Textination Newsline

OutDoor by ISPO is coming to Munich and numerous exhibitors and partners have already confirmed their involvement in the trade fair (June 30 to July 3, 2019) – around nine months in advance. The international trade fair for the outdoor industry owes its popularity in no small part to the new profile, which extends far beyond the exhibition halls themselves: the 365-day platform provides brands and manufacturers with the digital and physical channels they need to be able to communicate with their customers all year round. As such, OutDoor by ISPO is the reliable, modern and pioneering platform that the industry has been looking for.
 
At the end of June during the Outdoor by ISPO launch conference it was already clear that the concept developed by Messe München in cooperation with the European Outdoor Group (EOG) was exactly what the market needed. Over 250 international industry representatives also welcomed the plan to raise the profile of OutDoor by ISPO by establishing it as a year-round platform for the outdoor industry in addition to the trade fair. Numerous exhibitors, from a total of 25 countries so far, including for example Arc‘terix, Maloja, Mountain Hardware, Jack Wolfskin, Ortlieb, Petzl, Scott, Sining Rock, Tatonka and Vaude as well as the Oberalp Group with its brands Dynafit, Salewa, Pomoca and Wild Country, have already registered for the first event in Munich. The new OutDoor by ISPO will open its doors for the first time at the Messe München Exhibition Center from June 30 to July 3, 2019. An overview of the brands and manufacturers, which have already booked their places, updated every week, is available online as is information on the exhibitor registration process.
 
“OutDoor Easy” – flexible stand construction concept for more modest budgets
OutDoor by ISPO is an important industry event both for small and big brands and hence caters for companies of all sizes. Outdoor Easy is specifically targeted at exhibitors with a more modest budget and aims to make the exhibition process as smooth as possible. Markus Hefter, Exhibition Director OutDoor by ISPO, says: “This flexible and cost-effective stand construction concept is a high-quality and authentic solution enabling companies to showcase their products in the perfect setting without having to undertake all the set-up work on their own.” The concept consists of a cost-effective full package offering an open and attractive layout as well as a good location in the hall. More information on OutDoor Easy is available here. 
 
PADDLEexpo enriches OutDoor by ISPO with its experience
With the PADDLEexpo as partner the booming water sports sector will now be properly represented at OutDoor by ISPO. The professional trade show for kayaking, canoeing & stand-up paddling (SUP) in Nuremberg has been an ISPO partner for ten years and the partnership is now being taken to the next level with the installation of the Paddlesport Village at OutDoor by ISPO. This area will be exclusively dedicated to paddlesport products and will be an important meeting place for kayaking, canoeing and SUP experts. More information on PADDLEexpo is available at ispo.com.
 
OutDoor by ISPO available 365 days a year for the industry
ISPO is known for being a year-round ecosystem offering analog and digital products and services. ISPO customers have been benefiting from this mix of information, innovation and networking for years – and this portfolio is now also available for OutDoor by ISPO. OutDoor by ISPO now offers market players the opportunity to present themselves to the world 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. With it, the annual leading trade fair for the outdoor industry is supplemented with a far-reaching platform, which is available to the entire outdoor community, from brands and manufacturers right through to retailers and consumers all around the world.

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.

• E-commerce to grow by 17 percent in 2018

Berlin (GTAI) - E-commerce in the Netherlands is expected to grow in 2018. The most popular products are media and entertainment. Strong growth was recorded in the food trade.
The Dutch online food trade is gaining momentum, and high growth rates are expected for 2018. Customers also look beyond the borders and shop abroad. However, the online shops with the highest turnover are in Dutch hands.

Dutch people are very open to new technologies. In 2018, around 97 percent of the population (16.8 million people) will have an Internet connection. On average, the 13.9 million online shoppers spend EUR 1,242 a year. In 2018, e-commerce revenue will grow by around 17 percent to EUR 26.3 billion. This is predicted by an investigation of the organization Thuiswinkel. Already in the first quarter of 2018, EUR 6.3 billion were spent online, an increase of 13 percent compared to the same quarter of the previous year. The last quarter of a year with the holidays (Christmas, Santa Claus and Black Friday), in which 30 percent of the annual sales are taken place, is always very promising.

