International home and contract textiles fair Heimtextil will present the latest trends in circularity and sustainability in Frankfurt am Main on January 10-13 with its new edition. Heimtextil 2023’s “Textiles Matter” motto, which focuses on the sourcing, design and sustainability of materials, reveals the full textile lifecycle from fibre cultivation to afterlife, with its material-first approach. These sustainable and future-oriented trends will be displayed in the Trend Space throughout the fair, giving new inspirations to the visitors.
The Heimtextil Trend Council, consisting of FranklinTill Studio (London), Stijlinstituut Amsterdam and Denmark’s SPOTT Trends & Business agency, offers insights into the future of the national and international market based on concentrated analysis and expert knowledge. The focus is more than ever before on sustainability and the circular economy, the main factors in setting the trends for the season 23/24.
“The textile industry has a responsibility to examine its processes and change for the better”
Future-oriented design concepts and inspiration for the textile furnishing sector were introduced at the Heimtextil Trend Preview 23/24, held before the fair. From the Flemings Hotel Riverside Frankfurt, Marta Giralt Dunjó of futures research agency FranklinTill (Great Britain) presented the design prognoses for 23/24.
Dunjó stated that considering the environmental emergency we are currently living through, the textile industry has a responsibility to examine its processes and change for the better. Dunjó said that this is why they are taking a materials first approach and focusing on the sourcing, design and sustainability of materials for this edition of Heimtextil Trends. Dunjó disclosed: “Textiles Matter showcases the potential of circularity and celebrates design initiatives that are beautiful, relevant and importantly sustainable.”
Trend Space will shed light on circularity in the textile industry
The Trend Space at Heimtextil 2023 will revolve around ideas and solutions for circularity in the textile sector. Within the framework of the circular economy, materials are continuously reused, on the one hand, this reduces the need for new raw materials and, cuts the amount of waste generated. In the technical cycle, inorganic materials, such as nylon, polyester, plastic and metal, can be recycled with no loss of quality, while in the biological cycle, organic materials, such as linen and bast fibres, are returned to nature at the end of their useful life. This is the basis of the four trend themes: ‘Make and Remake’, ‘Continuous’, ‘From Earth’ and ‘Nature Engineered’.
While ‘make and remake’ means that previously used materials, deadstock and remnant textile products are repaired and designed and given a new life; the ‘continuous’ trend theme describes closed-loop systems in which materials are repeatedly transformed into new, waste-free products. The theme ‘From Earth’ focuses on the ‘natural’ world and harmony with the nature of organic materials, and finally, the theme ‘Nature Engineered’ aims to transform organic materials such as bast fibres, hemp, linen and nettles into sophisticated and smart products with cutting-edge techniques.