. In one way or another, we have been preparing the market for thirty years. In the process, we are always creating new things: currently the Impact Calculator and, in autumn-2022, a new certification for brands and retailers: RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS by OEKO-TEX®.

How does that benefit the customers of OEKO-TEX®?
Helene Melnitzky:
Customers can use these calculations for external communication to demonstrate on their products or webpages that their products have a lower footprint than their competitors. This means that customers sourcing everything regionally will have a smaller footprint than companies that source products from different countries. In the future, it will be necessary to display the water and carbon footprint on the product, so that consumers can decide whether they want to buy product A or B.

How is the aspect of fair working conditions taken into account?
Helene Melnitzky:
This topic has also been gaining significant momentum over the last ten years. There is now enough pressure on brands and retailers to improve local working conditions. We cover this area as part of our STeP by OEKO-TEX® certification2 with our ‘social responsibility’ module. The advantage for our customers is that they can subsequently use the MADE IN GREEN by OEKO-TEX® label to show how they have performed in the social module.

What does Transparency with MADE IN GREEN by OEKO-TEX® mean?
Helene Melnitzky:
Everything that is written on the product is transparent. The MADE IN GREEN by OEKO-TEX® label is a traceable product label for all types of textiles and leather items that have been produced in environmentally friendly factories and at safe and socially responsible workplaces. Furthermore, the MADE IN GREEN by OEKO-TEX® label gives consumers the certainty that the textile or leather product is made from materials tested for harmful substances. In order to ensure that textile or leather products with the MADE IN GREEN by OEKO-TEX® label have been produced using environmentally friendly processes under socially acceptable working conditions, manufacturing and wet production sites must be certified according to STeP by OEKO-TEX®.

For a year now, it has been possible to have recycled materials STANDARD 100 certified and display that certification as a hangtag to communicate that the product consists of a certain proportion3 of recycled materials. Which market demand is this certification addressing?
Helene Melnitzky:
There is an increasing demand that at least part of the product must be made from recycled material. This is partly attributable to market pressure because raw materials are scarce and expensive. However, we are also voluntarily informing consumers about recycling as part of the circular economy.

What is your outlook for the next few years?
Helene Melnitzky:
Producing textile and leather products in a more environmentally friendly and fair manner, while making the value chain more transparent, is a global challenge that sets new environmental standards. In the long term, however, it also involves important economic and social aspects. The goal is to raise awareness of these interdependencies and a common understanding of environmental issues – among producers and, of course, end consumers. It is clear that the demand for certified and traceable products is growing among consumers. This trend is reflected in purchasing behaviour and thus in manufacturing. Nevertheless, there’s still a lot to do.


1 STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX® und LEATHER STANDARD by OEKO-TEX®
2 The STeP by OEKO-TEX® certification includes the modules Chemical Management, Environmental Performance, Environmental Management, Quality Management, Occupational Health and Safety, and Social Responsibility
3 To qualify, the product must contain at least 20 per cent recycled material.

“Toward Utopia”: Heimtextil presents the design trends for 2019/2010 (c) Heimtextil Trendbook
18.09.2018

“TOWARD UTOPIA”: HEIMTEXTIL PRESENTS THE DESIGN TRENDS FOR 2019/2010

With “Toward Utopia”, Heimtextil is setting the course for the new trend season 2019/2020. As part of the official Heimtextil Trend Preview on 4 September 2018 in Frankfurt am Main, London-based studio FranklinTill presented the design themes for the upcoming international trade fair for home and contract textiles (8-11 January 2019).

With “Toward Utopia”, Heimtextil is setting the course for the new trend season 2019/2020. As part of the official Heimtextil Trend Preview on 4 September 2018 in Frankfurt am Main, London-based studio FranklinTill presented the design themes for the upcoming international trade fair for home and contract textiles (8-11 January 2019).

In addition to the British trend researchers, Anne Marie Commandeur from the Stijlinstituut Amsterdam and Anja Bisgaard Gaede from SPOTT Trends & Business also participated in the forecast for perspectiverelated interior design, which applies globally. Together with the Heimtextil management team, they provided initial insights into future style worlds. Stefan Weil from Atelier Markgraph, the studio that designs the spatial staging of Heimtextil trends, gave a preview of the new “Trend Space' and emphasised the importance of spatial communication for Heimtextil.
 
