67,000 visitors joined more than 3,000 exhibitors including leading digital inkjet manufacturers at the largest international trade fair for interior textiles held last week in Frankfurt, which organisers say set a new standard in terms of sustainability.
 |
| The Mimaki stand at Heimtextil 2019, Frankfurt, Germany |
“Exhibitors and visitors…confirmed the trade fair’s position as the world’s most important meeting place for the industry,” says Detlef Braun, board member of Messe Frankfurt. “The quality of the decision-makers impressed the exhibitors, as did the number of new business contacts from 156 countries, especially international ones – thus enabling Heimtextil to set a new benchmark. Around 67,500 visitors ensured that there was a busy atmosphere in the halls, despite a slight decline due to various reasons, such as difficult travel conditions on account of the storms in the alpine region and airport strikes in Germany.”
HP, Epson, Mimaki and Kornit all exhibited latest digital inkjet technologies for wall & floor coverings and decorative fabrics; Xeikon targeted short-run wall decoration with its Walldeco Discovery Solution.
In a statement, the organisers say: Heimtextil set a standard in terms of sustainability, after the first global climate protection agreement for the textile industry was signed by 40 leading fashion companies, organisations and associations at the World Climate Conference in Katowice last December, the focus in Frankfurt was also on environmental progress in the textile industry. Numerous exhibitors presented progressive solutions, for example in the recycling of PET bottles and ocean plastic as well as in the use of certified natural materials.
The topics of water consumption in the textile industry and microplastics also increasingly came to the fore. The exhibitor directory ‘Green Directory’ alone contained around 150 progressive companies listing sustainably produced textiles. The offer was supplemented by its own lecture series as well as theme-specific tours, which provided valuable impetus and underpinned the pioneering green position of the trade fair.
“Sustainability was the theme for us at this year’s Heimtextil,” says Denise Hartmann, marketing manager at Hefel Textil. “Major media players visited us and the ‘Green Tour’ guided tour stopped by. We presented many things, including our first vegan duvet and fair silk products, all 100 per cent produced in Austria.”
 |
| Detlef Braun of Messe Frankfurt |
Another topic that occupied both exhibitors and visitors was the current and future economic situation, says Braun. “A further challenge is the increasingly evident changes that are happening in trade. Increasing revenues and revenue shares in online retailing stand in the way of the efforts made by the stationary retail trade to maintain their inner-city businesses. The small business specialist trade, but also department stores and multibrand stores, and thus the heart of our visitor target groups, are under pressure from the constantly increasing levels of e-commerce. With Heimtextil and our consumer goods fairs in general, we offer these retailers in particular clear perspectives and diverse inspiration in an ambiguous world.”
Heimtextil also focused on sleep as an upcoming lifestyle trends. While a balanced diet and sufficient exercise are now a natural part of a healthy lifestyle, restorative sleep is still neglected although it is one of the most important building blocks for long-term physical and mental well-being.
The next Heimtextil in Frankfurt am Main – its 50th edition – will take place from 7 to 10 January 2020.
www.heimtextil.messe-frankfurt.com
