With 142 participating countries, full exhibition halls, a further rise in exhibitors and attendees, and high satisfaction ratings, Heimtextil 2025 came to a close. Over 3,000 exhibitors showcased the newest collections, textile solutions, and materials for the full interior design to over 50,000 customers over the course of four days. New benchmarks for retail, hospitality, and interior design were established by Patricia Urquiola’s “among-us” exhibit and Alcova Milano’s Heimtextil Trends 25/26. Future interiors, sustainable manufacturing methods, and AI-driven design were the main topics of the content program.
Trade shows are more popular than ever, as seen by the 142 participating countries, the growth in exhibitors, and the 10% increase in visitors. Resilience and market presence are crucial during periods of low buying power and ongoing inflation. According to Detlef Braun, a member of the Executive Board of Messe Frankfurt, Heimtextil made it possible for industry and retail to reach new markets and therefore actively influence worldwide competitiveness. The proportion of foreign exhibitors increased to 96%, solidifying Heimtextil’s standing as the premier trade show for textile design and home and contract textiles worldwide. China, India, Pakistan, Turkey, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, and Belgium were among the top 10 nations that displayed. The percentage of visitors that are foreign rose to 84%. Argentina, France, Great Britain, India, Italy, Japan, Canada, the Netherlands, Sweden, South Korea, Spain, the United States, and the United Arab Emirates were among the markets that had the most growth.
High satisfaction ratings confirmed the success of this year’s Heimtextil edition: 81 per cent of exhibitors reported achieving their trade fair goals. At 94 per cent, visitor satisfaction reached also a record high. The increased duration of stay showed: visitors were engaging more deeply. The large number of top decision-makers reflected the quality of the visitors and their buyer expertise. The strong internationality, quality and global variety were demonstrated among others by the Carpets & Rugs area. Across several hall levels, visitors were presented with a high-quality selection of products from leading international carpet suppliers, seamlessly integrated into the overall Heimtextil range. Alongside buyers, interior designers, interior architects and decorators, specialised carpet buyers from around the world also benefited from business-promoting synergies for textile interior design.
Patricia Urquiola: progressive concepts for textile interior design
With a high-profile partnership, Heimtextil 2025 elevated textile interior design to new heights. Trade visitors gained fresh insights into global design trends and local market needs. Designer and architect Patricia Urquiola showcased pioneering textile design through her immersive installation among-us: The atmospheric, textile meeting space followed a functional design approach, demonstrating decision-makers in hospitality and retail the vast potential of textile-based solutions in architecture and interior design. among-us thus brought innovative room concepts for future living environments to life.
Heimtextil Trends 25/26 by Alcova: A Roadmap for the industry
As a vital source of inspiration, the Heimtextil Trends 25/26 guided the retail sector in aligning its range with current market conditions and restrained consumer spending. For the first time, the Milanese design platform Alcova curated the Trend Arena, delivering decisive solutions for the industry. Under the title ‘Future Continuous’, it highlighted contemporary colours, material qualities, techniques and production processes. The trend themes ‘Naturally Uneven’, ‘Radically Restructured’ and ‘Regenerative’ reflected what matters to consumers: long-lasting, high-quality products that also meet ethical and ecological standards. This year’s colour palette captured this mood – with shades ranging from Revival Mud and New Green Deal to Syntropic Forest.
From AI to circularity: Heimtextil as a global knowledge hub
Resilience through knowledge exchange: With over 140 lectures, workshops and guided tours, Heimtextil helped industry and retail to respond to market changes and to leverage innovations as competitive advantages. ‘The content programme directly addressed the needs of the worldwide textile market and the consumers. With the Retail Stage and the Texpertise Stage, the industry benefited from our strong new partnerships and from business-enhancing expertise on circular production processes, future-focused interior trends and AI-driven design,’ explained Olaf Schmidt, Vice President Textiles & Textile Technologies. Trade visitors learned about the business opportunities created by AI and how it enriches traditional textile production or customer care. Renowned experts shared best practices for forming sustainable business partnerships to reduce CO₂ emissions. With pioneering design and interior trends, Heimtextil emphasised holistic concepts and promoted economic potential for retail, hospitality and interior design. ‘This makes Heimtextil the global hub for lifelong learning in the entire textile interior design sector,’ emphasised Olaf Schmidt.
Heimtextil 2026: Further driving transformation and textile design
The next edition of Heimtextil will further elevate textile interior design: In 2026, Patricia Urquiola will expand on her groundbreaking design concepts for Heimtextil, setting bold, forward-thinking benchmarks for textile-based room designs. Alcova Milano will also continue its global trend research into innovative materials and emerging aesthetics: The design platform will delve deeper into the impact of textiles, as well as the opportunities and challenges facing the textile industry, translating these insights into the upcoming Heimtextil trends in ways that offer even greater value to the industry.
Heimtextil takes place from 13 to 16 January 2026.