According to the Portal Commercenews online trading amounted to EUR 22.5 billion in 2017, up 13 percent from 2016, accounting for 9.7 percent of the total retail sales, which grew by only 4.2 percent. The e-commerce boom was followed by new company foundations: around 9,200 new webshops were established, but 5,400 were closed too. Most of these webshops also have foreign markets in their view.

Laptops are most commonly used for online purchases, but mobile devices are becoming increasingly popular. 2017 was marked by growing mobile commerce (m-commerce), a further increase is expected in 2018. After all, the country has more mobile devices than inhabitants (110 percent).

Not only the web shops benefit from the booming e-commerce. The Dutch Post is also pleased about the growth. Their e-commerce revenue is estimated at 42 percent of total revenue in 2018 (2017: 34 percent).

Food is bought more frequently online
Demand is focused on the media and entertainment sectors, where some 8.5 million purchases were made in the first three months of 2018. Food and near-food products (goods that are not food but are also available in supermarkets) were in demand in the first quarter of 2018, 42 percent more than in the same period of last year. Although their share of total purchases is still low, experts are already forecasting 3.7 percent in 2018 after 2.9 percent in 2017, when the sales exceeded EUR 1 billion for the first time. The purchases were mainly made at the large Albert Heijn and Jumbo supermarkets. The third important market Picnic, which only operates online, wants to expand into Germany and has already started a pilot project in the Düsseldorf area.

The Albert Heijn supermarket is about to make it even easier for its customers, to receive goods even when they are not at home. It is testing a so-called intelligent key (smart door lock) from Nuki. Customers can use their mobile phones to control who enters the apartment in their absence. By this this way he can let the delivery service in after his call..

Buyers are usually satisfied with their online purchases. Nevertheless, they fear that the goods are not clearly enough illustrated and described, as well as difficulties in returning them and their costs. Web shops can score points if they offer free shipping and fair return options.

The thrifty Dutch also compare when buying on the Internet. According to Ecommerce Foundation, 60 percent look around at multiple merchants before deciding, 53 percent use websites that compare prices or products, half consider other users' reviews on the web and only 8 percent buy spontaneously based on advertising or social media ads (multiple answers possible).

Dutch spend more and more abroad
Around 3.8 million Dutch people bought from foreign webshops in 2017, spending rose by 28 percent compared to the previous year. In 2017, they spent around EUR 1.5 billion on webshops in the European Union. Also Chinese sites with favorable offers are popular. Around EUR 248 million were invested in shops such as Aliexpress, Banggood, Dealextreme, Geekbuying, Gearbest, MiniIn TheBox. The most popular countries were China, the United Kingdom, Germany and the USA.

The most popular payment provider on the Internet is iDEAL. Around 95 percent of customers use the Dutch online payment system, in which several local banks are involved. Its market share is an impressive 57 percent. In 2017, the number of transactions via iDEAL grew by almost 34 percent. Foreign webshops have also joined the system: About one third of the payments went to them.

Source: Ecommerce Foundation

Many Dutch retailers among top online shops
Many of the most successful online retailers are Dutch companies. Bol, the local online seller with the highest turnover, was able to grow because large e-traders such as eBay or Amazon were not yet present in the Netherlands. Bol developed from a project of the German Bertelsmann Group with a focus on books and DVDs, but is now in Dutch hands and has considerably expanded its offering to other product groups. In 2012 Bol was acquired by the Ahold Group.

The Rotterdam-based company Coolblue launched an online store in 2000. Subsequently, several web shops were opened, each focusing on one product category. A stationary business was added in 2005. Coolblue today sells mainly consumer electronics, white goods and fitness equipment and is the second largest online retailer. The company is known for its excellent customer service.

Wehkamp began as a mail order company in 1952 and sold all articles via its Internet platform before 2000. The Internet pioneer has developed slowly, but has recently invested heavily in order to survive in the Dutch top league.

Like eBay in Germany, Marktplaats.nl in the Netherlands is the marketplace for second-hand goods. Google Shopping achieved strong growth in 2017. The portal is also expected to become the most important comparison portal in the Netherlands in a short time.

