Textination Newsline

• Sudanese and Chinese investors want to secure raw material supplies

Nairobi (GTAI) - Ethiopia has further successes in attracting textile companies: One British company is planning to invest USD 100 million, one Chinese company even plans to invest USD 220 million. This means that the textile sector is increasingly becoming a self-starter, as donors increasingly want to supply domestic industry with pre-products. Meanwhile, those who invest should not only raise the financial means, but also the raw material cotton, according to market experts.

The Ethiopian textile and clothing market has two new entrants: the British Intrade Co. UK Ltd. and the Chinese Wuxi No. 1 Cotton Investment Co. Ltd, Intrade intends to build a textile and clothing factory in the Mekelle Industrial Park (Tigray Regional State), which was opened in July 2017. Initial cost estimates are around USD 100 million. Intrade is an offshore company of the Sudanese Mahgoub-Sons Group. The company has reached an agreement with the Ethiopian Investment Commission to invest USD 200 million in three projects. The textile project is to be completed in 16 months.

Security of supply for cotton is becoming an issue
The Sudanese group is not only interested in textile production, but also with lucrative supply transactions for its own cotton. They have the capacity to supply 500,000 tons of long staple quality cotton annually, Wagdi Mirghani Mahgoub, Managing Director of Intrade says. The supply of raw cotton has become an increasing problem for the emerging Ethiopian textile industry since some Asian countries ordered export stops for the raw material, including the PR China and India. The African Plantation, which cultivates 33,000 hectares of agricultural land in Sudan, also belongs to the Mahgoub-Sons Group.

However, Wuxi No. 1 Cotton Investment has announced the second and larger textile investment of 2018: a textile factory will be opened shortly in the Dire Dawa Industrial Park. In a first phase, USD 80 million are planned, followed by further investments totaling USD 140 million. The company intends to install state-of-the-art textile machines to produce and supply goods for the demanding markets in Europe, Japan, South Korea and Southeast Asia. According to their own statements, partners are leading world machinery brands. Wuxi is already pursuing a project in the Ethiopian city of Adama and also has plans to grow cotton in Ethiopia.

Ethiopia is considered the first textile address in Africa
"Clothing companies are nomads," an industry consultant knows, "they go where it is cheapest for them. If wages and ancillary costs rise too much in countries like Bangladesh or the PR China, the caravan moves on." South of the Sahara, only Mauritius has made a name for itself as a producer of high-quality clothing. Attempts to establish larger-scale textile and clothing companies in Namibia and Lesotho have so far been unsuccessful. Meanwhile, Kenya and Ghana have production conditions that are far too expensive.

Ethiopia offers several advantages at the same time: Wages and ancillary costs are extremely low and far below those in China. The US Centre for Global Development found out that a worker in Ethiopian sweatshops earns an average of USD 909 a year. In Bangladesh, however, it is US$ 835 and in Tanzania and Kenya even US$ 1,776 and US$ 2,118 respectively. Another advantage: Ethiopian seamstresses are considered to be extremely hardworking and reliable. In addition, there is a tradition in textile and clothing production as well as in leather processing and thus there is a basic pool of trained specialists.

Infrastructure is making huge progress
Meanwhile, the supply of domestic cotton and leather needs to be expanded, because in the drought years 2016 and partly 2017 the supply of cotton was insufficient. The government is cooperating and is increasingly listening to the needs of producers. The infrastructure is currently undergoing sustained improvement, in particular the transport routes to the neighboring seaport of Djibouti, from where Europe can be reached more quickly than from the Far East. And, last but not least, the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa has a capable air traffic hub with a dozen direct flights to the EU, including Frankfurt and Vienna. In addition, there is a modern air freight center.

Just as important as the delivery routes are the comparatively modern production conditions in the newly emerging industrial centers throughout the country. Everything here is "Made in China": fences, access controls, roads, electricity and water supply, waste and sewage disposal, workers' settlements. From a European perspective, this may look like Chinese dominance, but from an Ethiopian perspective it creates jobs, feeds families and earns foreign exchange. Under better working conditions than in Bangladesh, experts mean.

According to the ideas of the Ethiopian government, the country is undergoing a transformation process: away from an agrarian-based economy and towards an industrial state. By 2025, the country is expected to reach middle-income status and to become Africa's largest industrial production hub. To achieve this, Ethiopia is investing heavily in roads, railways and power generation, health and education, urban and rural development and the creation of industrial clusters.

Customs advantages in the USA and Europe
Ethiopia has so far benefited from the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) of the USA, which, for example, allows savings of 16.8 percent in import duties on cotton trousers and 30 percent on synthetic shirts. Ethiopia also has duty-free access to the EU market under the Everything but Arms initiative. Fears that US President Donald Trump might stop AGOA have not yet come true.

Source: Comtrade

German exports can be expanded
German sales representatives of technology for the textile, clothing and leather industry are not yet well positioned in Ethiopia. According to preliminary figures from the Federal Statistical Office (SITC 724), only EUR 2.84 million of relevant technology where sent to Ethiopia in 2017, though 169 percent more than in the previous year.

Source: Comtrade

• Exports increase
• Domestic demand rises

Poland strengthens its position as a major furniture producer. Many companies are expanding their capacities. The industry structure is very fragmented. Among the small to large companies, a certain consolidation trend is noticeable. There are also numerous micro-companies on the market. Furniture exports are expected to increase again in 2018, and the demand for housing, office and shop fittings is also growing in the country itself.

Poland is an important producer of furniture that is heavily exported, especially to Germany. The producers are expanding their capacities: For example, at the end of October 2017 the Austrian company Egger started construction of a large chipboard factory in the south of Biskupiec (Bischofsburg), which is scheduled to start operations in the fourth quarter of 2018. It is being built on 85 hectares of land within the Warmia-Masuria Special Economic Zone (SEZ) and is expected to produce around 650,000 cubic meters of slabs annually.

The value of this investment amounts to almost EUR 240 million. The products are intended for both domestic and foreign customers. They should meet strict environmental standards and be up to 30 percent of recycled wood. 400 new jobs will be created in the new factory itself and another 600 will be created in cooperating companies.

An important buyer of chipboard will be the furniture industry, which also invests by itself. According to the daily Rzeczpospolita, the company Meble Wojcik plans to build a production facility as well as a warehouse and logistics warehouse for a total of EUR 12 million. These are to be equipped with automated production lines and logistic equipment. In addition, the further development of the IT system is planned so that the production can be adapted very fast to individual customer requirements. The investment project will create at least 120 jobs. The sales of Meble Wojcik in 2017 amounted to more than EUR 100 million.