The Heimtextil trends 2019/2020 describe a world in which we live according to new standards. We try to escape complex lifestyles and have a desire for deeper relationships, spiritual confirmation and greater meaning. “We live in an era of uncertainty and mistrust in the established order. As a reaction, we try to live a meaningful, conscious life based on positive relationships. We take responsibility for our lives and look for ways of life that fulfil our value system in search of a new utopia – a society that aims at promoting the well-being of all its citizens”, explains Caroline Till, co-founder of FranklinTill Studio. The search for new lifestyles in which mindfulness and sustainability play an important role will be the challenge of the coming decades.

“Toward Utopia” shows which individual routes we can take on the way to finding a modern utopia: those who seek temporary time-out from the internet to reconnect with nature and defy the elements (“Go off-grid”), while others escape from the real world into a virtual world (“Escape Reality”). Some withdraw and find security in pure, minimalist rooms (“Seek Sanctuary”). “Embrace Indulgence” offers a nostalgic answer to today’s uncertain times and surrounds us with beauty and luxury. And the unconditional hedonistic desire for play (“Pursue Play”) is probably hidden in all of us.

„Trend Space“ in hall 3.0
In the newly designed “Trend Space” in hall 3.0, Heimtextil will be demonstrating how the various scenarios can be lived out. Here, the trade fair presents five trend themes that represent a combination of inspiration, interaction and knowledge transfer and showcases trailblazing projects and design initiatives. The “Trend Space” also presents current colour trends. The immersive staging on site and the Trend Book, which is available as of now, document the poetic properties of colour as well as its inspiring, artistic and aesthetic power in design.

‘The new “Trend Space” at Heimtextil convinces with interactive and tactile worlds of experience. Visitors are playfully inspired, involved and motivated to get to grips with futuristic, spatial design concepts’, says Olaf Schmidt, Vice President Textiles & Textile Technologies at Messe Frankfurt, looking ahead to the future. ‘This creates a comprehensive picture of the design of future spaces and we can get some answers to the questions of how we will interact, consume, live and work in the future’, continues Schmidt.
 
An overview of Heimtextil trends 2019/2010:

PURSUE PLAY
In an era of uncertainty, political instability and environmental problems, we satisfy our need for optimism and creativity with play. Playing helps us to find meaning in the midst of chaos and turbulent times. Designers thus playfully focus on uninhibited, tactile interactions and experiments. Daring, cheeky product, room and fashion designs are loosened up with a touch of humour. Shapes and colour palettes take on a surrealistic note and the concept of L’art pour l’art once again commands attention. The use of rich primary colours is playful and naive, while the combination of high-gloss and matt textures creates a palatable visual appeal. Abstract forms, bold play with patterns and exuberant textures challenge us to be imaginative and invent our own stories.
 
SEEK SANCTUARY
In the midst of our intense, hyper-connected everyday life, more and more people are looking for ways to “cut off” all connections – for utopian havens of peace amidst all the noise. They retreat to urban oases where they can switch off to find relaxation, a new perspective and clarity. However, this essentialism does not mean that we have to categorically reject products. Rather, is it about the targeted search for and appreciation of design pieces and concepts that are simple, beautiful, functional and high quality. The combination of a minimalist colour palette with carefully selected structural details, curvy shapes and upholstery gives rise to comfort and warmth.

GO OFF-GRID
The search for a new closeness to nature leads to a hankering for experiences beyond a networked everyday life. It is an attempt to live more naturally, to return to the origins of humanity and to live in harmony with nature – and not against it. It is about cross-border experiences in remote locations, supported by high-tech survival equipment. The combination of hard-wearing technical aspects of outdoor textiles and workwear requires a sophisticated, utilitarian aesthetic and promises durability and functionality. Colours and patterns inspired by nature celebrate the supposed “imperfection” of the natural.
 
ESCAPE REALITY
A new utopia can be rooted in both the digital and the real. The potential of virtual and extended reality blurs the boundaries between fantasy and reality. We are working on a technology that enables deeper and more lasting experiences in daily life. Shimmering, iridescent surfaces have a transformative and optimistic quality, are transformed by movement and create a fleeting, intangible form of motion. Mother-of-pearl effects and high gloss create a unique dynamic in designs that seem to achieve the impossible by appearing fluid and in suspension as a solid form that could literally dissolve at any time. Ethereal combinations of light pastel shades create a surrealistic, hyper-real mood.

