Looking ahead to Domotex Hanover 2024

COVER looks ahead to Domotex Hanover 2024

After a degree of reformatting to the event in January 2023, Domotex 2024 will see more changes next January. Favourite events return however, including the Carpet Design Awards display and ceremony on Friday 12 January.

COVER Editor Lucy Upward will be presenting two panel discussions on the Carpet Design Award stand in Hall 3 during the event, on the subjects of achieving best practices in rug making and storytelling with rugs.

The pursuit of best practices in rug production – 11am Friday 12 January

A sustainable rug industry requires healthy practices. COVER Editor Lucy Upward talks to GoodWeave, Label STEP and three global rug producers about how best practices can be achieved. Join us to discover what developments are happening on the ground in Nepal, India and Pakistan

The Art of Storytelling with Rugs – 11am Saturday 13 January

COVER Editor Lucy Upward looks at the use of storytelling to create a brand identity with Shayan Naziri from Lila Valadan—organisers of the ‘Night Time in a Palace’ exhibition at Domotex 2024—and two CDA finalists, Bonnie Sutton from Knots Rugs and Marcel Müller from M2Rugs

Some familiar faces returning to the handmade halls will include Sambhav, Paulig, Turquoise Mountain, ABC Italia, Rezas, Tisca and Jaipur Rugs. In addition, Lila Valadan will be putting on a spectacular exhibition titled ‘Night Time in a Palace’.

Holly Becker’s Mood Spaces will also return for 2024, as a focus for interior trends and the latest design products. Lucy UPward will be talking about storytelling in rug design at 3pm on Thursday 11 January at the Mood Spaces area.

The Domotex programme will include a large talk schedule, and The Green Collection is back to highlight ecological and sustainable textile products and projects.

In our interview with Sonia Wedell-Castellano, the Global Director at Domotex gives a greater in-depth look at what will be new and exciting at Domotex Hannover in 2024.

What should visitors to Domotex 2024 expect to see and experience in January?

Domotex is the most important trade show for the carpet and flooring industry. The upcoming event in January 2024 has grown significantly with about 1,000 exhibitors from 130 nations. Well-known and long-standing top exhibitors in the field of handmade carpets such as Tisca Austria, ABC Italia, Javi Home, Jaipur Rugs, Bhadohi Carpets, Rezas, Agacan, BO tepp, Paulig and Ipek–A Ipektchi have confirmed their participation. In the machine-made carpet segment, exhibitors such as Brink & Campman, Oriental Weavers, Merinos, Otto Golze, Lalee and Solomon will take part.

We also offer our visitors a wide range of special displays, including our Mood Spaces designed by Holly Becker, Insight Italy, and, of course, the Carpet Design Awards.

What will be new for 2024?

We will be presenting a country focus for the first time in the form of our new special display ‘Insight Italy’. Lila Valadan’s exhibition ‘Night Time in a Palace’ will transport visitors into a mysterious, surreal world—straight out of the tales from the 1,001 Nights. In partnership with Decor-Union and the Mega Group, we will be expanding our portfolio in 2024 to include the segments ‘Wall’ and ‘Ceiling’. At the Retailers’ Park, visitors can experience practical solutions for their dayto-day business through live demonstrations at the user forum.

How is Domotex adapting to changes in the flooring market post-pandemic?

Numerous exchanges with our exhibitors and the market have shown that the ‘Carpet & Rugs’ and ‘Flooring’ segments have different needs in terms of the frequency of Domotex. In the future, we will therefore bring both worlds together at the Hanover location with rotating focuses:

Domotex–Home of Flooring will take place in 2024 and in all even years. This is a Domotex as we know it, with exhibitors from both worlds, carpets and flooring unified under a single roof.

In the odd-numbered years, i.e. from 2025, there will be the Domotex–Home of Carpets & Rugs, with a focus solely on carpets and rugs.

Another change that we are sensing is the uncertainty that currently affects the market. Therefore, my team and I have developed various all-in-one solutions for cost-effective options to allow all exhibitors to take part. These include product submissions and small booths for some of our special displays as well as participation options in our joint presentation space The Flooring Hub.

Floored by Nature returns as the focus of the event. In your opinion, how important is sustainability within the rug industry? How will the subject be promoted at Domotex 2024?

Sustainability is more relevant than ever before for the entire carpet and rug industry. Are the dyes safe for the environment? How are the animals, from which the yarns are produced, kept?

Under what working conditions are the carpets created? What happens to the carpets at the end of their lifespan? With our special display The Green Collection, we highlight these different aspects.

What do you see as the other important topics at the show? Ideas, collaborations, business deals and much more only come to life when many different players in the industry come together in one place. As part of the networking events, we offer, for example, a daily happy hour in the halls as well as the traditional Domotex party, which will be Italian-themed. In this way, participants can exchange and talk about new projects or can close business deals.

How important are the Carpet Design Awards to Domotex Hannover?

They are the most important and prestigious design awards in the world of carpets. Many previous winners are among the best in the entire industry, shaping current and future trends with their designs. So, the award ceremony is a must! It will take place on 12 January 2024 at 5:30 pm at the CDA area in Hall 3. All finalist carpets will be on display in this area until the last day of the show.

What are looking forward to seeing in January 2024? I’m excited about each and every special display. But what I am looking forward to most are the conversations with exhibitors, partners and visitors alike. They are the essence of Domotex.