New sawmill planned
A project of comparable value is being undertaken by the manufacturer of upholstery furniture DFM, which wants to produce wood frame elements in Dobre Miasto (Guttstadt). A modern sawmill is being built there, the construction elements of which are not only intended for DFM itself, but for other customers also.

The furniture manufacturer Szynaka Meble wants to raise more than EUR 5.3 million to build a new warehouse in Ilawa (German Eylau). There 30 employees will be employed. Among other things, the procurement of a modern software for material management is planned.

The six plants of Szynaka Meble produced furniture worth around EUR 235 million in 2017 (on a zloty basis) +5 percent compared to 2016. For 2018 the company expects a growth of 15 percent, mainly due to increased exports to North America, where it intends to sell one-fifth of its production.

Location of the Meble Wojcik, DFM and Szynaka Meble projects is also the Warmia-Masuria SEZ, located in a wood rich area. According to press reports, the manufacturer of shop fittings Modern-Expo plans to build a factory in Lublin. In the first three quarters of 2017, the Polish furniture industry invested a total of around EUR 200 million, according to the main office of CIS. On a zloty basis, the amount stagnated compared to the same period of the previous year.

The sector structure is fragmented
The furniture industry plays an important role in the Polish industry. Around 25,800 companies in Poland are involved in the manufacture of furniture and interiors. Nevertheless, elements and components are also imported, including from Germany. More than 90 percent of the companies are micro-companies, which, according to the market research firm B + R Studio, together however account for 10 percent of the domestic sales only. Only about 90 companies are classified as being large. Together with the approximately 320 medium-sized companies, they sell about three quarters (76 percent) of the relevant products. Small businesses account for a part of 14%. According to CIS at the end of 2017 there were around 161,000 employees in the furniture industry, around 6,000 more than the year before - (+4 percent).

1) Estimation; 2) Forecast

Source: B+R Studio

For 2018 B + R Studio expect total domestic sales of more than EUR 11 billion, which represents a 3.1% increase on Zloty basis compared to 2017. For years the market leader has been the Polish subsidiary of the Swedish Ikea Group, with revenues of around EUR 1 billion in 2016. Far off is the domestic group Black Red White, which raised a total of EUR 335 million in 2016. It estimates its turnover in 2017 at around EUR 400 million (on Zloty basis +16 percent); the export share is 35 percent.

The company Nowy Styl, which specializes in office furniture and chairs, comes third, with revenues estimated at EUR 340 million in 2017 (+8 percent compared to 2016). The mattress manufacturer Correct follows with a turnover of EUR 291 million in 2016, ahead of the stock exchange listed company Fabryka Mebli Forte with EUR 252 million, which aims to reach EUR 400 million revenues for 2020. Forte will take its 5th factory in operation in late 2019 / early 2020, increasing its production capacity to 6.5 million pieces of furniture annually.

Of importance is also the manufacturer of upholstery furniture Com.40 Limited. Seating is by far the most important category of furniture produced in Poland, accounting for almost half of the total sales.

Exports revive
According to the B + Studios the furniture exports are expected to rise to EUR 10.6 billion in 2018. On a zloty basis this means an increase of about 2 percent compared to 2017 with an estimated EUR 10.1 billion, when the exports fell by 1 percent. Domestic demand for furniture is also increasing thanks to residential and commercial property construction. The increasing purchasing power of the population also makes it possible to replace old facilities with new ones. Imports complement the offer of domestic industry.

1) Estimation; 2) Forecast

Source: B+R Studio

The industry is suffering from an increasing labor shortage, which leads to higher wages. According to CIS, the average gross wages in 2017 were EUR 833 per month compared to EUR 738 in 2016. On Zloty basis, this corresponds to a nominal growth of 7.3 per cent.

Contact addresses:

Ogolnopolska Izba Gospodarcza Producentow Mebli (OIGPM)
(Polish Chamber of Commerce of Furniture Producers)
Contact: Michal Strzelecki
Al. Stanow Zjednoczonych 51, pok. 614
04-028 Warszawa, Polen
T +48 (0)22 517 78 39
oigpm@oigpm.org.pl
http://www.oigpm.org.pl

B+R Studio Analizy Rynku Meblarskiego
Market research institute for the furniture market:
Head of the Analysis Department: Martin Czyrnia
MD Connect Sp.z o.o.
ul. Oleska 35
46-380 Dobrodzien, Polen
T +48/507 96 66 23
brstudio@brstudio.eu
http://brstudio.eu

Heimtextil is pushing ahead with the new concept for 2019: now that those responsible have worked out a completely new hall plan, they are turning their attention to redesigning the trend programme. With a meeting of international trend researchers on 20 and 21 February in Frankfurt am Main, the design experts have begun preparations for the trends of the upcoming Heimtextil (8-11 January 2019) at an unprecedented early stage.

‘The Heimtextil trends have enjoyed a worldwide reputation for decades. Showcased in the extensive and progressive way that they are, they are an essential component of our trade fair’, says Olaf Schmidt, Vice President Textiles & Textile Technologies at Messe Frankfurt. ‘That's why it is very important to us that we continue to live up to our pioneering role with our new trend concept and offer our exhibitors and visitors a future-oriented programme. In the future, we will strengthen this showcasing above all at the digital level’.
 
Starting with the meeting in Frankfurt, trend researchers from three European offices are working on the Heimtextil trends 2019/20. The British design studio FranklinTill will once again play a leading role and is responsible for the implementation of the Trendbook. The Stijlinstituut Amsterdam (Netherlands) and SPOTT Trends & Business (Denmark) have joined forces with them to form the new Heimtextil Trend Council.

During the two-day workshop, the three agencies compiled insights into current trends in interior design, architecture, fashion and art. They focused on developments in materials and textures, colours and patterns. Finally, they defined stylistically formative design themes from which a globally applicable trend forecast will be worked out in the coming months.

New: “Trend Space” in hall 3.0
When it comes to showcasing trends at the trade fair, Heimtextil will receive support from the Frankfurt agency Atelier Markgraph. As a specialist for communication within spaces, Atelier Markgraph is planning an interactive, future-oriented exhibition that will immerse trade fair visitors in the world of trends 2019/2020 using analogue/digital experience formats. In future, the trend showcase will be called “Trend Space”, replacing the previous “Theme Park”. Those responsible for this change have chosen hall 3.0 as the new location. As part of the new Heimtextil concept, the “Trend Space” can be found in close proximity to international textile designers, CAD/CAM suppliers and digital printer manufacturers. Heimtextil is thus bringing the progressive themes of trends, textile design and digital printing together on one hall level, creating an area full of inspiration and future technologies. Hall 3.0 – exclusively for exhibitors – will be opened on the eve of Heimtextil on 7 January 2019.