• Opportunity for manufacturers to star as trendsetters in the flooring industry

The redesigned DOMOTEX – with its more transparent clustering of allied products and the visually stunning  “Framing Trends” showcase – has been warmly embraced by the market and is now gearing up for its second season. DOMOTEX 2019 will run under the banner of “CREATE’N’CONNECT”, a keynote theme that puts the spotlight on innovative flooring industry developments and ideas inspired by today’s connectivity megatrend. Powered by advanced technology and digital change, being connected is a tremendously important aspect of our daily lives and interaction at home and on the job.   Connectedness is an important aspect of flooring in the sense that floors are unifying, connecting elements of room design. Floors and flooring provide the very foundation for the rooms in which we live and work. Floors inspire us, give us orientation and set the stage for human interaction.
 
“CREATE’N’CONNECT” keynote theme to be creatively staged by trend leaders
The “Framing Trends”special area in Hall 9 at DOMOTEX 2019 is a unique opportunity for manufacturers to breathe life into the “CREATE’N’CONNECT” theme and thereby demonstrate their creative genius and position themselves as trendsetters of the flooring industry. Complete with a quality supporting program of talks, lectures and discussions inspired by the keynote theme, “Framing Trends” is a vibrant networking platform and the beating heart of DOMOTEX. It is a place where creatives from all parts of the design spectrum can gather, make connections and contacts and spark new business opportunities. For manufacturers, retailers and designers, it is also a rich source of inspiration for new collections. With its out-of-the-ordinary artistic staging and groundbreaking product presentations, “Framing Trends” is an absolute magnet for fashion and lifestyle-savvy visitors, architects, interior decorators, designers and influencers.

“Framing Trends” - Apply to exhibit and start making connections  
As a major highlight of DOMOTEX, the “Framing Trends” special area is one of the main stops on the show’s special Guided Tours for architects and journalists. This premium exposure is further enhanced by the area’s strong presence in the organizer’s social media channels and on the DOMOTEX website. Furthermore, companies that give exclusive interviews at DOMOTEX are permitted to use the interviews for their own promotional purposes. As in 2018, the “Framing Trends” showcase at DOMOTEX 2019 will have a Blogger Lounge where bloggers and visitors can meet up, talk and collaborate.

The “Framing Trends” area includes the “Flooring Spaces” zone – a series of spaces where selected exhibitors and companies from the flooring industry can stage their unique, creative visions of the “CREATE’N’CONNECT” theme in the form of physical installations, interactive display circuits or workshops. Applications for participation at the “Flooring Spaces” zone are now open. Each applying organization is invited to submit a design proposal for a “Flooring Space” of any size from 20 sqm to 60 sqm. On request, the DOMOTEX organizers will arrange for designers to help applicants with their proposals. An expert jury made up of big-name designers and architects will select the participating exhibitors from among the applicants. The jury will make its decision by the fall of 2018.

Examples of creative flooring-related connections
The connectivity theme can be creatively expressed in many wonderful ways, as the following examples from the flooring and various allied industries show.
In teamwork with the studio Lotta Agaton Interiors, Austrian carpet maker Tisca Textil staged a home environment collage at DOMOTEX 2018 combining handmade woolen rugs with furniture by Vitra, Artek and Team7.

The lively graphic motifs used in the Infused Collection by Mannington Mills conjure up various aspects of five different U.S. metropolises. This LVT tile collection’s mix-and-match approach lends itself to the creation of imaginative mosaics using any combination of tiles desired.

Swedish design firm Kinnasand presents its rugs on a limited series of steel tubing “structures” created in cooperation with Berlin design studio Greiling. Draped over stylized bench, ottoman and daybed structures, the carpets take on a three-dimensional aspect.

Furniture manufacturer Walter Knoll uses the floor pillows and daybeds in its “Badawi Pillows” collection to create connections with its own sofa and carpet range. Details like the finishing on the leather headrest rolls attest to the firm’s high level of craftsmanship.

Gan, the rug and textile brand of Spanish outdoor furnishing company Gandia Blasco, includes a whole range of new products that explore the connection between rooms and their floors. For example, the “Parquet” kilim collection by Swedish designer duo Front (Sofia Lagerkvist and Anna Lindgren) reinvents the timeless aesthetic of wood parquet in soft floor coverings. Meanwhile, the “Mirage” collection by Spanish designer Patricia Urquiola comprises hand-knotted rugs made from New Zealand wool that look like they are woven from three dimensional planks whose ends protrude into the surrounding space. Her “Garden Layers” collection features layers of rugs, mats, roll pillows, cushions and even textile-covered Indian beds. The individual elements can be arranged in many different ways to create infinite inviting possibilities for outdoor living.
 
