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New Sensitivity: Heimtextil Trends 24/25 focus on textile transformation

12 Sep 2023

Under the new theme "New Sensitivity", textile transformation is the focus of Heimtextil Trends 24/25. Three approaches show ways to a more sensitive world of textiles: the plant-based production of textiles, the support of textile cycles by technology and the bioengineered use of natural ingredients. In addition, Future Materials curates regenerative materials and designs.

Progressive theme setting and spectacular stagings for all textile professionals who want to constantly expand their knowledge: This is what the Heimtextil Trends stand for. After last year's focus on circular solutions, Heimtextil Trends 24/25 will once again shed light on transformative textile innovations: "At the upcoming event, Heimtextil Trends will again show ways in which the transformation of the home textiles industry is continuing. They thus form the inspirational heart of our trade fair and translate global megatrends into textile visions," says Olaf Schmidt, Vice President Textiles & Textile Technologies.

Under the title "New Sensitivity," the focus is on innovations and changes in the composition of textiles, in addition to aesthetic aspects. "In this context, sensitivity means considering the impact on the environment when making a decision or creating a product. Understanding how natural ecosystems work and prioritising balance as the default are key," says Anja Bisgaard Gaede, Founder of SPOTT trends & business.

ballon pink
New Sensitivity / Credits: SPOTT trends & business for Heimtextil

How does New Sensitivity translate into something concrete in the lifestyle industry, and what does having a sensitive approach to design and products mean? Also the adoption of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) is transforming current times. AGI has the potential to bring innovative solutions and help tackle significant challenges, also in the textile industry. However, AGI can have the opposite effect on society. AGI needs the mindset of New Sensitivity that helps simplify complexity, expand creativity, and find unseen solutions, also within the world of textiles.

Plant-based: textiles made from plant crops or plant by-products

Bananen Lampe
Bananatex / Credits: SPOTT trends & business for Heimtextil

Plant-based textiles mean that the fibres are derived from something that grows rather than being synthetically produced. The sustainable advantage of plant-based textiles is that their origin is natural and, therefore, more able to recirculate in existing ecosystems. They can be divided into two groups. The first group of textiles are made from plant crops. New resilient crops like cactus, hemp, abaca, seaweed, and rubber offer new sustainable textile solutions. Because of mechanical extraction, they can grow despite climate changes and require fewer chemicals in their development. The second group consists of textiles made of plant by-products which are leftover raw materials from production such as banana, olive, persimmon and hemp.

Technological: technology and technical solutions transforming textiles

Kvadrat Clearview by Alfredo Häberli and Reflections by Lise Vester
Kvadrat Clearview and Apo Reflections by Lise Vester / Credits: SPOTT trends & business for Heimtextil

Technology can support the transformation of textiles through the use of different methods: upcycling and recycling of textiles, textile construction, and textile design. Due to decades of production, textiles are now a material available in abundance. Developing technologies for recycling textile waste and methods for upcycling textiles increases the circular usage of existing textiles. Furthermore, old textile construction techniques also offer pathways to sustainable solutions: For instance, using knitting technology for furniture upholstery produces less fabric waste; alternatively, weaving technique allows the creation of several colours using only a few coloured yarns. Textile Design Thinking is another method that addresses critical issues such as energy usage and durability of natural fibres and enhances these through technological textile advancement.

Bio-engineered: engineered to enhance bio-degrading

CiCLO® Polyester yarn
Ciclo yarns / Credits: SPOTT trends & business for Heimtextil

To a certain degree, bio-engineered textiles represent a fusion of plant-based and technological textiles. Bio-engineering bridges nature and technology and transforms the way textiles are made. They can be divided into two directions: fully bio-engineered and bio-degradable textiles. In the production of fully bio-engineered textiles nature-inspired strategies are adopted. Instead of growing plants and extracting their fibres, textiles are made from the protein, carbohydrates, or bacteria in corn, grass, and cane sugar. Manufacturing involves a bio-molecular process that creates filaments which are made into yarn. The sustainable advantage of bio-engineered textiles is that they can have some of the same functionalities as synthetically produced textiles, while still being biodegradable because of their natural origin. Biodegradable fibres can be added to conventional textiles like polyester to enhance the conventional textiles’ ability to revert to materials found in nature and hence biodegrade in natural environments such as water or soil. Although not biodegrading completely, these bio-enhanced textiles will biodegrade up to 93 % compared to conventional textiles.

Heimtextil Trends 24/25: new colourways

A sensitive approach to colouring methods is expressed by a dynamic yet subtle colour palette created through natural pigments deriving from the earth, as traditional colouring processes are brought to the next level through innovative bioengineering technology. In pursuit of creating colours that evoke emotions in our senses while at the same time respecting our values in protecting the environment, we see colour bacteria growing pigments generating hues with great richness and depth. This New Sensitivity includes acceptance of natural colour flows, as colours may fade with time or morph into new colourways. The colourways for Heimtextil Trends 24/25 were inspired by natural colours deriving from avocado seeds, algae, living bacteria, antique pigments such as raw sienna, and bio-engineered indigo and cochineal. The high black component in most colours allows for widespread application and a greater variety of combinations. The punchy saturated accents enhance our senses as they lift our spirits. In contrast, the grounding neutrals in different shades of grey, terra and even dark purple allow for calmness and tranquillity.

Future Materials: regenerative design

How are regenerative textiles and materials defined? Regenerative design is dedicated to developing holistic creative practices that restore or renew resources, have a positive impact on the environment, and encourage communities to thrive. For Heimtextil 2024, design futures consultancy FranklinTill is curating a global showcase of cutting-edge textiles and materials to illustrate the principles of regenerative design and recognize pioneering designers, producers and manufacturers who are at the forefront of regenerative design.

The Trend Space at Heimtextil in Frankfurt, Germany, January 9-12, 2023, will showcase these pioneering solutions in an inspiring way. In addition, Heimtextil Trends will offer visitors orientation and insights into the future of home and contract textiles in the form of workshops, lectures and other interactive formats.

Heimtextil

International trade fair for home and contract textiles

The event Heimtextil will be held from 9 to 12 January 2024.

Press information and photographic material:

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Newsroom:

Information from the international textile sector and the textile trade fairs of Messe Frankfurt worldwide:

www.texpertise-network.com

Contact

Anil Öt

Marketing Communications / Press

Anil Öt

Background information on Messe Frankfurt

The Messe Frankfurt Group is one of the world’s leading trade fair, congress and event organisers with their own exhibition grounds. With a workforce of some 2,160 people at its headquarters in Frankfurt am Main and in 28 subsidiaries, it organises events around the world. Group sales in financial year 2022 were around €454 million. We serve our customers’ business interests efficiently within the framework of our Fairs & Events, Locations and Services business fields. One of Messe Frankfurt’s key strengths is its powerful and closely knit global sales network, which covers around 180 countries in all regions of the world. Our comprehensive range of services – both onsite and online – ensures that customers worldwide enjoy consistently high quality and flexibility when planning, organising and running their events. We are using our digital expertise to develop new business models. The wide range of services includes renting exhibition grounds, trade fair construction and marketing, personnel and food services.

Sustainability is a central pillar of our corporate strategy. Here, we strike a healthy balance between ecological and economic interests, social responsibility and diversity.

For more information, please visit our website at: www.messefrankfurt.com/sustainability

With its headquarters in Frankfurt am Main, the company is owned by the City of Frankfurt (60 percent) and the State of Hesse (40 percent).

For more information, please visit our website at: www.messefrankfurt.com