Preview: Trend presentation in late summer
The results of the trend researchers will be recorded in the new Heimtextil Trendbook. Exhibitors at Heimtextil will be sent the Trendbook in advance to assist in their product design and collections. Together with the Trend Council, those responsible for the trade fair will provide an initial insight into the new trends on 4 September. For this purpose, Heimtextil will invite representatives of the press to a preview, the framework of which will also be redesigned.   
 
The following design studios are working on Heimtextil 2019:

The design studio FranklinTill (United Kingdom) will be taking on the main responsibility for the development of the Heimtextil Trends 2019/2020. With its headquarters in London, the studio comprises trend researchers, designers and stylists as well as a broad-ranging, international network of creatives and visionaries. The multidisciplinary agency's varied projects include  trend reports, colour forecasts, design realisations, brand developments and curating trade fairs and exhibitions. In addition to agency founders Kate Franklin and Caroline Till, Titia Dane will also be working on Heimtextil. www.franklintill.com

Anne Marie Commandeur from the Stijlinstituut Amsterdam (Netherlands) manages a team of designers who focus on textile innovations, predictions, colour trends and strategic design concepts. The agency acts as a versatile and dynamic force in the industry and keeps fashion companies and fashion-related companies up to date on the most important developments. This year, researcher Emma Wessel is supporting Anne Marie Commandeur at Heimtextil. www.stijlinstituut.nl

SPOTT Trends & Business (Denmark) advises Scandinavian lifestyle brands with issues relating to consumer insights, trend and colour forecasts. SPOTT aims at the individual development of brands and combines trend research with neuroscience and commercial expertise. Anja Bisgaard Gaede is the founder of SPOTT. In addition to her work as a consultant, she has given many presentations over the past ten years, and has also published a reference book. www.spottrends.dk

Atelier Markgraph (Germany) designs rooms that communicate and stimulate communication. For more than 30 years, the design studio has supported its clients in creating immersive experiences in the areas of conflict where culture, business and science intersect. At the interface of digital and analogue communication, a 60-strong interdisciplinary team translates central themes and brand messages into directly tangible scenarios: from exhibitions and showrooms to exhibition stands, media installations and AR applications. www.markgraph.de

• Quality suppliers satisfied buyers with a wide range of sourcing needs
• Fringe programme brought insights to fairgoers

The 2018 Spring Edition of Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles concluded last week with positive business outcomes generated. Being held during the peak sourcing season for home textiles finished products in China, the three-day show attracted 12% more buyers than last year. A total of 20,870 visitors (2017: 18,596) from 68 countries and regions came to source a wide range of finished products including bedding, towelling and table & kitchen linen. 232 exhibitors from 11 countries and regions (2017: 204, eight countries and regions) including well-known international brands such as Cotton Council International and Asahi Kasei as well as domestic big names like Ruyi, Sunvim and Yueda participated and praised the show as one of the most effective trade platforms at this time of the year for home textiles industry.

“Thanks to the revitalised market conditions in China and the increased number of buyers, our exhibitors have had a successful show. Not only did they receive onsite orders and make contact with new clients, but they also valued Intertextile Shanghai as a channel to build up their brand so as to expand their business network in China. Apart from the stronger Chinese market, another reason for the buyer increase this year was the large growth of the four concurrent fairs. This resulted in a more diverse buyer profile with increased demand from different textile industry sectors,” Ms Wendy Wen, Senior General Manager of Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd said.

Exhibitor opinions:

Mr Wang Si Qi, Representative of Fibers Sales Dept, Asahi Kasei Advance (Shanghai) Co., Ltd, Japan
“We came to the fair to gain exposure and to promote our brand. Since our products are rare in the market and are a perfect substitution for traditional materials, most of the buyers that visited our booth were interested. We succeeded in promoting our brand and letting more industry players know about it. We are really satisfied with the visitor number. People from different sectors with different products in different price ranges are all here. It does help increase our reputation in the industry.”

Ms Allisa Lau, Senior Manager, Chain Supply, Chain & Consumer Marketing, Cotton Council International, USA
“We are happy with the visitor number this year as we made contacts with a lot of manufacturers. Most of them are our target users. The fair has always been helpful for our Council as we can connect with existing clients and explore potential new customers at the same time.”

Mr Trevor Beuth, Managing Director, The Australian Alpaca Bedding Company Pty Ltd, Australia
“We exhibit in Intertextile Shanghai because I believe that it is the premier show in Asia at this time of the year, and it has a wide global reach too. We hope to establish our brand and reputation here at the fair and in China. Our products received very strong interest from Chinese buyers. Overall, we had a very busy show and we are satisfied. We have worked with some major Chinese companies and they came to see us again this edition, but nearly all of the visitors that have come to our booth this time are new to us.”
 
Mr Tetsuo Tosaki, Manager, Tamurakoma & Co., Ltd, Japan
“The reason we come here is that it’s the largest show in Asia at this time of the year, and the Intertextile brand is very famous in Japan. We met almost 100 customers every show day, including manufacturers, brand traders and wholesalers. This show helps us to know our customers better and expand our business in China. The Chinese market is developing rapidly in recent years, so attending this show is a good start for us and the result is beyond my expectation.”
 
Mr Sunwei, Marketing Manager, Shanghai Yueda Xiangyun Home Textile Co., Ltd, China
“Among our visitors, 80% are our existing clients who placed orders directly and the remaining ones are new clients who are interested to be our franchisees. It is surprising that we have received such a huge amount of orders in just two show days. Nearly 90% of our existing clients we met at the show placed orders, and we’ve met more than 10 potential franchisees. This is really a fruitful show as it helps us to connect with old customers and establish new business.”

Mr Gao Qi, District Manager, Sunvim Co., Ltd, China
“This edition we showcased towelling and bedding products especially designed for the 2018 spring season. Intertextile Shanghai is one of the most important platforms for us to launch new products for the year. On the one hand, many suppliers and brand buyers are looking for new items during this peak sourcing season. On the other hand, many quality buyers and decision makers are invited to the show. The visitor flow is high so we can both enhance our brand popularity and receive orders after the show.”

Quality suppliers satisfied buyers with a wide range of sourcing needs. While exhibitors were delighted about meeting new customers and receiving orders on the spot, international and domestic buyers also appreciated the wide range of products they discovered at the fair.
 