“Framing Trends” showcase well received by the market
Business decision-makers who participated in the inaugural “Framing Trends” showcase were full of praise for the enhanced DOMOTEX format. Their stories are glowing reports of successful business contacts made at DOMOTEX 2018. For instance, Jutta Werner, CEO of Nomad, an interdisciplinary design firm in Hamburg, described the “Flooring Spaces” area as a “well signposted proving ground for innovation and contemporary thinking.” She said the response to her presentation there was “overwhelming.” Benny Jensen, CEO of Denmark’s Fletco Carpets, was impressed with the Guided Tours and their ability to communicate targeted information to visitors. He said the tours enabled his company to present its new, award-winning “LockTiles” product directly to a quality, pre-qualified audience. Jensen noted that “architects, designers and planners made a special point of visiting the ‘Framing Trends’ display.” Floor coverings manufacturer Classen used the “Flooring Spaces” zone at “Framing Trends” to present a vision of a living space from the future. The flooring creation at the heart of Classen’s “Flooring Space” was developed specially for DOMOTEX at the company’s own design center, while the creative design and production of the space as a whole was undertaken on Classen’s behalf by a designer. The presentation raised Classen’s profile as an innovator. Marketing Director Heinz-Dieter Gras says the visitors showed a “great deal of interest” and described the presentation as “spectacular” and “masterfully done”.

Thomas Trenkamp, CEO of Carpet Concept, was very pleased with the “massive response” to his company’s “Framing Trends” presentation generated in the press and among industry peers and trade visitors. The kaleidoscope project which Carpet Concept realized in partnership with Schmidhuber, Munich, was a major attraction on site, in the press and across social media channels. Creative Matters, a Canadian design firm that specializes in carpets, rugs and wall coverings, staged a series of creative workshops that proved enormously popular with attendees. President and co-founder Carol Sebert described “Framing Trends” as a “vibrant, high-energy” showcase that enabled exhibitors and visitors to “experience the latest innovations and creations in the flooring world first-hand.” Jürgen Dahlmanns, the founder and creative mind behind cutting-edge German carpet label Rug Star, believes that DOMOTEX’s managers have moved the show in an “exciting new direction” with Framing Trends. “It’s a fun thing to be involved in as an exhibitor”. Textile floor coverings specialist Balta Group, of Belgium, has been exhibiting at DOMOTEX right from the early days. Marketing Director Geert Vanden Bossche said the new format has “further cemented the strong connection” his organization felt with DOMOTEX. Balta exhibits both at DOMOTEX in Hannover and at DOMOTEX asia/CHINAFLOOR in Shanghai.

DOMOTEX 2019 will be held in Hannover, Germany, from 11 to 14 January (Friday through Monday). The show is expected to feature around 1,400 exhibitors from more than 60 nations.

‘High-Tex from Germany’ at Techtextil North America and Texprocess Americas shows again how innovative the German textile industry is.

Back to the USA: ‘High-Tex from Germany’ made a guest appearance at Techtextil North America and Texprocess Americas in Atlanta for the second time from 22 to 24 May 2018. At the special exhibition organised by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Energy (Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie – BMWi) in cooperation with the Association of the German Trade Fair Industry (Messeausschuss der Deutschen Wirtschaft e.V. – AUMA), a total of 66 companies presented technical textiles, nonwovens, textile-processing machines, smart textiles and textile-research projects to the trade visitors. The textile sector made its first appearance in the USA in 2000. This was followed by highly successful presentations in Shanghai in 2002, in Mumbai in 2007 and in Moscow in 2012.

“Taking ‘High-Tex from Germany’ to Atlanta again was a very good decision. The southeast of the USA has a long tradition of textile manufacturing. It is home to many companies that are always on the lookout for innovative textiles and machines for textile production and processing”, explained Detlev Rünger, German Consul General in Atlanta during the ‘High-Tex from Germany’ press conference. “Fairs bring people together. And this was evident here in Atlanta. With the overseas exhibition programme, we give small to medium-sized companies the chance to show their products in foreign markets”, said Patrick Specht of the Trade Fair Policy and EXPO Participations division of the BMWi.

