With a new slogan – Where next is now! – and high registration rates, even at this early stage Heimtextil is setting a high benchmark for the coming season. Already, the international trade fair for home and contract textiles, which will take place from 8-11th January 2014, is set for success.
“The textile industry continues to rely on Heimtextil for impetus at the beginning of the year,” says Olaf Schmidt, vice-president of textiles & textile technologies at fair organiser Messe Frankfurt.
“The large number of registrations we have received so far and, in particular, the fact that so many prominent European manufacturers again will exhibit here, show that industry leaders around the world are convinced of Heimtextil’s portfolio and global attractiveness. Registrations for the trade fair have increased continuously over the past years, a clear sign of the steady upward trend – exhibitor numbers have risen from 2572 in 2011, to 2601 in 2012, to 2616 in 2013.
Heimtextil continues to function as a high-level trend barometer. London-based design house FranklinTill is in charge of the next Heimtextil Trend Book, which will document key trends for the 2014/15 season.
On behalf of the German trade sector, the German Association of Textile Retailers has reported positive figures for 2012. According to the official 2012 statistics, household textiles and bulk goods recorded an increase of 0.9%, while curtains, carpets and wallpapers have grown by as much as 2%.
A reason to be optimistic regarding an economic turnaround has been provided by a study on global economic growth between 2005 and 2014 conducted by the World Trade Organisation (WTO). For 2013, experts expect an upswing in diverse business sectors including the textile and garment markets. According to the WTO, the development in sales over the past year – from -8 to -1% – is a sign of recovery.
