Review Domotex Asia/ Chinafloor Shanghai

With focus topics of ‘green’ and ‘innovation’ Domotex Asia/Chinafloor proved to be the ideal setting for innovative international architects and designers to meet and forge relationships with manufacturers.

The 16^th edition of Domotex Asia/ Chinafloor happened 24 – 26 March 2014 at the Shanghai New International Exhibition Centre with two key topics of “green” and “innovation”.

There was good attendance with over 40,000 visitors. 25% of these came from abroad and the show proved to be the ideal setting for international architects and designers to conduct meetings and forge relationships with manufacturers. Over 900 of the 1177 exhibitors were Chinese companies. Design seminars taking place in the InnovAction Flooring Centre were very well attended by a studious, mainly Chinese audience. An air of collaborative, industrious activity filled the 15 exhibition halls.

Angelo Rugs stand

Stand of Zhengzhou Huade Mutual Benefit Carpet Co. at Domotex Asia/Chinafloor 2014

Shanghai Architects Fair Hospitality Design Salon

The ‘World of Handmade Carpets’ hall W5, housed country pavilions exhibiting handknotted rugs from Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Turkey and India. Jaipur director, Yogesh Chaudhary reported unprecedented success and an overwhelmingly positive response to their Chaos Theory collection by Kavi which was unveiled here to the Chinese market for the first time, and sold out within the first day.

Jaipur Rugs Stand

Jaipur Rugs Stand

Wools of New Zealand ran a design competition amongst Chinese hand tufting workshops that use their wool. Samples of the winning designs were displayed; along with tuft colour trend palettes generated from the UK that aim to inform Asian designers of current European and US market taste. The neutral trends that have dominated these in the past few years do not tend to appeal to the traditional Asian aesthetic, where brighter more contrasting colours carry favour. However, as seen at Domotex Hannover, more colour is making it’s way back on to our floors just as younger Asians seem to be developing an appreciation of plainer tones.

It is to be hoped that the global design exchange has an enriching effect upon the diversity and originality of rug and textile design.

Wools of New Zealand stand with colour tuft trend boards

Winner, Best Conceptual Design, New Zealand Wools Design Competition, Peradise Forests by Gary Ko for Yarns Limited

Winner, Best Colour, New Zealand Wools Design Competition, The Shadow of Butterfly by Sarita Stewart for Ploy Regen Carpet Design Co. Ltd.

Ax Master op art rug with seat surround by Weihai Carpet Co. Ltd.

Bright carpet at Shijiazhuang Artweaver Co. Ltd. stand

The first Greenstep Asia Awards were presented in a ceremony on 25 March. Promoting the importance of sustainability and environmental awareness in the flooring industry as a whole and the business and revenue benefits of practicing responsible manufacturing in Asia. Santiago Montero, editor of Floor Covering Weekly who supported the awards, explained that many innovations were being arrived at as a result of a change of perception. More companies are now seeing waste products as potential revenue and these materials are being recycled or sold as oppose to being discarded. Weihei Shanhua Carpet Group Co., LTD were awarded the Pinnacle Award for promotional and educational environmental initiatives.

Greenstep Asia Awards ceremony