“‘High-Tex from Germany’ within the framework of Techtextil North America and Texprocess Americas was a very good platform for our small to medium-sized companies. After Techtextil and Texprocess in Frankfurt, these two events are the second-most important editions of the trade-fair duo. ‘High-Tex from Germany’ came fully up to our expectations and anyone who failed to take part missed a great opportunity to be noticed”, said Marc Lorch, Member of the Board of Zwissler Holding, who represented the participating companies as exhibitor president.

Michael Metzler, Sales President of ZSK Stickmaschinen, confirmed this saying, “A German pavilion of this scope makes us extremely visible. Thanks to the excellent organisation, we were also able to concentrate on promoting our company and products.” In addition to the appealing exhibition-stand concept and the excellent organisation, the companies taking part were particularly pleased with the high visitor standard. “We regularly exhibit at Techtextil North America but taking part in ‘High-Tex for Germany’ resulted in our best ever day at a fair here. The pavilion is a real eye-catcher”, said Thomas Wiederer, Area Sales Manager, Brückner Textile Technologies. “The visitors to our exhibition stand were very interested in our products. We gained potential customers and were able to make numerous high-grade contacts. The level of interest shown in our highly innovative e-textile solutions, which are completely new in the sector, was very high. We are looking forward to the follow-up phase”, said Andreas Lanyi, Vice President Digital Unit and Internet of Things of the Hamburg-based start-up, Lunative Laboratories.

Besides gaining new customers, the focus of the companies taking part in ‘High-Tex from Germany’ was on cultivating customer relations. “The German pavilion in Atlanta once again gave us a good opportunity to get to know the US market better. We have had a factory in the vicinity of Atlanta for two years now and aim to expand our network in the long term”, said Ronny Schröder, Associate Sales Director Technical and Comfort Products, Sandler. “We like making presentations within the framework of the German pavilion very much”, added Georg Voggenreiter, Technical Sales, Maschinenfabrik Herbert Meyer. “Once again, ‘High-Tex from Germany’ was a good starting point for cultivating contacts with our customers in the USA.”

The companies taking part in ‘High-Tex from Germany’ made their presentations on around 1,300 square metres of exhibition space with their own exhibition stands, with selected exhibits on a central ‘Plaza’, in guided tours and no less than 35 lectures. Additionally, the German Institutes of Textile and Fibre Research (Deutsche Institute für Textil- und Faserforschung – DITF), the Association of the Finishing, Yarns, Woven Fabrics and Technical Textiles Industry (Industrieverband Veredlung, Garne, Gewebe und Technische Textilien – IVGT), the Tübingen-Reutlingen-Zollernalb location agency and the German American Chamber of Commerce of the Southern U.S. provided insights into current research projects and offered information about the sector.

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

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.

People matter – now more than ever. This is underscored by the huge interest taken by exhibitors in the run-up to A+A 2017, once again allowing the world’s leading trade fair for safety, security and health at work held from 17 to 20 October to post top marks. A total of 1,930 exhibitors from 63 nations and over 67,000 trade visitors came to the world’s largest trade fair for this industry in Düsseldorf. This means that this year A+A – together with the International Congress for Occupational Safety and Occupational Medicine – very much underlined the huge importance of health and safety at the workplace.

Investing in the health of employees pays off. It helps to ensure the performance of the workforce and increase productivity. It is all the more important to foster a holistic approach to prevention that takes all aspects of occupational health management, safety and workplace design into consideration. “Here the A+A, as the world’s leading trade fair for safety and healthy, joins forces with its partners,” sums up Messe Düsseldorf Managing Director Joachim Schäfer. “Digitalisation is no longer just something for the future and has now penetrated virtually all areas of life and work – likewise the Internet of Things that now networks billions of things together worldwide. It is fabulous that A+A is not just a stage for new technologies but is now also being seen globally as a bridgehead between the past and the future of our world of work.”

