From January 8 – 11 in Frankfurt, Germany, the international textile trade show Heimtextil will present 19 exhibition halls filled with commercial and residential textiles as well as a line-up of programs and exhibitions on sustainability, trends and ecommerce.

The show has seen the return of many prominent European manufacturers, according to Olaf Schmidt, VP textiles & textile technologies of Messe Frankfurt. Notable brands include Chivasso, Zimmer + Rohde and Clarke & Clarke. Companies including Colorkitchen, Lanui, Slowcolor, Orgamint and Sirftex will show for the first time as part of the “New and Next” fresh design ideas presentation.

Heimtextil will also spotlight the subject of “upcycling” and the work of committed young designers with “Young Creations Award.” The competition calls on young designers from Aachen University of Applied Sciences, Coburg University, Stuttgart Technical University and Weissensee School of Art students to create original upcycling interior products for a special exhibition in Hall 4.2.

The first “European Digital Textile Conference” will offer an overview of new technologies, market opportunities, areas of application for mass printing and sustainable production methods. On the second and third days of the fair (January 9 and 10), the World Textile Information Network (WTiN) in cooperation with Heimtextil will hold a dialogue with experts in Hall 4.0.

At the “Webchance” specialist forum, experts in e-commerce will explain ideas for successful advertising and sales on the Internet for retailers and ecommerce newcomers. They will also provide examples of how retailers should set up a web shop, promote their business and increase sales using new media, as well as point out the legal aspects to be borne in mind. “Webchance” will be held in the Lecture Square in Galleria 1. Also on the program at Lecture Square are talks on sustainability and textiles.

Organized in cooperation with AIT architectural magazine, Contract Square will host networking events, awards ceremonies and will be the starting point for guided tours for architects.

The annual Trend Show invites visitors and exhibitors to look forward to a host of new ideas and insight into the latest design issues. A team of six international design studios has singled out the most important themes from the multifarious trend currents around the world. This year, the work was led by London’s FranklinTill Studio.

The Heimtextil fair will run from January 8 – 11. To register, click here.