Surprising, individualistic and forward-looking: The forthcoming Heimtextil exhibition (8 to 11 January 2014) is set to feature refreshingly inspiring and innovative textile developments, presented by young companies. This international trade fair for home and contract textiles has a special platform for start-up companies, putting the spotlight on the next generation of designers. Running under the heading New&Next, the newcomers' platform will be full of creative product ideas for bathroom, bedroom and dining table textiles.
For several years now Heimtextil has provided special exhibition space for newcomers in Halls 8, 9 and 11. This has gradually developed into a major highlight within the trade fair programme. What makes New&Next so appealing is its exquisite array of high- quality products and the new directions it sets in the home textile market. "With this newcomers' platform Heimtextil puts a special emphasis on highflyers and on the crystal-clear presentation of excellent designer products," says Meike Kern, Director of Household Textiles at Heimtextil.
Strong presence of newcomers from Europe
Among the participating start-up companies are, in particular, a large number of European designers. They include Crishome Tex and Sirftex from Portugal, Colorkitchen and Lanui from Germany, Devine Marquise from Belgium and Orgamint from Latvia. A fresh breeze will be added by Slowcolor from the United States. Equally impressive exhibitors will be Maison des Dunes from Morocco and the Leomax Cashmere Collection from the United Arab Emirates with their new, high-quality products.
Here are some of the companies that will be represented at New&Next:
Divine Marquise: Classy seductiveness from Belgium
During the day the bedlinen is almost perfectly white. After sunset a nude young lady can be seen lounging on the fine linen. This is the
clever effect produced by the fluorescent print on the L'Envol product line made by the Francophone Belgian company Divine Marquise.
"We play with the topic of seductiveness. This requires a very cautious, subtle and humorous approach. Otherwise it can easily become somewhat crude," says the owner and designer Annabel Fournier, as she explains her idea to liven up the bedrooms of this world with sexy bedlinen.
Colorkitchen: there's nothing like colour
Colorkitchen from Germany covers the entire spectrum of textiles for dining tables and kitchens: elegant linen tablecloths, sturdy cotton
rep, cheerful kitchen towels and matching cushions. What makes Colorkitchen so special is its wealth of colours, their many possible
combinations and the sustainability of the collection. Managing Director Willy Muller has a guiding principle: "We do not produce goods for one season of fashion, but for a continually growing and changing home interior."
Crishome Tex: Elegantly purist bedlinen
When Cristina Texeira visited Heimtextil for the first time in January this year, the company was only six months old. The cotton of the
delightful bedroom and bathroom products from Crishome Tex in Portugal has been pre-treated in an enzyme wash. This gives each product a relaxed — almost used — character and makes it easy to clean. Moreover, the cotton keeps its shape after the first wash.
Lanui: it’s all about nights
This young company from Hamburg focuses entirely on creative night-time articles. Bedlinen, pillow cases, bedspreads, pyjamas and
nighties can turn an ordinary bedroom into a fashionably creative refuge. The designs include animals, plants, stately homes, monochrome themes and Vichies as well as classic stripes and blog patterns on high-quality cotton materials. The Gypsy line with its smocked, three-dimensional embroidery won the Red Dot Design Award 2010.
Leomax Cashmere Collection: hand-woven and fully customised
Leomax Cashmere Collection was founded by Ulrike Boye- Holzer. Starting from Dubai, the German owner travelled around various Asian countries where she discovered exquisite cashmere products that are virtually unparalleled in Europe with regard to both style and quality. Her passion for extraordinary high-quality products in amazing designs led to an ambitious designer label that stands for contemporary simplicity and incomparable elegance. Ulrike Boye-Holzer personally selects the quality and design in small numbers in Nepal, ensures that production takes place under FairTrade conditions – where required, also in small production runs – and delivers fully customised products.
Orgamint: certified organic cotton for the bed
What prompted the owners to set up this new company was a discussion among parents: What sort of materials are perfectly harmless when our kids put them in their mouths? Many cotton fabrics are so rich in chemicals that they are unsuitable for a children’s bedroom. So when Orgamint was founded in 2010, its owners wanted to fill precisely this gap. With its wonderfully delicate nightwear and bedlinen for kids and adults, this company from Riga in Latvia can offer everything that is needed for a healthy night’s sleep. A romantic ambience is created with lots of white, hemstitches and elaborate embroidery reminiscent of years gone by.
Sirftex: originality from Portugal
Sirftex will be presenting sustainable products for bedrooms, bathrooms, dining tables, kitchens and leisure use. Anyone visiting the Sirftex stand can look forward to products with a wonderfully loving eye for detail. The delicate honeycomb patterns on the bathrobes and bath towels make a person feel on holiday. To add a special touch to this lovely little collection, Sirftex has also added a range of distinctive accessories such as slippers, small beach bags and T-shirts.
Slowcolor: "We clothe the world in beauty, health and responsibility."
Based in the United States, Slowcolor produces handmade premium scarves, bedspreads and towels, using naturally bleached and naturally dyed organic cotton and linen. The beautiful scarves are available in gentle combinations of beige, light blue, orange, grey and green, covering a good spectrum of natural colour options. All of them are made by hand, using ancient looms at factories in Hyderabad, Central India.
Unikapuden: Retro, Rococo, India and more
Unikapuden from Denmark has a colourful and highly diverse selection of cushions. All products are handcrafted and made in Denmark. Unikapuden experiments with different combinations of materials and includes crocheted and knitted effects. What is new in their product line-up is various patchwork cushions, made from recycled clothes and textiles.