Bigger and More International than Ever: Top Marks across all Disciplines
Organisers and exhibitors alike were satisfied with how A+A 2017 went. The 31st edition of A+A held from 17 to 20 October attracted more than 67,000 trade visitors (2015: 65,000) to Düsseldorf who gathered information from the 1,931 exhibitors from 63 nations on the latest trends in the fields of occupational safety, promotion of health at work and security management in nine trade fair halls occupying for the first time 70,733 m2. At 40% the proportion of international visitors who came from over 100 nations also exceeded the share recorded at the previous event. “A+A is continually growing and underlines at all levels its relevance for the sector as the world’s leading trade fair and congress event,” says Messe Düsseldorf Managing Director Joachim Schäfer delighting at the excellent mood over the past four days and summing up talks with exhibitors and international delegations as follows: “We are proud to have been able to send out across the entire world strong signals to the markets and key impulses for political debate.” Against this backdrop the new look of A+A and the focus on what matters not just in the world of work have proven their worth: people.

Platform for Innovations and Investment
"People matter – what an apt statement,” sums up Klaus Bornack, President of the Trade Fair Advisory Board and Managing Director of Bornack GmbH & Co. KG. “A great A+A once again moved the sector with many innovative products, even more exhibitors from all specialist fields and, in turn, a rising number of very interested trade visitors from home and abroad with specific technical queries and a great deal of interest. This is confirmation that PPE is a growth market and that A+A is a leading international marketplace for safety at work.”

No. 1 International Event for Workwear  
The good investment climate as well as the interest from trade visitors in high-quality personal protective equipment and protective workwear was confirmed by a current study conducted on the German market for personal protective equipment that was published during A+A 2017 by market research firm macrom. This study showed that the volume of the entire German PPE market grew between 2014 and 2016 by 9.2% to a total of Euro 1.97b. Leading here with the largest market share is protective workwear that is increasingly also being worn in the private sphere. Commenting on this Birgit Horn, Director A+A 2017, said: “While protective workwear in the past was generally uncomfortable and not particularly fashionable, staff today are fairly willing to show themselves in public wearing this clothing. Thanks to the development of high-tech  clothing in the sports and outdoor sectors people no longer have to deprive themselves of top design and optimum performance. This was also confirmed by the over 200 Corporate Fashion exhibitors and rounded off by newly designed fashion shows.

The Future of Work is Now  
From smart skin sensors and the measuring of vital parameters to backfriendly exoskeletons and smart fleet management, data glasses and sensor-controlled fall protection: the future of work is now. This was made clear not just by the new A+A Highlight Route. Across the halls renowned exhibitors like 3M, BORNACK, Honeywell, Uvex or the Institute for Occupational Safety and Health of the German Social Accident Insurance (Institut für Arbeitsschutz der Deutschen Gesetzlichen Unfallversicherung – IFA) presented highlights focussing on “Smart PPE”, “Digitalisation of Work” and “Digital Applications and Solutions” – from the prototype to the mass-produced product. Also addressed were such aspects as the urgently required reorganisation of work processes for the ageing population or the new demands on the world of work from the younger generation.”
 
At the Highest Specialist Level: The A+A Congress
Also enjoying great acclaim was the International Congress for Occupational Safety and Occupational Medicine that is traditionally organised by the Federal Association for Occupational Safety and Health (Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft für Sicherheit und Gesundheit bei der Arbeit e.V. – Basi). “We had a very exciting A+A congress,” was the verdict of Basi Managing Director Bruno Zwingmann. “For the first time we were able to welcome to the congress new groups of people interested in occupational safety – for instance, representatives of the severely handicapped who also discussed the founding of an umbrella association at the congress.” Over the four days of the trade fair a total of some 5,000 congress delegates streamed into CCD Congress Center Düsseldorf Süd to gather information on the varied range of topics on offers. The 60 focal series dealt with such topics as production operations in the location of Germany with ageing workforces, positive aspects of digitalisation and mental stress with a focus on small businesses and their working conditions. The top events included one focusing on the “Fighting Cancer at the Workplace”. The A+A Congress was accompanied by the conference of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the International Social Security Association (ISSA) attended by top ranking figures.