Buyer opinions:

Mr Anil Miglani, President, SawHill Intl Ltd (Toronto), Canada
“The show has always been a satisfying one as we can meet some interesting and potential suppliers every time. So far, we’ve found two to three exhibitors that we look forward to working with. As a Chinese fair, Intertextile Shanghai is highly recommended as the exhibitors, domestic ones in particular, are of good quality and friendly to foreign visitors. The product range on offer is getting wider and wider, so I come to this show every year to look for potential Chinese suppliers.”

Mr Abdelkrim Boussehra, Yiwu Mingyu Import & Export Co., Ltd, Morocco
“This is my first time attending this fair. I didn’t know any of the Chinese brands here beforehand, but I think the quality of their products is really good. I met two machine suppliers, TPET & Richpeace, and will place orders with one of them. I’ve been to several shows in China, and I think this one is an effective sourcing platform because I can find everything I want.”

Mr Paul Chen, Business Supervisor, Jiangsu Yueda Hometex R and D Co., Ltd, China
“Compared to the previous editions, there are more and more high level and innovative products. Big domestic brands like Mercury, Goldsun and Bermo are all here and we are interested to work with them. This is an excellent platform that facilitates our sourcing with these exhibitors all under one roof.”

Fringe programme brought insight to fairgoers
Apart from concrete business outcomes, the fair’s fringe programme, including the Intangible Cultural Heritage Zone and a series of forums, further enriched the three-day show. Fairgoers were fascinated by the presentation of unique and traditional textile production and processing techniques from Chinese ethnic minorities in the Heritage Zone. While the forums that discussed topics from consumption upgrade to the newest technology applications were another success as they provided extra opportunities for industry players to share their insights and learn the latest developments.

The next Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles fair, the 2018 Autumn Edition, will be held from 27 – 30 August at the same venue. Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles – Spring Edition is organised by Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd; the Sub-Council of Textile Industry, CCPIT; and the China Home Textile Association (CHTA). 

• The association's zero tolerance standard was presented at Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles between 14 and 16 March
• The association enjoyed a successful appearance together with three certification bodies from Germany, Japan and the US/China
• Chinese manufacturers showed great interest in the unique combination of animal welfare and quality control

‘We met many committed companies – primarily from China – that showed great interest in traceability and the ethically sound sourcing of feathers and down. The potential that Downpass offers as a traceability standard together with continuous quality control was clearly recognised and won companies over not only for export-oriented purposes, but also for the domestic Chinese market’, explained Dr Juliane Hedderich, who was responsible for the trade fair appearance as managing director of Downpass e.V.
‘The follow-up after the trade fair will be crucial to translate Chinese companies’ interest into actual memberships.’

The association's representatives and rotating teams from the certification bodies Wessling, QTEC and IDFL advised visitors at a large stand in the foyer of hall 4.2 (HOME) with a deliberately puristic design. These independent testing institutes and auditing organisations are companies’ direct contacts for audits and product monitoring. As is common for trade fairs, the largest crowds were seen on the afternoon of the first and second day of the event.

The markets are increasingly demanding materials that guarantee trading partners and therefore consumers the greatest possible security when it comes to ethics and sustainability, alongside high product quality. Products certified by independent testing institutes gain in importance and set sales standards.

Ms Anna Elisa Wessling, legal representative of the subsidiary Wessling Consulting (Shanghai) Ltd. and representative of the German Wessling Group at the trade fair, was happy to engage with customers directly, explaining, ‘our presence as a consulting, analysis and testing company at Intertextile Home gave us the opportunity to talk to visitors and thus allowed us to increase transparency on the Chinese market such that retailers and consumers are suitably informed of the highest requirements of product quality and of the origin of bedding filled with feathers and down.’
As a German family company, the Wessling Group has stood for continuous improvement in the quality and security of products and processes for 35 years and is set to move into new, larger premises for its subsidiary in Shanghai in the near future so that it can fulfil the increasing number of testing requests in Asia with a larger team.
‘We expect constant growth in our analysis and consulting segment feathers and down, especially as our international customers see Downpass as a clear advantage for customer acquisition domestically and abroad. As an independent testing institute, we play a substantial role in underpinning trust in the Downpass brand’, highlighted Ms Weßling.

The Japanese institution QTEC also confirmed Downpass’ high level of visitor interest and, like its colleagues, stressed the importance of an institute’s independence. The managing director of Shanghai QTEC Testing Laboratory, Hiroyuki Nakamoto, who successfully presented the company’s three Chinese sites – including Shanghai and Wuxi – at the home textiles trade fair, explained, ‘our knowledge of the Japanese market, together with our testing expertise, make us a top contact for manufacturers of bedding and clothing products filled with feathers and down to ensure the supply chain is ethically sound.’ The institute expects a steady rise in the number of testing requests for Downpass, especially at Chinese sites.

A large, bilingual English-Chinese sales team from IDFL China, based in Hangzhou was available at the trade fair in Shanghai to answer all questions relating to audits and testing procedures with its varied specialist expertise. Together with its cooperation partner, the Chinese national down and feather laboratory CIQ Xiaoshan, IDFL has capacities for a broad range of different tests and audits.
IDFL’s Global Audit Manager Bryan Mortensen highlighted that Downpass had become a standard and therefore a seal that is recognised worldwide and in China in particular. The joint appearance with other certification bodies provided the opportunity to answer the questions of Chinese companies along the supply chain, from wholesalers to clothing and home textile brands and trading partners.
‘We are seeing strong demand for the current version of the standard, Downpass 2017, and its seal. IDFL carried out numerous audits across the globe in 2017 and we receive new requests every day. Overall we anticipate a successful future for Downpass in the down and feather industry’, explained Mortensen. IDFL – which will celebrate 40 years in the industry in 2018 – has been carrying out audits in the field of down and feathers for more than 10 years and is currently undergoing certification in accordance with ISO/EN 17065 and 19011.

In their first summary of the event, the extended Downpass trade fair team took stock of a successful trade fair premiere. ‘We aim to promote the sustainable use of natural resources across the globe and to increase transparency in the supply chain’, explained Dr Juliane Hedderich. ‘Animal welfare and guaranteed product quality are our hallmarks. We did a great job in Shanghai of jointly informing others about these and finding new collaborators.’

About the zero tolerance standard DOWNPASS 2017
Products filled with feathers and down that are certified in accordance with Downpass 2017 exclude products sourced from live plucking and production based on force feeding. The animals’ rearing is monitored and monitoring may be extended to the parent animal farms.
To this end, farms, commodities traders and producers are subject to audits and monitoring.
Pre-made products are bought by mystery shoppers at the point of sale and subsequently undergo quality control in independent testing laboratories.
As of January 2018, 503 million animals had been audited in accordance with DOWNPASS 2017.
Labelled products are available in North America, Europe and Asia.

