Every January, Heimtextil sets the tone for the global textile business year. The fair connects thousands of suppliers, brands, and designers to exchange ideas and explore new technologies. For 2026, key themes include AI-enhanced creativity, transparent material sourcing, and circular business models that link sustainability with profitability. We spoke with Bettina Bär and Margit Herberth, Directors of Heimtextil, about the trends shaping the industry and the ideas driving this year’s edition.
How would you describe Heimtextil’s role in the global textile ecosystem today?
Bettina Bär: Heimtextil is the starting signal of the year — a place where ideas turn into collaborations. Every January, we bring together the entire value chain: designers, producers, retailers, and technology providers. It’s where the industry gains direction and confidence for the year ahead.
Sleep is becoming one of the fair’s major focus areas. What drives that momentum?
Margit Herberth: Sleep connects innovation with lifestyle. Our expanded Sleep & Meet area showcases leading bedding and mattress brands exploring smart and sustainable materials — everything from temperature-regulating fibres to circular bedding systems. The segment reflects how comfort and performance now define modern interiors.
Sustainability and performance often go hand in hand today. What’s most exciting in that space?
Margit Herberth: We’re seeing materials that improve both well-being and environmental impact. Fibres that convert body heat into infrared energy for better circulation; natural fillings such as alpaca and camel hair that regulate temperature; and recycled or fully returnable bedding systems. Circularity is no longer experimental — it’s a design standard.
Carpets and rugs are also returning as a design statement. Why now?
Bettina Bär: Textiles on the floor bring warmth, tactility, and individuality back into interiors. At Heimtextil 2026, carpets occupy four halls, from industrial-scale production to handwoven artistry. Our Future Floor area showcases the next chapter: sustainable materials, acoustic innovation, and new hybrid surfaces that combine textile and non-textile flooring.
Functionality seems to be a key theme across the fair. How does this show up?
Bettina Bär: Functionality has become design’s silent driver. Exhibitors present solutions that combine aesthetics with fire resistance, sound absorption, or durability — crucial in hospitality and contract settings. Our Interior.Architecture.Hospitality Library helps architects and designers source these high-performing materials.
AI and digitalisation are changing how textiles are designed and produced. How does Heimtextil explore this shift?
Margit Herberth: AI is transforming every part of the textile process — from generative design to smart materials. The Heimtextil Trends 26/27, developed by design platform Alcova, explore how machine learning and craftsmanship can coexist. Patricia Urquiola’s new installation Among-All visualises that relationship — showing how data and human emotion interact through material.
Circular business models are evolving fast. What’s needed to scale them globally?
Bettina Bär: Collaboration and transparency. The future belongs to companies that align profit with responsibility. At Heimtextil, we highlight this through the Econogy Finder — a curated tool listing verified sustainable exhibitors — and through talks that help brands turn circular ideas into viable business strategies.
Finally, what should visitors, especially from the Nordics, take away from Heimtextil 2026?
Margit Herberth: Inspiration and connection. Whether you work in fashion, interiors, or materials, Heimtextil offers access to global innovation and new partnerships. We want visitors to leave with fresh ideas and confidence that sustainability and creativity can grow together.