A Burning Issue: Fire Prevention
As the most important sectoral platform worldwide for personal protective equipment and protective workwear A+A once again this year showcased everything revolving around modern firefighters protective clothing as well as the entire spectrum of personal protective equipment for firefighters: be this head, eye, body, hand, foot, ear, breathing or rope protection. Also on display were the preventative measures and concepts that can help to prevent accidents, major disasters and rescue missions and how firefighters are trained in realistic conditions in real fires.
The next A+A will be held from 5 to 8 November 2019.

• Production and Exports on a recreation Course
• Investments in Capacity and Modernization

Taipei (GTAI) - Taiwanese textile and clothing manufacturers see improved sales prospects in 2017 and 2018, following a weak development in the previous year. With its range of functional textiles in particular, the country occupies a position of great importance throughout the world. In order to maintain competitiveness, the sector companies invest in new equipment and product innovations. One of the most important machine suppliers is, among others, Germany in third place behind China and Japan.

Taiwan's textile industry is looking more optimistically on business performance in the current year as well as for 2018. This is attributable to the high level of consumer spending in the most important sales markets, price increases and major international sports events such as the FIFA World Cup and the Winter Olympics in South Korea. The island is the world's leading supplier of functional textiles used in sports and outdoor clothing.

According to the Taiwan Textile Research Institute, this textile sector accounts for about 50 percent of the world's production value of functional textiles. In order to maintain this position, the manufacturers are investing in capacity expansion, new technologies and the development of innovative textiles, while focusing on the diversification at production sites.

Production is recovering

Despite shrinking production development, the number of companies in the textile and clothing industry has risen over the last few years and, according to the Taiwan Textile Federation, at the end of 2016 to 4,361 companies. Of these, 3,205 (2015: 3,163) belonged to the textile segment and 1,156 (2015: 1,144) to the garment sector. The number of employees however is declining, as companies invest in automation.

According to the Ministry of Economic Affairs the production value of the sector fell by 5.9 per cent in 2016 over 2015. The development in the first half of 2017 however indicated that the weakness phase is declining. In particular textile production, which represents the most important area, showed signs of recovery. Here a more efficient utilization in the second half of the year was expected, as inventories are declining and orders are rising.

On the other hand the production of clothing and accessories and the production of synthetic fibers and yarns have shown a further shrinking trend in the recent years. Most of the industrial companies have moved their production towards abroad. At the end of the first half of 2017 the clothing segment accounted for only 4.9 percent of the total apparel segment.

Rising foreign trade expected

Export development also offers a better outlook. According to figures for the first six months of 2017 the export value of the textile and clothing sector shrank by only 0.3 per cent. For the full year 2016 the Taiwan Textile Federation statistics show a decline of 8.3% to USD 9.9 billion. The exports of textiles reached a value of USD 6.7 billion.

Exports of textiles and clothing are three times higher than imports. While exports are dominated by textile products with a share of 68%, imports of clothing accounts for 55%. Imports of textiles in 2016 were worth only about USD 427 Million.

According to the reports of at the stock market listed companies, it looks good on the orders received from existing as well as from new customers. As a result, the capacities are expanded, as at the Far Eastern New Century. The company is looking above all at Vietnam, where USD 760 million will be invested in the expansion of a supply chain for textiles and clothing over the next three years.

Other manufacturers such as Eclat and Makalot are also expanding their activities in Vietnam. It also will be invested in Taiwan, where, for example, Eclat Textile wants to spend between USD 26 million and USD 33 million to build new facilities for digital textile products. Makalot Industrial has announced plans to create smart production lines in Vietnam and Taiwan to increase efficiency.

With Shinkong Synthetic Fibers, another large textile producer on the island, wants to expand production. The company plans to increase the production of artificial fibers during 2018 from 50,000 tons to 110,000 tons. This is to serve orders from European and Japanese customers from the automotive sector.

Finishing equipment imports show little dynamics

The investment activities and plans of the textile and clothing manufacturers are expected to lead to increasing finishing equipment imports and exports. However, imports of textile machinery show an overall decline in the first six months of 2017. Only China and Japan, the most important suppliers, were able to boast high growth rates. Germany, the third largest supplier, was much less successful.

In the first six months of 2017, textile machine exports rose by 7.5 percent to USD 543 million. It is mainly supplied to the overseas production plants in China and Vietnam, to where in this period about USD 111 million was exported. At the third place follow the USA with USD 40 million.