EMBRACE INDULGENCE
High-quality materials and rich colours, a modernist style and solid craftsmanship combine to form a utopian vision of the future of luxury. In a modern age marked by uncertainty, we look back through rose-tinted glasses to earlier epochs, remember the comfort of the good old days, long for security and surround ourselves with a calm, inviting aesthetic. Cleverly combined, honest materials, creatively implemented ideas and simple opulence form a new kind of comfort as well as give rise to intimacy and a sense of tangibleness.

 

More information:
Heimtextil Trends
Source:

Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH

“The future is urban”: Heimtextil presents 2018/19 trends © Note Studio
03.10.2017

“THE FUTURE IS URBAN”: HEIMTEXTIL TRENDS 2018/19

  • Preview of Heimtextil “Theme Park” with FranklinTill Studio, Stijlinstituut Amsterdam and Studio Felix Diener
  • Four “Spaces” depict macro trends; five additional themes showcase the colours, materials and designs of the new season

Frankfurt am Main - Urbanisation is one of the key words of our time. More than half the world's population already lives in cities. In its “Theme Park” inspiration area, the upcoming Heimtextil (9-12 January 2018) will reveal how urban life is likely to impact the worlds of living and working in future. As part of the official “Theme Park” preview on 30 August 2017 in Frankfurt am Main, the London design studio FranklinTill gave an initial insight into the new trend concept. Under the title “The future is urban”, Kate Franklin and Caroline Till presented the new Heimtextil Trendbook.

  • Preview of Heimtextil “Theme Park” with FranklinTill Studio, Stijlinstituut Amsterdam and Studio Felix Diener
  • Four “Spaces” depict macro trends; five additional themes showcase the colours, materials and designs of the new season

Frankfurt am Main - Urbanisation is one of the key words of our time. More than half the world's population already lives in cities. In its “Theme Park” inspiration area, the upcoming Heimtextil (9-12 January 2018) will reveal how urban life is likely to impact the worlds of living and working in future. As part of the official “Theme Park” preview on 30 August 2017 in Frankfurt am Main, the London design studio FranklinTill gave an initial insight into the new trend concept. Under the title “The future is urban”, Kate Franklin and Caroline Till presented the new Heimtextil Trendbook. Together with Anne Marie Commandeur from the Stijlinstituut Amsterdam and Felix Diener from the Düsseldorf studio of the same name, they published their predictions for future interior design.

'FranklinTill and all the trend experts involved have managed to provide the international interior industry with a superb source of inspiration to use in their product developments. With the new Heimtextil Trendbook, textile manufacturers, designers, fitters and furnishers will get a valuable overview of trailblazing design developments', says Olaf Schmidt, Vice President Textiles & Textile Technologies at Messe Frankfurt. The “Theme Park” will also provide in-depth information about new design themes during the trade fair in January. The elaborately designed presentation in hall 6.0 will incorporate market-defining themes and present solutions for the textile interior of tomorrow. Those interested in trends can already get some answers to their furnishing questions of the future on www.heimtextil-theme-park.com.

The new book and the showcase at the trade fair will give a comprehensive idea of how rooms will be designed in the future. How will we live, work, shop and cohabit? Four so-called Spaces will provide a platform for upcoming lifestyle trends and present numerous pioneering projects and creative works.

The Flexible Space

This lifestyle trend shows solutions for big city dwellers who are increasingly living like modern nomads and in ever smaller flats. Designers, architects and planners tackle this challenge with a great deal of ingenuity and optimise the available space with convertible and adaptable design.

The Healthy Space

We've long known the far-reaching effect that the spaces in which we live, work, learn and relax can have on our well-being. Designers, architects and materials scientists are increasingly searching for innovative design that promotes our levels of health, satisfaction, attentiveness and productivity. From the integration of plants indoors to new directions in wellness, the healthy space is on the rise.      

The Re-Made Space

Another phenomenon of urbanisation is the rapid generation of waste. For the first time in history, the amount of waste produced in cities is growing faster than urbanisation itself. To conquer this huge mountain of waste, cities must understand that the future is to put waste on an equal footing with resources. This will make waste a starting point for new design.   

