The "exhibition January" is over. Heimtextil, Maison&Objet, Deco off have passed and it is time to sum up the results. Let’s start with Heimtextil.

Photo: Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH | Jochen Gunther

We have heard the phrase “sell from 1 roll”, at many stands and it has become an unofficial motto of this trade fair.

Many factories have decreased the minimal order quantity this year, they are ready to discuss orders of 1 roll now, compared to 100-300 meters in the past. The rest bulk offers have moved from Heimtextil to Proposte.

Thus, exhibitions are now more clearly divided by participants.

Heimtextil hosts producers, focused on private studios, fabric and textile stores of finished goods. Offers start from 1 roll, prices are up to 50-60 euro.
Proposte is for companies, producing for TOP editors, main market suppliers and large retail chains.

Deco off traditionally is only for premium editors, focused on high class segment.

Consequently, more Chinese companies have come to Heimtextil, and they are ready to ship fabrics from 1 roll.

Even Indian producers seemed to be displaced by Chinese factories. There were much more Chinese stands in the most attended hall this year.

Indian manufacturers are still oriented on bulk orders while Chinese producers are more flexible.

The tendency of specialization by countries is growing in the textile world, and with increasing competition it becomes more and more obvious.

India is about splendid embroidery, 3D textures, a lot of handmade pieces and mainly natural fabrics.

China offers jacquards, geometry, 3D, silk. Unlike Indian, these fabrics are oriented on mass market.

Spain represents all kinds of prints, emphasizing the digital ones on mixed fabrics.

Italy as always means magnificent designs and light–weight fabrics.

Europe in general shows designs development and gorgeous premium collections.

Turkey offers a whole range of fabrics, its main advantage is a perfect combination of price and quality. Always a nice choice of light fabrics –crepes, veils, embroidery on net basis.

Turkish companies have always more close to eastern and classic designs. But last years have shown some changes, and there was a lot of geometry and transformed classic designs represented at this exhibition. This year producers have introduced a rapid change of assortment.

The emphasis on contract business – fabrics for hospitality sector, hotels, restaurants is another trend of Heimtextil 2018. That’s why we could see a lot of stands with fire-retardant fabrics there.

Besides FR ones there were also many other technological fabrics such as dirt-repellent, water-repellent, soundabsorbing and, of course, outdoor fabrics.

Photo: Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH | Thomas Fedra

There was a huge sector of design studios, specializing in print development, and for many participants that was the key point of the exhibition.

Digital printing is developing, and so does its equipment.

This year did not surprise us with many technological novelties, we rather have seen the last-year trends’ development.

Stylization of traditional dyeing techniques and hand-made production with emphasized imperfections, torn edges and uneven stitches becomes more and more actual today.

Origami, plisse, volume applications and nets keep being used.

There was also a variety of complex velvets. For instance, velvet with printing and coating or with fine irregular shaped ornament.

Looking at Heimtextil stands, indigo is a color of the year, and the main color combination is deep emerald-blue with coral pink.

Yellow is back again along with the combination of grey or turquoise, or scarlet red with grey.

There were a lot of bright pure colours.

We have also noticed bright berry shades and fuchsia, apparently designers prepare us for coming violet. But, with Deco Off and premium editors’ collections taken into account, we can say that violet may not become a color of the year in interior fabrics.

And we have noticed even less classic in designs but more geometry (though it seemed to reach maximum last year).

For more about trends in fabrics read our review on trend-zone.