Writing 2020 felt strange when I was completing arrival documents on my regular pilgrimage to the textile world’s Mecca, Heimtextil Germany. It brought to mind perfect vision.
Of the thousands of exhibitors with their tens of thousands of textiles and wall coverings, the organisers endeavour to pull together a vision of the upcoming years trends.
This year I was more confused than enlightened. It was a cacophony of designs, textures and colour.
Heimtextil And The Sustainability Trend
What did emerge as an unmistakable trend was the theme of ‘sustainability.’ Around virtually every turn, the message was either demonstrated or signalled that we need to be much more conscious of waste.
Materialised has a policy of ‘treading lightly on our planet’ and we applaud the avoidance of waste in every regard.
Whilst we do use yarns of recycled PET there are many ways we as an industry, can improve and reduce our waste; a significant one being moving from the age old practice of cutting up untold thousands of metres of fabric into sample books, most of which will never be used, is a big one.
This is a great segue way to the next dominant trend we observed, digital!
Digital Selection
Printed product was very strong, and from my observation, was mostly digital. The demand for choice and the speed the interior furnishing industry demands makes digital printing an obvious choice. Come with me on this thought…
The journey of a textile collection starts as an idea and numerous drafts of the idea are submitted from the artist which are edited. The edited selection is subjected to market research of some kind, and is further edited. The same process is undertaken with colour selection. More editing. Enter the wholesaler who further edits. The retailer makes selections which is another edit.
The product has been edited to within a millimetre of its life before your client gets a go!
Digital selection turns that whole process on its head. The client takes the reins and can build his or her own creation on line and, gets delivery within days!
Samples are not produced speculatively. Only what is required is produced and all the cost burdens of developing, sampling and disposing of unsuccessful speculation is saved. Everyone wins!
At the risk of immodesty, our online program WeaveUp was ahead of the curve.
We have been able to implement a great number of procedures that minimise waste, increase choice, satisfy customisation and still enable our clients, and in turn your clients to fondle a sample of their edit. A need I doubt will ever be fully replaced.
With thanks to Gary Price, our roving reporter at Heimtextil 2020.