• Child benefit fills household budgets
• Half of spending is on clothing

Demand for children's needs in Poland is expected to increase by 4% to 5% annually in the medium term. The child benefit introduced in 2016 and the good economy are boosting spending on the offspring. Clothing, including shoes, gets the biggest part. There is also a considerable domestic production of hygiene and personal care products as well as food. There is an increasing emphasis on organic products, which also opens up supplier opportunities for German suppliers.

Demand for basic children's items, such as clothing, toys, personal care and food, is expected to increase by 4% to 5% annually in Poland in the medium term. This accelerates growth over the period 2011-2015, as the market research firm PMR (http://www.pmrpublications.com) expects in its market analysis on children's products 2015 and forecast 2015-2020. In 2015, such articles were sold for PLN 9.4 billion (about EUR 2.2 billion, EUR 1 = 4,1841, average price in 2015) compared to EUR 8.5 billion in 2011.
 
The economic recovery and falling unemployment increase the general propensity to consume. This is additionally stimulated by the child allowance paid since spring 2016, which gives households more than ZI 20 billion annually; in 2017 alone some ZI 23 billion.
So the number of births rose again after years of decline in 2016. 382,500 were born in Poland, around 13,000 more than in 2015. Nevertheless, the birth rate, the number of births per woman be-tween the ages of 15 and 49, is just over 1.3 children per woman only. A sufficient quota for main-taining the population was found last time in 1991.

Birth rate in Poland (number of births per woman between the ages of 15 and 49)

Source: Eurostat

By the end of February 2017, more than 3.82 million children up to the age of 18 years were covered by the child benefit program, which re-ceive ZI 500 per month. As a result, more than 2.57 million families have received a total of nearly ZI 21 billion in state resources by that time. Nationwide 55% of all children under the age of 18 years benefit from the program. In the countryside, this percentage reaches as much as 63%, compared with only 49% in cities. Single kids of well-situated families are not included.    

Largest demand potential in Mazovia
Most of the beneficiary children live in the capital region, the Mazowieckie voivodship (Mazovia, al-most 554,000), followed by Slaskie (Upper Silesia, 383,800) and Wielkopolskie (Greater Poland, 379,600). In Pomorskie (Pommern) 25,860 children were born in 2016, so that 11.2 babies were born per 1,000 inhabitants. This was the highest proportion nationwide closely followed by Ma-zowieckie (11.1) and Wielkopolskie (11.0).
However, spending on the next generation is not only geared to the number of children, but the individual children are given more gifts or receive additional or higherquality clothing and others. Natu-ral and ecological products have a high priority, which can also benefit German suppliers.
 
In addition to namedays, birthdays, Christmas and Easter, the day of the child on June 1st of each year, is an important occasion for gifts. According to a survey by the price comparison portal Ceneo (http://www.ceneo.pl), 35.0% of those who were surveyed have planned for the June 1st 2017 from ZI 101 to 300 and 31.4% from ZI 51 to 100. Each half of the rest looked approximately each half to higher or lower expenses.
Industry experts estimate the annual sales of toys at about ZI1 billion. The strongest positions here have international companies such as Lego, Hasbro and Mattel. But, also domestic manufacturers such as Cobi S.A. (http://www.cobi.pl) and Trefl S.A. (http://www.trefl.com) benefit from the growing demand.
Cobi produces building blocks and imports and sells a wide range of other toys. The predominant products of Trefl are board games and puzzles that are being also heavily exported. Anna Skorzynska was able to place her stuffed animals, which create a sleep sound, successfully on the market. (http://szumisie.pl). Other manufacturers are Wader (http://www.wader-zabawki.pl), Hemar (http://hemar.com.pl) and St. Majewski (http://www.st-majewski.pl).

Robust eco-fashion on the rise
For children's clothing, the importance of locally sewn items is increasing. Popular brands include "Ekoubranka" (http://www.ekoubranka.pl, durable and ecological clothing) and "Pampicio" (http://www.pampicio.pl) from Sieradz.
While such smaller brands are mainly sold online, large ones such as "5-10-15" (http://www.51015kids.eu) of Komex S.A. also offered in its own chain of over 220 conventional stores.
Other children's clothing retailers include Coccodrillo (http://www.coccodrillo.eu) with 187 stores and Wojcik Fashion (https://wojcikfashion.com). The big children's toy chain Smyk (Bengel, http://www.smyk.com) also sells clothing, including its own brands "Cool Club" and "Smiki". Apparel and footwear account for the largest share of spending for children, which, according to PMR, to-taled almost ZI 5 billion, including apparel estimated at ZI 3,517 billion and shoes at Zl 1,419 billion in 2016.

The sales of food for babies and children is estimated at around ZI 1 billion per annum. Here, the market research firm PLM expects higher increases in the future than for food in total. Leading here are the French group Danone and the Swiss Nestle Group. The at Danone Nutricia Zaklady Produkcyjne (http://www.nutricia.com.pl) belonging company has large factories in Opole and Krotoszyn.
Among others Nestle produces in Kalisz (Kalisch) and in Rzeszow the brands "Nestle Nutrition" and "Gerber". Major domestic manufacturers include Geo-Poland (https://geo-poland.com/pl), Helpa (http://www.helpa.pl), Maspex (https://maspex.com, juices and the like), Wosana (http://www.wosana.pl, fruit juices) and Dary Natury (http://www.darynatury.pl, tea).

After five action-packed days the world’s leading trade fair of the consumer goods industry finished in an upbeat mood today. Trade visitors from more countries than ever before spent their time networking and ordering the latest products from all over the world for their companies. They also obtained worthwhile stimuli for a digital future.

Occupying an exhibition space of 308,000 square metres (gross), [1] 4,441 exhibitors from 89 countries [2] revealed the trends of this coming business year. 81 per cent [3] of all exhibitors came from outside Germany, making Ambiente the most international consumer goods trade fair of all times. The proportion of senior international decision-makers across all trade sectors had gone up by six per cent compared with last year, making up 60 per cent of visitors. It was the highest share ever recorded. This led to good export transactions and an excellent mood in the halls. In total, 134,600 buyers from 168 countries [4] visited Frankfurt am Main to attend Ambiente. As expected, there were fewer German visitors in Frankfurt. This was partly due to changes in the German retail landscape, and partly because the event coincided with Carnival as well as school holidays in Germany’s southern states, while being dependent on the international trade fair calendar.

