Heimtextil 2020: Belonging in Sustainable Futures.

The first trade fair of the year for its sector, Heimtextil is known for being a climate and trend barometer for the next year. In this case, it might even set the tone for the next decade. Where last year, the fair focused in on seeking Utopia through contemporary design, the direction of their 50th-anniversary edition works towards making sure that these possible futures will come to fruition. With over 3000 exhibitors displaying their wares and ideas, a special focus throughout its spaces are on the application of sustainability, a focus which is also reflected in the addition of its “Green Village” and a newmaterial manifesto developed by Heimtextil and the International Trend Council. The manifesto outlines how to manage resources when creating its important trend and inspiration area (the aptly Trend Space) and how to avoid using new materials, whenever possible, which will most probably otherwise end up as waste as the exhibition closes.

In a special throwback for its 50th anniversary, Heimtextil 2020 will highlight design classics and aesthetics of the last 50 years throughout the various exhibition halls. On what tributes to its longevity, Sabine Scharrer (Director Heimtextil) states that “As a design show, it constantly reinvents itself, continues to present state-of-the-art home trends as it has always done and makes the furnishing trends of tomorrow tangible.”

Another interesting focus in this year’s fair is the “Textile Technologies” section, which pays attention to the digital revolution that is currently leading to fundamental innovative changes in the manufacture and (more) sustainable processing of home textiles. The trade fair will also offer its own lecture programme, Textile Technology Talks, with experts from industry and research for the first time. Furthermore, this year’s Trend Space, designed by Stijlinstituut Amsterdam, embodies the fair’s overarching theme “Where I belong”, which revolves around theincreasinglyfluid and multi-layers identities that we may inhabit locally, nationally, globally, as well as online and/or offline. To reveal these layers, four design studios (Bastiaan de Nennie, Raw Color, Envisions and Bart Hess) and two photographers (Jan Hoek and Stephen Tayo) were invited to identify the core of five sub-themes. Each creative was assigned a theme that matched their philosophy, practice and methodology, enabling them to bring a personal and authentic aspect to the stories. The fair’s five sub-themes are: Maximum Glam who’s extravagance and faux textures are inspired by the performative aesthetics on digital platforms; Pure Spiritual which addresses a return to organic materials; Active Urban which returns the focus to utilitarian, adaptable and functional man-made designs; Heritage Lux that addresses ornamental patterning and alluring surface enhancement inspired by historic methodologies; and Multi-Local, which unapologetically celebrates the globalising exchange of ideas and textiles through it’s countless crafted and decorated patterns.

See all this and more at Heimtextil 2020, held in Frankfurt am Main from January 7-10 2020.

Cover Photo: PURE SPIRITUAL – Resurrecting the Sublime by Christina Agapakis (Ginkgo Bioworks Inc.), Alexandra Daisy Ginsberg & Sissel Tolaas, with support from IFF Inc. Photography by Grace Chuang, Courtesy of Harvard University Herbaria © Ginkgo Bioworks, Inc., The herbarium of the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University.