The Maker Space

The maker movement has triggered a revolution in the manufacture of interior design objects. It has the potential to fundamentally change production, particularly thanks to the democratisation of digital manufacturing technology. DIY instructions, open source and downloadable designs make it possible for everyone to develop their own personalised products wherever they might be. 

The trend experts have also worked on the development of an additional five themes that give an outlook on the trendy colours, materials and designs of the 2018/19 season.

Relax/Recharge

Colours are known to influence moods and feelings. In contrast to current views, blue has been shown to be stimulating and red calming. Relax/Recharge is a transformative design option that uses the power of colours to bring the energy balance of over-stimulated urban living worlds back into equilibrium. walls, floors and furniture are completely immersed in colour.  

Perfect Imperfection

Indigo, one of the oldest dyes in the world, is currently much in vogue among numerous current brands and designers. They are rediscovering indigo dyeing and accepting all of the foibles and the many colour gradations of this deep blue colour. Based on the Japanese philosophy of Wabi-Sabi (“accepting the imperfect”), materials and products bear the traces of the way they were made. Brush strokes and seams are made visible and welcomed as part of the poetic documentation of the creative process.

Soft Minimal

Urban living systems are multifunctional and can be adapted. Soft Minimal focuses on interior designs and products that appeal because of their functionality and are valued for a lifetime. Cosy materials – wool, felt, linen and bouclé yarn – give a minimalistic flat some warmth and personality. A reserved colour palette of muted pastel colours and neutral shades complemented by matt black ensures timeless elegance.

Adapt+Assemble

Freed of all excess frills, the designs appeal with geometric and interchangeable shapes and materials that are perfect for packing and transporting – travelling and moving made easy. The textile techniques used are simple and reliable. Industrial materials are reinterpreted and converted for home use. Bright primary colours ensure a playful appearance.

Urban Oasis

Designers transform interiors into green oases in order to use nature to achieve an increased sense of well-being. Green is regarded as the most relaxing colour for the eye. Lush green shades are used to refresh both body and soul. Dark forest and sage green are mixed with matt pink. Textures that imitate nature ensure a full, soft feel.

Beyond the “Theme Park” and Heimtextil trends for 2018/19, the trade fair will also focus on the theme “The future is urban”: with its new exhibition format “Interior.Architecture. Hospitality Expo”, Heimtextil will give answers to questions relating to sustainable urban design as well fire protection regulations and structural requirements. Selected suppliers will present their textile products and material solutions in the exclusive surroundings of the new Expo in hall 4.2. In this way, they can position themselves to specifically target interior designers, hoteliers and project planners.

Heimtextil "Theme Park" sparks the spirit of research © Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH
13.09.2016

HEIMTEXTIL "THEME PARK" SPARKS THE SPIRIT OF RESEARCH

  • "Explorations" presented as overarching trend theme
  • Carlin International/Exalis present the trends for 2017/2018 as well as the design of the new "Theme Park"

Heimtextil 2017 invites us on a journey into the unknown, full of curiosities and fascination. With "Explorations", the "Theme Park" will provide exactly the right theme for Heimtextil from 10-13 January 2017. A first glimpse of the new furnishing trends for 2017/18 was presented by those responsible for organising the trade fair in a discussion session transmitted live across the world on 6 September 2016 at the Hotel Lindenberg in Frankfurt. Those present included Natalie Weinmann from the design agency Carlin International/Exalis, responsible for the conception and design of this year's "Theme Park".

  • "Explorations" presented as overarching trend theme
  • Carlin International/Exalis present the trends for 2017/2018 as well as the design of the new "Theme Park"

Heimtextil 2017 invites us on a journey into the unknown, full of curiosities and fascination. With "Explorations", the "Theme Park" will provide exactly the right theme for Heimtextil from 10-13 January 2017. A first glimpse of the new furnishing trends for 2017/18 was presented by those responsible for organising the trade fair in a discussion session transmitted live across the world on 6 September 2016 at the Hotel Lindenberg in Frankfurt. Those present included Natalie Weinmann from the design agency Carlin International/Exalis, responsible for the conception and design of this year's "Theme Park". With Anne Marie Commandeur from the Stijlinstituut Amsterdam and Felix Diener from the design studio of the same name, additional members of the Heimtextil Trendtable also took part in the conference and gave their prognoses for textile interior design for the coming season.