“Consumerism is fashionable! Ambiente hosts the entire world. Every February, the international consumer goods industry receives direction here for the entire year. This is impressively borne out by the number of orders and the quality of German and international buyers,” says Detlef Braun, Member of the Executive Board of Messe Frankfurt GmbH. A similarly positive conclusion is reached by Thomas Grothkopp, Managing Director of the German Trade Association for Residential Accommodation and Offices (HWB): “Ambiente has shown us once again that nothing can replace personal contact with new and existing suppliers and their innovative products. This trade fair in Frankfurt has totally met the expectations of the retail trade.”
The top ten visitor nations after Germany were Italy, China, France, the United States, the UK, the Netherlands, Spain, Turkey, Korea and Switzerland. Satisfaction ratings among visitors remained stable at an extremely high level of 96 per cent. Above-average growth in visitors’ numbers was recorded from China, Korea, Russia, the North African countries, South Africa, all of South America, Turkey, Lebanon and Cyprus.

Exhibitors’ voices

Despite a slight dip in Ambiente’s visitor numbers, the quality and number of visitors were just right. On this point all exhibitors at Ambiente were unanimous.

Dining

Birgit Dubberke, Marketing Director at BHS Tabletop, says:
“We keep being impressed by the internationalism of Ambiente – not just in terms of exhibitors, but also visitors. It’s the meeting point of the industry. It’s a place for making valuable contacts with countries we’d normally never get to. As I see it, the HoReCa market is very much up and coming. The visitors are different, requiring a more emotive appeal – as private individuals – and this is reflected in the restaurants, hotels and the food. And we can also see it at Ambiente. The demand is there.“
Maren Lehmann, Director of Internal Sales at the porcelain company Staatliche Porzellan-Manufaktur Meissen, says:
“Ambiente 2018 went very well for us. We reached our targets, and so we can be pleased with the results. Meissen presented itself in a new way. We wanted to show that we can do far more than be traditional – and we’ve succeeded. The trade fair provided us with an excellent platform. And the organisation was first class, too.”

Living

Alexander Haas, Sales Manager at Scholtissek, says:
“Whether it’s architects, hotels or restaurants and cafés, Ambiente attracts the B2B visitors we want to appeal to. Contract business went extremely well again this year: Both the quality and the number of visitors were just right. We achieved our sales targets, and we are pleased.”
Michael Rossmann, Managing Director at PAD Home, says:
“Ambiente has an international audience and a very good venue. Our stand had a great atmosphere, lovely products and committed staff. This is why things went so amazingly well for us at Ambiente 2018. When it comes to internationalism, then the trade fair was in an even better position this year: Our stand was visited by an unusual number of Italians, as well as Argentinians and other South Americans, which was quite new to us.”

Giving

Rebecca Staton, Sales Manager for France and Germany at Jellycat, says:
“The trade fair went pretty well for us. This was already the case last year, and so we are very pleased. Although there were lots of people just having a look, we also received a good number of orders. The quality of visitors was good, and so was the level of internationalism. France was there, lots of visitors from Germany, Luxembourg and Switzerland, and a few Asian countries. Another figure that met our expectations was the number of new customers we gained.”
Ralf Vogt, owner of Noi:
“We are pleased with the result. Ambiente went well for us, our collection was well received, and there is a general demand for it. Also, I can’t complain about the quality of visitors or their willingness to place orders: those who come to Ambiente are also authorised to place orders.”

Vaarwel Netherlands, Namaskar India!

The world’s leading trade fair ran very much under the Dutch banner in 2018. The traditional partner country presentation had been staged by the Dutch industrial designer Robert Bronwasser. DO DUTCH put consumer goods from the Netherlands into a new and unusual context. Also, numerous activities and events were held on the partner country day – all masterminded by Dutch organisers. The guest of honour attracting everyone’s attention at Ambiente yesterday was Sylvie Meis. The well-known TV presenter and entrepreneur, who is also from the Netherlands, went on a tour round the exhibition halls exploring modern design from the Netherlands and Germany. Next year’s Ambiente will be held from 8 to 12 February 2019 and will be focused very much on the Indian subcontinent.

Hardly any other industry combines technology and design so skilfully as the industry for roller shutters, doors/gates and sun protection systems. The visitors of R+T 2018 in Stuttgart can see this for themselves when the new awning cloth collections are presented.

The products and services being showcased from 27 February to 3 March 2018 in a total of ten exhibition halls at R+T in Stuttgart also impress with a high level of innovation. The exhibiting companies have also managed to focus on innovation particularly in the area of awning cloths. For instance, the visitors can look forward to the new awning cloth collections which are on show at the trade fair.

"The collection changes every five years, this time in the R+T year. As a result, there will be all sorts to see in this segment at the world's leading trade fair for roller shutters, doors/gates and sun protection systems, whereby outdoor living spaces can be designed stylishly and sustainably", states Wolfgang Rudorf-Witrin, President of the ITRS (Industrial Association for Technical Textiles, Roller Shutters and Sun Protection). During the development of the design a lot of importance was attached to the users' comfort with the awning cloths and there is something available for virtually every requirement.

Fresh from the think tank
With the new collection Sattler not only appeals to the visual senses of customers, but other senses too. "With Lumera 3D Surface it has been possible to introduce genuine and also perceptible structures to the cloth for the first time", explains Markus Szotrell, President of Sattler Germany. This effect is achieved by now inserting the Clean Brilliant Acrylic yarn (CBA) into the thread in combination with the staple fibre yarn. The colour concept of the new collection is an extract of the current colour trends from all areas of the immediate living space. "Near-natural, monochrome colours, i.e. colours of earthy, stony and metallic shades, are having more and more of an impact", adds Markus Szotrell. In surfaces such as gold, chrome, limestone, marble or granite, there are enough patterns to show this new colour which according to the colour analyses by Sattler is bang on trend. Markus Szotrell: "That's why we decided on the name Lumera 3D Surface."

Parà also has a new collection ready for R+T 2018 in Stuttgart. "The Tempotest collection contains over 500 variants and includes historical evergreens as well as brand new textile concepts never seen before", reports Matteo Parravicini, member of the Executive Board at Parà. For example, for the fabric "wild silk" the focus is on natural irregularity, whereas the "lifestyle" fabric knows how to convince with its complex textile structure. "The market is becoming increasingly complex and we have responded with a broad offer of over 140 plain colours", adds Matteo Parravicini.

