From 26–28 July, DOMOTEX asia/CHINAFLOOR reopened its doors to swathes of visitors and exhibitors who had been anticipating the show’s return to its pre-covid format. Despite a quick turnaround following the relaxing of restrictions, it was a veritable success and exhibitors were pleased with how their products had been received by the ever-evolving Chinese market.
The carpet sector was hosted in two halls, with many brands boasting a selection of hand-tufted and hand-woven carpets, alongside a wide range of machine-made options. At Nasser Nishaburi’s stand was displayed a new handwoven carpet from his own collection that perfectly encapsulates the post-pandemic sentiment of finding an ‘infinite horizon of possibilities’ that lies beyond ‘the wall of negativity’. This tone extended throughout the show, with exhibitors expressing an eagerness to recover from a challenging few years, a recovery that they felt was expedited by the return to trade shows.
Chirag Maheshwari of Mahesh Exports also displayed new collections at his stand, which he used to illustrate changes in the Chinese market. He explained that many buyers are slowly moving away from ‘machine-made viscose products’ to embrace ‘handmade carpets, created using higher quality materials like wool and silk’. Not only this, but in general, the Chinese market now seems more receptive to a ‘modern and muted colour palette’, particularly seeking pastels and the use of ombre, hence the success of the brand’s ‘Mystique Collection’ in China. Rug designs catering to these tastes were also seen at the stands of RiHome Carpet, Saint Marco (in which metallic florals and birds dominated designs) and Ruixin Carpet.
Despite evolving tastes, classic Persian rug designs have an unwavering appeal for buyers. The Iran Pavilion was another successful feature of the show, home to a host of high-end Iranian carpet producers, including Beheshti, Farahan, Iranian Palace Carpets, Leili, Noyan, Pouyan Pasargad, Shadrokh and Shokou Kavir. A discussion with representatives from the Kashan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the Iran Machine-made Carpet Producers Association, revealed how important this edition of DOMOTEX asia was for Iranian exhibitors, who have been unable to exhibit at numerous shows as a result of sanctions. The ensuing sentiment was one of excited anticipation for next year’s edition, already set to take place from 28–30 May 2024.
Read the complete review in the next issue of COVER.
