#Heimtextil 2026

2026-01-13

Stability in volatile markets: Heimtextil 2026 launches with 3,000 exhibitors and design expertise from Patricia Urquiola

Rosa Bertoli and Patricia Urquiola talking about 'among all' © 2026 Photo: Messe Frankfurt / Pietro Sutera

Heimtextil opens the new season with 3,000 exhibitors from 66 countries – maintaining stability while becoming even more international. The new hall layout increases visibility and connects supply and demand even more efficiently. At the opening, architect and designer Patricia Urquiola and Rosa Bertoli, Global Design Director of Wallpaper magazine, talk about AI, innovative materials and future-oriented design for modern living environments.

With 3,000 exhibitors from 66 countries, Heimtextil sets the course for the new season. In 2026, the world’s leading trade fair for home and contract textiles as well as textile design records increased internationality among exhibitors. It is a knowledge hub and central platform for future-oriented business contacts. The product range spans textile and non-textile interior design solutions – from decorative and upholstery fabrics, bed linen, terry towelling and wallpaper to carpets. A new hall layout provides greater market overview and enables more efficient networking of supply and demand.

The market environment is shaped by economic and geopolitical upheavals. These present companies with new challenges and require adapted business strategies. At the same time, AI is rapidly transforming business models. Heimtextil provides the industry with orientation. It highlights new potential and makes it tangible with best practices and expert knowledge.

“In a dynamic market environment, the global textile industry relies on Heimtextil. We are delighted that the mattress and carpet industries have also chosen Frankfurt as their business hub. While AI is transforming markets, Heimtextil shows how companies can benefit from this technology. As a strategic partner, it highlights business opportunities and future prospects, laying the foundation for potential growth”, says Detlef Braun, Member of the Executive Board of Messe Frankfurt.

Patricia Urquiola: AI and new materials for the interior design of tomorrow

At the opening press conference, designer and architect Patricia Urquiola presents her new design installation ‘among-all’. In conversation with Rosa Bertoli, Global Design Director of Wallpaper magazine, she explains which materials, designs and technologies are shaping the future of interior design. Patricia Urquiola has developed an immersive design world exclusively for Heimtextil. It illustrates the interior design of tomorrow for visitors – with futuristic spacial elements such as hybrid sculptures, inflated figures and hanging grid structures. Visitors are invited to actively shape the space. Their movements become part of the staging through AI. Patricia Urquiola shows how textiles function as transformative and intelligent materials. They form an interface between people, materials and machines.

“I’m very happy to continue this collaboration with Heimtextil for a second year. ‘among-all’ is the second chapter of our research on textiles, developed through objects, processes, and spatial experimentation. Rather than a container, the exhibition takes the form of a temporary ecosystem bringing together installations made from regenerated nylon, textile waste, and bio-based materials”, explains Patricia Urquiola.

Heimtextil 2026: Knowledge hub and market overview with new hall layout

The new hall layout makes it even easier for visitors to find relevant offerings across 17 hall levels. Complementary product segments are located in close proximity to each other for a more efficient trade fair visit. For example, Halls 3.0, 3.1 and 4.1 are the central hub for textile and non-textile interior design. And the Bed, Bath & Living area is located in Halls 5.0, 5.1, 6.0 and 6.1, right next to Smart Bedding in Hall 4.0. This enables short distances for bedding retailers, hospitality, contract business and specialist retailers.

The new hub of the Smart Bedding segment is the Sleep & Meet area in Hall 4.0. It serves as the central meeting point for the mattress and sleep industry. Alongside leading brands, the German Mattress Industry Association (Fachverband Matratzen-Industrie e.V.) is also represented here.

Visitors can find the latest expert knowledge and networking opportunities at the Texpertise Stage in Hall 6.0, the Talk Spot in Hall 3.1 and in Hall 12.0. At the Texpertise Stage, Patricia Urquiola and AI visionary Tim Fu, among other experts, are sharing their knowledge. The Talk Spot in Hall 3.1 is aimed at interior design, architecture and the hospitality industry. The focus here is on professional exchange on functional contract textiles. It is also the starting point for numerous Talks & Tours. The Talk Spot in the Future Floor area in Hall 12.0 offers customised content formats specifically for the flooring and carpet industry.

Carpets & Rugs is expanding to a total of four hall levels in Halls 11.0, 12.0, 12.1 and 3.0. In addition to the established market leaders in the field of machine-made and hand-woven carpets, Carpets & Rugs 2026 offers an exclusive range of high-quality unique pieces. For the first time, the segment is supplemented with non-textile floor coverings.