The Heimtextil trend experts have examined the disciplines of retail, technology, hospitality, transport, work and home and made numerous new discoveries. Bearing in mind the key phrase “marketing decoding”, the book informs readers which new aspects could be of benefit for companies and their brands in future. Pioneering projects and start-up ideas are presented and creative suggestions and unconventional approaches offered. In doing so, the trend researchers are answering the ambitious call for exploration and the desire to tap into unknown worlds. Creative self-observation and the need to investigate and understand how people function also play an important role. "Based on the theme 'exploration', we have looked for materials, textures and elements to bring innovations to life. In doing so, we discovered fabrics that gave rise to surprising combinations when merged with other materials.

It is these nine fabrics from unknown worlds that captivate us. At the same time, the natural aspects reveal an unexpected sensuousness," explains Natalie Weinmann from the design agency Carlin International/Exalis. Both the new trend book that will be presented during the conference and the "Theme Park" at the trade fair invite visitors to carry out their own explorations and discover new production and marketing approaches. An initial overview of the statements provided by the trend researchers is already available online: background information is supplied and design projects presented at www.heimtextil-theme-park.com.

Trade fair highlight "Theme Park" in hall 6.0

As the world's largest specialist trade fair for home and contract textiles, Heimtextil functions as a barometer for trends and yardstick for quality textiles with excellent design and innovative functionality. This is why Messe Frankfurt got the Heimtextil trend underway in 1991 and has consistently expanded it ever since. Every year, a Trendtable with international members investigates the most important universal trends and supplies product developers, creative teams, furnishers and designers with valuable advice and reliable trend statements. At Heimtextil 2017, those responsible for organising the trade fair will continue the trend concept and implement the "Theme Park" as the central trend-related and inspirational area of Heimtextil in Hall 6.0. The conception and realisation of this showcase at the trade fair, as well as the design of the accompanying book and new website, will be managed by the French trend agency Carlin International under the leadership of Exalis from Berlin.

Heimtexil Theme Park "Explorations" – Trends 2017/2018 – an overview of the themes:

Virtual Explorations

Digital processes enable a new interpretation of transparency. Thanks to a mother-of-pearl-like shimmer, fabric is brought to life in a vibrant way. Films and silk are reminiscent of reflections in water thanks to dazzling holographic brilliance. Extravagant floral patterns, embroidery, jacquards and lace dominate and give rise to astonishing fascination. A new form of digital exoticism is born. Structures from cell organisms inspire and convey a new understanding of 3D. Organic-animal structures give technical materials a sensuous-poetic flexibility. Colours are lively and reminiscent of water.

Cultural Explorations

A new urban multiculturalism unfolds: various cultural influences merge to form a unique multinational in-culture. This transformation can also be seen in interiors. A focus on particular cultures is increasingly disappearing. Traditional techniques are being modernised and merged together, resulting in highly modern and luxurious modifications. Pigment colours merge with urban shades to form a universal ethnic look.

Planetary Exploration

In an unknown, interplanetary world, raw materials are used and the interior becomes a mineral itself. A new, magical brilliance is extracted from the materials, which are given protective characteristics. From this wealth of materials arise material extracts and textures hitherto unknown. New wipe techniques form fine structures of mineral-like delicacy. The principle of controlled chances leads to new kinds of shading. Deliberately voluminous materials are reminiscent of the surface of the moon and serve as soft, protective shells. The colour palette plays with light and dark and oscillates between bright white and ash-coloured tones.

Natural Explorations

The way to rediscovering urban aspects takes us through nature. The use of natural materials in industrial manufacturing processes is more contemporary now than ever before – not least out of respect for our planet. But this isn't enough: the interior is entering into a symbiosis with nature. Touch is dominated by natural fibre effects such as wood-like reliefs or bark structures. The materials make use of geometric elements in order to imitate the plant world. Details from the animal world are incorporated with the help of textures. This gives rise to camouflage patterns, both original and finished, from the animal and plant world. Intensive green tones mix with colours inspired by tree bark and earth.

Further information:

www.heimtextil.messefrankfurt.com

www.heimtextil-theme-park.com