From 14–17 January 2025, 2,900 exhibitors will gather from sixty countries to present their latest collections, innovative materials and textile solutions at Heimtextil. There are many reasons why this upcoming edition should not be missed, not just for the Carpets & Rugs halls, which has doubled in size from last year. For the first time, the Milan-based design platform Alcova will curate the trends area, Patricia Urquiola will bring textile design to life through the exclusive installation ‘among us’ and there is the extensive talk programme too. Here we outline our top reasons for why Heimtextil 2025 is an unmissable event.
1
Carpets and Rugs halls
At the upcoming edition, Heimtextil will bring together global market leaders from the international carpet industry, with the carpets and rugs section doubling in size from last year and expanding into two halls. Hall 5.0 is where you can discover a range of handwoven carpets, as well as the international country pavilions, whereas Hall 5.1 is home to a growing range of machine- made carpets. New exhibitors ABC Italia, Balta Home and Javi Home, will be joined by strong returnees Jaipur Rugs, Rug Republic and Manglam Arts.
2
The Carpet Lounge
Curated by COVER editor Lucy Upward in collaboration with the Heimtextil team, the Carpet Lounge will be created with the Heimtextil colour trends and also the latest rug trends in mind. Returning on a bigger scale than last year, it will feature the latest looks and rug highlights from exhibitors in central area between the rug halls. QR codes on every rug will offer Lucy Upward’s summary on each piece and why it has been included.
3
Rug talks and panel discussions
COVER editor Lucy Upward will be hosting four talks and panel discussions on a range of topics during the first three days of the show (14-16 January). On Tuesday 14, Lucy will talk on the subject of ‘Crafting tomorrow: Key Trends shaping the rug industry’, followed by a panel discussion on ‘Responsible weaving: Fairtrade and Sustainable Practices in the Rug Industry’, with Theresa Paulig of Paulig, Reto Aschwanden of Label STEP and Aditya Gupta of Rug Republic. The next day a discussion between Lucy Upward and a selection of rug retailers will look at ‘The key to successful rug design’ while on Thursday Lucy will talk on ‘How AI could shape rug design’. More information about the talks will be online soon.
4
Trends Arena by Alcova
The design platform Alcova from Milan will curate the Trend Arena in Hall 3.0 for the first time at this upcoming edition. Guided by the motto ‘Future Continuous’, Alcova places textiles in a new light, combining past trends with forward-looking influences. The large trend display at Heimtextil is always a great highlight of the event, with many interesting new products and brands in rugs and textiles.
5
Heimtextil talk programme
What is driving the industry? Where is the market heading? Heimtextil will offer an expansive programme of talks, tours and showcases, hosted by industry leaders, that will explore these questions, as well as touching on topics such as AI and trends. The full programme will be online shortly.
6
Patricia Urquiola x Heimtextil
The renowned designer and architect Patricia Urquiola is assembling an immersive ‘among-us’ installation for Heimtextil 2025. Focussed on ready made textiles, as well as hospitality and design, the aim of the project is to provide buyers and exhibitors a unified design experience centred around human connection. Through ‘among-us’, Urquiola and Heimtextil seek to create an experience that is both innovative and deeply attuned to human engagement.
7
Econogy Hub
Sustainability is a big theme in the design world and at Heimtextil it is an important topic throughout the event. The term ‘Econogy’ unites economy and ecology in one word, directly linking sustainability with economic success. The ‘Econogy’ icon will be present throughout the show, guiding visitors to suppliers of sustainably produced rugs and textiles. It will also be explored through the Econogy hub, tours and the trend space.
8
The main fair
Perhaps the most enticing reason to visit Heimtextil in January is the huge variety of products to be discovered. As the world’s largest and most international trade fair for home and contract textiles, it provides a complete market overview throughout sixteen hall levels, offering everything from fibres and yarns, to unassembled materials, to the finished end product.
