Future Fabrics: Heimtextil 2020, Frankfurt

The Heimtextil trade show, which takes place in Frankfurt from 7 to 10 January 2020, marks the start of a new trade-fair year. The international trade fair for home and contract textiles plays a very special role as a barometer of trends and the mood in the industry. We take a look at the preparations and then present the multifaceted range of products and services offered by Interior.Architecture.Hospitality by Heimtextil.

As every year, the Trend Council meeting will form the prelude to the fair. The trend researchers got together as early as March of this year, this time under the auspices of Stijlinstituut Amsterdam, in order to analyse the latest developments in the fields of architecture, interior design, art and fashion.

Which new development is just short-lived hype and what will become a resounding trend? The experts explore such questions and are currently working on five design directions that will be relevant for the home and contract textile sector in the coming year. The results will be on display in the Heimtextil Trend Book, which will be available from September, and at Heimtextil 2020 in the Trend Space located in Hall 3.0.

We will therefore have to wait a little longer before the results of the trend researchers are available. However, a small foretaste of the coming fair can be obtained from the extensive content of Interior.Architecture.Hospitality by Heimtextil. This combines specialist lectures, trade-fair tours, industry awards and exclusive exhibition formats, which are specially tailored for interior architects, architects and hospitality experts.

In 2020, the Interior.Architecture.Hospitality EXPO in Hall 4.2 will once again play a special role. It was held for the first time in 2018 and has since established itself as a shared presentation platform for textile solutions in the field of contract furnishing. Everything here revolves around textiles with specific properties, ranging from acoustic or sun protection features right across to modular carpets and functional wall coverings.

A new feature next year will be the Interior.Architecture.Hospitality LIBRARY. In the materials library, visitors will find a previously curated selection of textile products from trade-fair exhibitors. The materials are grouped according to their functional properties, for example soundproofing, flame-retardant, water-repellent, and so on. The new library accordingly offers visitors an overview of the wide range of available materials and makes these easier to compare.

Once again, the Interior.Architecture.Hospitality LECTURES and TOURS offer scope for dialogue with experts and among visitors. In the lectures, prominent architects and hotel experts provide insights into practical operations and present the latest projects under key themes that change on a daily basis, such as hotels and next-generation management. On the tours, which are organised by AIT-Dialog, bdia, World Architects and AHGZ/hoteldesign, interested trade visitors are introduced to personal highlights at the fair.

Fresh ideas and new food for thought are also actively contributed by the up-and-coming generation. Within the framework of Interior.Architecture.Hospitality TALENTS, students, graduates and young professionals have the opportunity on the last day of the fair to follow lectures by renowned interior designers and architects and to get in touch with experienced colleagues and newcomers to present their ideas – a format in which each side benefits from the other.

Last but not least, the Heimtextil trend-scouting operations by AIT should not go unmentioned. During the first day of the fair, scouts selected in advance by AIT – architects, planners and hotel experts – select their highlights. On this basis, rankings are then established and an official award ceremony is held on the second evening of the fair.

© Architonic