Dickson completely changed its focus for the development of the new collection.
"Previously collections were directed more on what happened yesterday, now the focus is on what will be", explains Lars Rippstein, President of Dickson-Constant. This realignment consciously focuses on the significance of plain colour shades. "These findings are based on the first-ever comprehensive and representative consumer study", reports Lars Rippstein. The new collection arrangement is design-oriented and a total of three areas were created. "Graphic" contains pastel and structured plain colours as well as subtle stripes and graphic jacquard patterns. "Colour" represents natural green, sunny yellow and fiery red shades in tone-in-tone stripe patterns. Lars Rippstein: "With the "Essential" palette we show diverse designs in six different colour ranges: grey, green, blue, red and pink, yellow and orange, as well as beige and brown. On the whole the collection is more modern and we are convinced that our partners will be successfully positioned with it."

Overview of trends
The visitors of R+T 2018 in Stuttgart can already look forward to a broad range of designs with which they can impress and inspire their own customers. With the new awning cloth collections it is easy to find the right cloth for every requirement and thus set standards in the outdoor area both in terms of quality and design orientation - including a comfort factor.

• Chinese companies are planning several major projects
• Germany is supplying more textile and clothing machinery

Several Egyptian and Chinese companies have announced some heavy manufacturing investments in textiles and clothing. The government is committed to creating new production priorities for textiles and wants to increase added value. Labor-intensive industries benefit from the low value of the Egyptian pound for their exports. For textile and clothing machinery, Germany achieved a delivery share of around 20 percent in 2016. In the Egyptian textile and clothing industry, the signs point to expansion and modernization. Local media reported on a series of investment plans by Chinese and Egyptian companies. According to the newspaper Al Gomhouria, a Chinese producer is planning the world's largest textile factory for USD 6 billion in the economic zone on the Suez Canal. The Chinese companies TIDA and Shoon Dong Roy want to build a clothing factory for USD 800 million. Sino-Egypt Minkai plans to build a textile industry complex for around USD 750 million. The local paper and stationery manufacturer Mintra plans to start the production of sports shoes with an initial investment of USD 50 million. Manufacturing in the 10th of Ramadan City is scheduled to begin in mid-2018, serving both the domestic and overseas markets. Egypt is still importing about 85 percent of the shoes sold in the country.
Oriental Weavers plans to purchase new production lines, machinery and equipment in 2018. For this purpose, EUR 6 million are to be invested. According to the newspaper Al Shorouk, the expansion will be financed by a bank loan.

State relies on new textile cities and more value added
The Egyptian state also wants to strengthen textile and clothing production. The Ministry of Investment and International Cooperation, the Supreme Council for Textile Industries and an unnamed Chinese partner want to set up a free zone for textile production in Minya. The ministry plans to provide part of the funding through international institutions and create specialized training programs for workers. According to media reports, the project value should be at USD 324 million.

In early 2017 the Egyptian Ministry of Industry announced that it would set up new textile production centers at a total of ten locations. In particular, spinning mills and weaving mills are in the spotlight. This perspective is shared by the Ministry of the Public Sector. It is aimed primarily at increasing value adding and therefore carried out a study in 2017.

Import demand for textile and clothing machinery is expected to increase
Egyptian textile and clothing companies often produce with a lot of manual work and partly outdated machines. On the one hand, the government is keen to ensure that as many jobs as possible are created for the approximately 800,000 young people who enter the market each year. On the other hand, a more automated and modern production of textiles and clothing would enable more complex products. These could be sold at a higher profit, but may also require less human labor.

An Indian company has secured a contract to modernize cotton processing. In compliance with a framework agreement with the Cotton and Textile Industries Holding, Bajaj Clothing automates cotton ginning systems. A total of eleven companies in different parts of the country will be equipped with the new machinery until August 2018. In late December 2017, Egypt Today announced that the government wants to modernize the spinning and weaving mills in Northern Egypt. The investment volume will amount to a total of one billion Euro over a period of five years.

The newly announced projects are expected to increase the demand of import machinery in the near future. Like other types of equipment, the vast majority of textile and clothing machinery will be imported into Egypt. Deliveries from Germany were able to improve both in absolute terms and relatively in 2016, despite an overall shrinking of the volume of imports. The German supply share jumped from 15.8 to 20.4 percent compared to 2015.

Source: UN Comtrade

The consequences of the release of the Egyptian pound in November 2016 will mainly benefit labor-intensive industries and those that are processing mainly local raw materials. After October 2016, the value of the EURO soared from just under 9 to 21 Egyptian pounds and has stabilized at this level. According to various figures the textile and clothing companies in the country employs between 1.0 and 1.2 million workers. It is reported that state-owned enterprises are strongly represented in the textile sector, while the private sector plays a greater role in the clothing sector.

The advantage is dampened by the import requirements for cotton. In Egypt, especially soft and high-quality long-staple cotton is grown and exported. By contrast, domestic textile and clothing companies mainly use short-staple cotton from abroad as a raw material. Their import as become more expensive due to the currency developments. Nevertheless the competitiveness of Egypt's textile and clothing exporters has improved as a result of the new foreign exchange situation. Their exports should have developed better in 2017 than at the peak of the currency liquidity crisis in the previous year. At that time, exports fell by12.6 percent to around USD 1.7 billion.

Source: UN Comtrade

Increasing labor costs at Asian production sites, long transport routes and sometimes dissatisfaction with the product quality make some customers look for new sources of supply for textile and clothing products. According to a report by the news portal Middle East Eye, Egypt lies at least with USD 100 as a monthly salary for workers roughly equivalent on a level with India or Bangladesh and about half of Chinese salaries. In addition, the country at the Suez Canal is capable of fast deliveries to Europe and the United States. Regional competitors include Turkey and Tunisia. Egyptian manufacturers are not always recognizable as such, as they often manufacture for major international brands. Middle East Eye names Calvin Klein, Decathlon, Tommy Hilfiger and Zara as examples. In November 2017, Dice Sport and Casual Wear agreed to supply Levi Strauss & Co. with children's clothing.

Since 2017, Egypt became part of the Better Work Program of the International Labor Organization. The program includes 30 apparel factories in which the working conditions should be improved. Such confirmations could then give Egyptian products competitive advantages in export. However, to stand up to the tough international price warfare and at the same time to meet by the customers expected production standards will be a challenge.

Megatrends are becoming increasingly visible in the way we live.
Be it globalisation, urbanisation, digitalisation, individualisation or neo-ecology: German and international manufacturers are keeping pace with the times and are offering more and more options in their range of furniture and fittings. Customer needs can no longer be deduced from socio-demographic characteristics and target groups alone - people's lifestyles are too different for that these days. The megatrends influence the directions in which the additional options develop: They drive things forward and point out new directions at the same time.

