Rug highlights from Heimtextil 2025

For those who did not make it to Frankfurt this January, here is a summary of the things you missed! For rug exhibitors and visitors, it was hard to know what to expect of Heimtextil 2025 and its newly extended rug and carpet focus. While the 2024 event marked the...

For those who did not make it to Frankfurt this January, here is a summary of the things you missed!

For rug exhibitors and visitors, it was hard to know what to expect of Heimtextil 2025 and its newly extended rug and carpet focus. While the 2024 event marked the opening of the first rug and carpet dedicated hall, Hall 5.1, this year’s rug section saw great transformation. By January, not only were Halls 5.1 and 5.0 for rugs and carpets but also a large proportion of Hall 3.0 housed rug brands including those showing under the CEPC and other brand were spotted about the show.

I collaborated with Heimtextil on the Carpet Lounge display, which focused on colours from the Trends 25/26 progamme with rugs from exhibiting companies. Positioned between Halls 5.1 and 6.1, the space allowed people to gather and sit and also take a look at the designs on show. COVER’s stand was in the Carpet Lounge, which gave us a good view of what was going on over the four-day event.

From conversations with rug buyers attending, it was clear that the show’s offerings were plentiful and visit was well worth it. Among many rug highlights, we also liked the new Ushak designs by Bhadohi Carpets and the Arcobaleno flatweave collection made in Afghanistan by ABC Italia. In Hall 3.1, German brand Paulig showed the company’s new Berber collection, with thick shaggy pile. While Paulig has produced rugs in Morocco for many years, this is first collection that reflects a more typical Moroccan rug aesthetic. Khanna Carpets had an eye-catching wool wall hanging, we loved the creative decoration around the stand of Hafizia and Ambadi‘s screen printed pile rugs.

Other design highlights were the Waef Rugs rug on the stand dedicated to the ACEBA Made in Afghanistan project, which was also in the Carpet Lounge area. Made in Afghanistan, the rug combines many drawings done by children in Afghan orphanages. The new collection of children’s textiles and wallpaper by Mushaboom in Hall 3.1, was designed by Rita Winkler, a 37-year-old, Toronto-based watercolour artist who was born with Down syndrome. The Rug Republic had a new range of woven lighting which really enhanced the brand’s stand. More highlights and in-depth looks will feature in COVER 78, out in March.

I gave two talks and chaired two panel discussions during the first 3 days of Heimtextil. My first talk on Tuesday focused on rug trends and I was pleased that I managed to gather an audience who were mainly new to the rug industry and who were interested in rug news. I compared the quiet luxury trend that was so prevalent at the show, to a more unique rug art rug approach that many high end brands are taking. I about earthy tones, warm neutrals, pops of red and the forever appeal of transitional designs. During my following panel discussion with Theresa Paulig of Paulig, Aditya Gupta of The Rug Republic and Reto Aschwanden of NGO Label STEP, we had an interesting discussion about the costs of not undertaking ethical measures in rug production. On Wednesday, I spoke about buying trends with Jakub Staron of JD Staron and David Samad of Samad and on Thursday I focused on AI design, which drew a lot of interest.

Overall Heimtextil 2025 was a hit for most buyers, exhibitors and visitors that I spoke to. As a venue for commercial rugs, it offered buyers a good range of products while visitors could also enjoy the additional trend displays and a series of motivating talks and discussions. Numbers were good and people seemed pleased. Now everyone understands what this new rug focus is about, who the visitors are and how the show works, there is sure to be interest in 2026.

See more in COVER 78, out in March 2025.