From the Sector

Artificial intelligence has long been part of design – precise, efficient, omnipresent. At the same time, there is a growing desire for the handmade, for intuition and irregularity. It is exactly within this field of tension that the Heimtextil Trends 26/27 unfold: under the central theme of ‘Craft is a verb’, they show how high-tech, and craftsmanship are not contradictory, but open up new creative perspectives together.

Together with the founders of Alcova, Heimtextil presents a trend landscape in which craftsmanship and digital design methods merge. Tangible textures meet generative patterns, natural structures meet algorithmic precision. This does not create a contrast, but rather an interplay: where traditional craft techniques reach their limits, artificial intelligence opens up new possibilities. This gives rise to a new type of player: the techno-craftsman. He does not see digital tools as competition, but as an extension of his toolkit. Heimtextil Trends 26/27 thus address the current challenges of the creative industry: AI streamlines processes but raises questions about control and creative identity. The trends therefore focus on the lasting importance of craftsmanship – and how AI can meaningfully complement and support it. 

‘The Heimtextil Trends 26/27 illustrate how artificial intelligence will change the textile industry and, in combination with craftsmanship, opens up new perspectives. They provide the industry with impulses for sustainable production methods, innovative cooperation models and the development of future-proof business strategies,’ says Olaf Schmidt, Vice President Textiles & Textile Technologies at Messe Frankfurt.

Alcova is not just about material and aesthetic trends. Rather, the curators focus on an attitude towards the mindful use of AI in design – as a complement to human creativity and as a means of relief and inspiration. This perspective also shapes their work: ‘At Alcova, we are drawn to objects and processes that are unexpected, experimental, even a little unruly – yet somehow find their way into our homes,’ explains Valentina Ciuffi from Alcova. ‘What surrounds us each day should provoke, raise questions, and invite conversation. That's why our focus is on projects that anticipate trends rather than chase them,’ adds Joseph Grima from Alcova. 

Six key trends at a glance
Six key trends illustrate how this fusion of craftsmanship and technology is manifesting itself in concrete terms. They open up different perspectives on how AI and manual design will interact in the future.

1.    Re: media
Textiles that emerge from the interplay of digital design and handcraft: drawings are first transferred into digital renderings, then converted back into jacquards or hand-embroidered patterns. This results in works that reveal the tension between different media. Motifs inspired by glitches – broken aesthetics, pixelated colour gradients and digitally reworked hand drawings can be expected.

2.    Visible co-work
AI provides the designs, humans complete them: in these works, the boundaries between craftsmanship and code become blurred. The design is created using artificial intelligence and is completed through skilled craftsmanship. Examples include digitally embroidered linen, 3D knitted patchwork pieces and generative patterns on classic fabrics.

3.    Sensing nature
Nature is the original source of inspiration here. Its forms, rhythms and structures reveal a diversity that is waiting to be decoded. Digital tools take on the role of translators: the rough surface of the ocean is transformed into a textile grid, while the lichen patterns growing over rocks are turned into decorative motifs through algorithmic processing.

4.    A playful touch
At a time when design is characterised by functionality and optimisation, small decorative details are coming back into focus – not for practical reasons, but for pleasure. A ruffle on an otherwise minimalist curtain, a neon element on a natural-coloured linen blanket or an unexpectedly placed tassel: such gestures act as deliberate interruptions. They remind us that joy remains an essential part of design – and that textiles can also have humour.

5.    Crafted irregularity
Fabrics with knots, irregular dyeing, visible seams and asymmetrical finishes take centre stage. These materials do not hide the craftsmanship but emphasise it – as a conscious counterpoint to the flawless perfection of AI-assisted design.

6.    The uncanny valley
Technical elements such as wires, connections and coils are no longer hidden but deliberately displayed and showcased. They appear as visible details and draw the eye to the inner workings of the machine, rather than its flawless surface. This results in designs that reveal what is hidden – and, with their playful expression, unfold something strange, almost alien.

The colour palette of Heimtextil Trends 26/27
The colour palette ranges from down-to-earth tones to digital irritation: shades such as sand, clay, soot, olive and tree bark convey stability, materiality and connection. However, this natural calm is deliberately disrupted by sharp, synthetic accents such as acidic green, digital lilac and bright screen blue. These ‘glitches’ create tension and turn the colour scheme into a vibrant statement.

From 13 to 16 January 2026, the Heimtextil Trends 26/27 will be presented in an interactive format in the Trend Arena in Hall 6.1.