The megatrend of individualisation has intensified in the furniture sector on at least two levels: The catalogues are bursting with diverse options and the internet is the first port of call to get an idea of what's on offer. Several portals offer tailored advice or allow you to furnish your own home in a virtual reality setting.

The megatrend of digitalisation has also impacted on the way we live in two very clear ways. When it comes to the products themselves, the "smart home" is becoming increasingly important. Many household appliances, doors and windows, white goods and heating control systems now come with applications that improve comfort and convenience in everyday life. The second element has far-reaching effects on our mood. The honest ones among us will admit their overexposure to various media. Within a minute of waking, most people have their smartphone in hand as they start their day. The sensory overload immediately begins, if not with a smartphone then with the television or radio triggering constant distraction and a desire for a multitude of things. We lose ourselves in the face of so many options (the weather, the stock market, breaking news, emails, recipes, music). When the back of your mind wakes up too - and with that a torrent of terms such as digital transformation, chatbots, bitcoins, blockchain, dash buttons begins to flow - you suddenly feel an urgent need to get a grip on reality. Old favourites are making a come-back. Vinyl records, classic cars and filter coffee are all enjoying a boom. In home furnishing, models from the "good old days" are hugely popular: the vintage look, retro, boho-chic, mid-century design. In our fast-paced age, it comes as no surprise that many people in the developed world have fallen in love with this style of furnishing. In the virtual world, we are looking for something real, or at least something purportedly real … and Pantone declares ultra violet the Colour of the Year 2018. It is an old acquaintance: clerical power, feminism, extravagance, drama, creativity, "the last attempt", mystical and spiritual, both future-oriented and traditional, but a counterculture most certainly. Denmark has given the world the "Hygge" phenomenon, a countervailing measure that brings cosiness back into our homes.

Two-thirds of Germans want their home to exude cosiness. Most people find that easier to achieve with an organic design language, authentic materials and warm colours than with cool, angular and minimalist furniture designs. Colourful combinations of furniture, wall colours, wallpaper, decorations and accessories are also popular because they help express the desired feeling of individuality.
 
Good lighting is becoming ever more important for the overall atmosphere in the home. LED lighting technology is now cost-effective, and can be found in the glass display case, behind the shelf or under the bed, making an important contribution to the home's cosy lighting ambience. The lighting industry's latest highlight is improved LED light batteries with long run-times. These flexible, portable and cable-free light sources are very handy for small apartments. This kind of small lamp can be used as a functional light in the kitchen, as a reading lamp at the table and as indirect illumination when chatting in the evening. In former times, candles were carried around the home, today we carry cutting-edge LED battery lamps. Talking about candles, the consumption of real candles has been growing steadily over the last five years. According to the European Candle Association (eca), each EU citizen consumed an average of 1.45 kg of candles (+6.2%) in 2016, with further growth expected. Opulent, Baroque-like candlesticks are in fashion, and help to create cosy living spaces. Candlelight is highly prized. Indeed, we could speak in terms of a digitalisation by candlelight. There is a close link between living style and the longed-for attitude to life. In times like these, it is not surprising that more and more people divide their world in two. On the one hand, they have a "private shire", as Stephan Grünewald from the Rheingold Institute calls it, in which they feel snug and safe. Then they have an external "grey country", an often frightening world of terror, globalisation, food scandals, Brexit and capricious political leaders. The private sphere is often designed as an idyllic retreat to make it easier to filter out the external world. This idyll is the counter-world to the hard and digital reality. It's all about nest-building, comfort, security and cosiness - a means of escaping the often-overwhelming anonymity of the external world.
 
Before the backdrop of globalisation, the home becomes the central location of identity. Furnishing their homes in a personal way gives people a sense of belonging. Identity is a matter of self-creation, not only in terms of the personality but also of the private environment. We form our identity on a day-to-day basis through the way we live. Many people perceive the world as an excess, and they see their own home as an identity-forming protected zone. The home is guarded, fashioned and loved. Security technology and creativity are spreading and the home is becoming the only enclave of informality. Following the maxim "The world is too much for me, I'm enough for myself", the home is a retreat, a refuge and an idyllic world.
 
In the modern age, populations tend to move from rural areas to the cities. For the first time in history, more than half the world's population now live in urban conglomerations. Major cities face two challenges that have long been identified: The constant need to find more living space, and managing the growing volume of traffic. When it comes to the way we live, the megatrend of urbanisation becomes more concrete in a number of respects. There is already a growing longing for ruralisation among city dwellers, while - paradoxically - new digital innovations are making possible new ways of working and living, far away from the smoke and smog of the city. It is already possible to work without a fixed base in a number of occupations. In future, the toilet lid in the smart home will regularly test the urine for signs of disease, taking care of prevention and making medical care plannable. Villages could experience a renaissance when drones deliver shopping, and electric driverless cars take children to school.

In the season ahead we will see the introduction of more organic forms, especially in the seating furniture sector. Organic design takes its cue from organic nature. Dynamic curves and powerful cambers come to the fore as striking characteristics. Organic design is soft and is therefore distinct from geometric and functional shapes. A wide range of natural fibres is on offer as upholstery fabrics for padded furniture, with corduroy and velvet playing a prominent role.   

The blue colour spectrum - from European blue and light blue to turquoise and petrol - remains popular. Blue represents harmony, imparts a sense of reliability, and has a pleasant calming effect. Olive green is the new trend colour, representing naturalness, spring, hope, health, youth, nature and vegetation. However, olive is not gaudy; the grey aspect in it makes it a quiet and inconspicuous choice.

Linoleum is making a come-back. The material was invented in 1860 and consists mainly of linseed oil, ground cork dust and jute fabric. It was originally intended for use as an elastic floor covering and it is still used in that way to this day. The furniture industry utilises linoleum as a tabletop surface, sideboard front and bureau inlay. It is a robust, green material that stands for healthy living.

Solid wood is about to strengthen its position further. The designs for tables, cupboards and sideboards are delicate and elegant, having moved away from the rustic look of the past. Oak remains the top seller, but walnut and cherry wood are maintaining their position. Wood combined with other natural materials such as glass and metal is also a popular choice for the visible parts of cabinets.

The visual quality of furniture in all price categories is generally improving. In future, furniture that looks cheap in whatever way will not sell well. With the smart home, the bathroom show and the lighting show - in addition to all the other furniture and fittings exhibited at imm cologne 2018 - we will experience an explosion of innovation and inspiration. By passionately opening oneself up to something, that thing is freed from the vortex of the ordinary and everyday. That is just as true for good food as it is for good furniture at imm cologne. Only those who dare to do so can discover the new.