With over 113,000 visitors and 2,368 exhibitors the largest EuroShop in its 50-year history

• Great international attendance confirms its special global position
• In focus: digitalisation, omnichannel and emotionalisation of the shopping experience 
• Accompanying forums very highly attended

After five days, on 9 March 2017 saw the world’s largest trade fair for retail investment requirements, EuroShop 2017, draw to a close in Düsseldorf with the best result in its 50-year history: the 2,368 exhibitors from 61 nations report unanimously on very good to excellent contacts and business deals. Furthermore, very lively post-fair business is anticipated. Over 113,000 visitors (round about 4% over the last event) came to the Rhine to gather information on the range of products, trends and concepts for retailers and their partners on display here in the 18 exhibition halls extending over 127,000 m² of net exhibition space.

Hans Werner Reinhard, Managing Director at Messe Düsseldorf, is delighted: “EuroShop 2017 has further exceeded all the top scores achieved at EuroShop 2014. At its anniversary event it was able to once again show how young and creative the sector and its trade fair are.”

The exhibitors across all exhibition areas spent months preparing for EuroShop 2017 so as to be able to meet the competition with convincing innovations. And they encountered an outstanding response: trade visitors were delighted with product variety and the level of innovation at the stands as well as with the excellent quality and great creativity of the stand presentations.

A total of 138 countries were represented on the visitor side. Commenting on this Reinhard said: “We could not be happier with the trade visitor breakdown. We are recording a constantly high level of demand from Germany and a significant rise in interest from abroad. Throughout the world it is known that EuroShop in Düsseldorf is the global No.1 trade show in the sector demonstrating what the future of retail looks like.”

Held every three years, EuroShop 2017 kicked off with a completely new concept. Its refined profile with seven clearly defined dimensions (POP Marketing, Expo & Event Marketing, Retail Technology, Lighting, Visual Merchandising, Shop Fitting & Store Design and Food Tech & Energy Management) went down well with exhibitors and visitors alike – because this meant exhibitors could be positioned in their optimum segment while visitors conveniently found the suppliers they needed according to area of interest.

The dominant themes at EuroShop 2017 were the continuing digitalisation in retail, tailor-made omnichannel solutions and emotionalisation of the shopping experience in the store.

Online retail is currently fuelling investment in physical stores in the sector. This is because competition from suppliers online means retailers have to make their stores ever more attractive. At the same time, the dovetailing of physical and online stores is generating new retail and interior design concepts. Modern information technology is becoming ever more important here.

“Customers expect both – on the one hand the shopping experience on site in the store and, on the other, delivery to their own front door. Conventional physical retail is now increasingly developing it online activities and large online retailers are looking more and more to opening their own stores. EuroShop has managed to bring both worlds together,” explained Michael Gerling, Managing Director of the EHI Retail Institute, adding: “Physical stores and online retail are growing ever closer together, which is why at EuroShop the exhibition segments of shop fitting and technology are increasingly merging.”

EuroShop 2017 also highlighted that the top priority for stores themselves was unadulterated emotionalisation! Storytelling was at the forefront of many concepts, solutions and products at EuroShop 2017. Whether it was architecture, design, lighting or the embedding of state-of-the-art media in the shop fitting, everything has to follow a joint dramaturgy to give customers that certain kick. So it comes as no surprise that visual merchandising is continuing to gain great significance in the custom design of retail spaces. Here retailers’ willingness to invest in Germany has virtually doubled, according to an EHI study presented at EuroShop.

However, retail is also investing heavily in LED technology and refrigeration technology. This was not just another result from the EHI study, it was also visible in the halls of the exhibition centre. Here energy saving and sustainability are top priorities for retailers – which is why EuroShop Special Ecopark with its accompanying forum met with such a great response.

Overall, the accompanying lecture forums on the different EuroShop dimensions were avidly attended and many EuroShop visitors took valuable ideas home with them from the international line-up of practicefocused lectures, be this from the Architecture & Design Forum, the EuroCIS Forum, the Omnichannel Forum, the POPAI Forum or the Expo & Event Forum.

The next EuroShop will be held in Düsseldorf from 16 to 20 February 2020 and the next EuroCIS, as an annual event focusing on retail technology themes, will already run from 27 February to 1 March 2018.