One highlight is the Heimtextil Trends 26/27 in Hall 6.1. In the Trend Arena, the platform Alcova shows how AI and traditional craftsmanship complement each other under the motto ‘Craft is a verb’. They impressively showcase progressive ideas, materials and technologies.

Heimtextil 2026 takes place from 13 to 16 January 2026.

Texworld Apparel Sourcing Paris highlights evolving global sourcing landscape

From 31 August to 2 September 2026, Texworld Apparel Sourcing Paris will bring together more than 1,000 international exhibitors at Paris-Le Bourget Exhibition Centre. This edition reflects the new global balance of textile and apparel sourcing, highlighting a strong diversity of sourcing countries — some unexpected.

Messe Frankfurt commits further to East Africa: three textiles trade fairs during Africa Sourcing and Fashion Week from 2027

Messe Frankfurt and its Texpertise Network continue their steady, successful trajectory in the region. As Africa Sourcing and Fashion Week (ASFW) opened today, Member of the Executive Board Detlef Braun announced that Messe Frankfurt is licencing its three leading international trade fair brands Texworld, Apparel Sourcing and Texprocess to Nairobi, Kenya for the first time in 2027. From now on, they will take place annually as part of the Africa Sourcing and Fashion Week (ASFW) Nairobi.

Confidence driving the textile industry: Heimtextil 2026 sharpened its global market relevance by attracting more top-level decision-makers

With 148 participating nations, rising global relevance and a marked increase in visitor quality, Heimtextil 2026 stood for stability and reliability in a volatile market environment. Once again, 3,000 exhibitors from across the globe placed their trust in the industry’s central platform in Frankfurt, presenting current collections, materials and textile solutions for holistic interior design to over 48,000 buyers. Under the motto “Lead the Change”, Heimtextil brought evolving market dynamics, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and new business opportunities to life.

Global textile expertise meets high-end contract design: Heimtextil and Hospitality Interiors Europe announce partnership starting 2027

Heimtextil further expands its role as the global leading trade fair for home and contract textiles and textile design – and starts a new partnership with the format Hospitality Interiors Europe (HINT). With the launch, a complementary event will take place alongside Heimtextil 2027, targeting decision-makers from the hotel and high-end hospitality design sector. Both platforms combine their strengths, create tangible synergies for exhibitors and visitors – and expand the holistic interior design offering for architecture, interior design, hospitality and the contract sector. Hospitality Interiors Europe already presents itself at Heimtextil 2026 with its own dedicated lounge area.

Recover™ and Ünteks Group partner to scale recycled cotton in knitwear

Recover(TM), a global producer of low‐impact, high‐quality recycled cotton fiber, announces a new partnership with Ünteks Group, a vertically integrated textile manufacturer based in Turkey. The collaboration focuses on the development of circular knit fabrics and garments, combining Recover’s recycled cotton fiber with Ünteks Group’s integrated capabilities across knitting, dyeing, printing, and garment production.

STEELTOP®: A new benchmark in flat tops for spinning preparation

Modern carding generations achieve higher production performance, placing significantly greater stress on flat tops. Higher cylinder speeds and increased fiber density, combined with tighter carding gaps, create more demanding operating conditions. At the same time, poorer raw material quality and the increased use of recycled materials further intensify these challenges. With STEELTOP®, Trützschler introduces a new full steel flat top series developed for these demanding modern carding processes.

YKK develops concept EXCELLA® zipper tape using nonwoven fabric partially derived from used clothing

YKK Corporation has developed a concept version of its premium EXCELLA® zipper series made from nonwoven fabric sheets created by fiberizing used clothing and other textile materials. Based on a proposal by fashion designer Yuima Nakazato, this item was created as a result of collaboration between Nakazato, Seiko Epson Corporation and YKK. The concept zipper was incorporated as a material component for pieces in the newest YUIMA NAKAZATO Couture Collection, “INFERNO,” which was unveiled in Paris, France on July 8, 2026.

Dedicated car seat model of SHIMA SEIKI’s P-CAM® R Cutting Machine unveiled

Leading Japanese textile solutions provider SHIMA SEIKI MFG., LTD. of Wakayama, Japan, showed a special version of its P-CAM® R multi-ply computerized cutting machine dedicated to the production of car seats for the first time, at a private exhibition held over two days on Thursday, July 2nd and Friday, July 3rd at the Kariya City Industrial Promotion Center in Aichi Prefecture.