AI, design & hospitality take centre stage at Heimtextil 2026
Heimtextil 2026 reinforced its position as the global hub for home and contract textiles, gathering 3,000 exhibitors from 148 nations and more than 48,000 buyers. Under the theme "Lead the Change," the fair zeroed in on artificial intelligence, forward design, and hospitality-led growth-giving the market a reliable anchor and new paths to revenue in uncertain times.
Why it matters for hospitality and events
Guest expectations are shifting, projects are more complex, and sourcing is being reshaped by geopolitics. Heimtextil responded with project-focused interior solutions, functional textiles, and practical AI use-cases that directly support hotels, venues, and contract design teams.
Headline numbers at a glance
- 148 participating nations; exhibitor international share: 96%
- 3,000 exhibitors; 48,000+ buyers
- Visitor internationality: 86% with growth from the US, Switzerland, Denmark, Finland, and Peru
- 78% top-level decision-makers; strong presence from Harrods, IKEA, Marriott Hotels, Sainsbury's, XXXLutz
- 68% repeat visitors; high satisfaction across exhibitors and visitors
- Top exhibitor countries: China, India, Pakistan, Türkiye, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, United Kingdom, Netherlands
"Volatile tariff policies and geopolitical uncertainties are reshaping global sourcing and trade structures. At the same time, markets in ASEAN and Europe are gaining in importance... Especially in the current climate, a dependable platform such as Heimtextil is indispensable as a central meeting point for the global industry," said Detlef Braun, Member of the Executive Board of Messe Frankfurt.
Design and materials: from craft to AI
Heimtextil Trends 26/27, "Craft is a verb," connected AI technologies with traditional craftsmanship. The result: clearer direction for design, product development, and range planning across retail and contract.
Designer and architect Patricia Urquiola's "among-all" installation blended AI, material innovation, and sustainability in an interactive space. It showed how responsive textiles can meet individual needs and open new concepts for design, retail, and hospitality.
Hospitality, contract, office, healthcare: project-led growth
The Interior.Architecture.Hospitality programme brought together industry, design, planning, and project development. Functional textiles took center stage-supporting acoustic performance, safety standards, durability, and guest comfort while creating new commercial value.
From 2027, a new cooperation with Hospitality Interiors Europe (HINT) will expand the fair's offer for holistic interior design. The parallel format targets decision-makers in high-end contract design and further cements Frankfurt as a central platform for the global hospitality sector.
AI made practical
Heimtextil integrated AI across the fair through "Texpertise Focus AI" with concrete, usable applications. "Artificial intelligence is already part of economic reality - as a creative partner for design concepts and material visualisations, and as an efficient tool for data migration, day-to-day workflows and personalised customer engagement," said Olaf Schmidt, Vice President Textiles & Textile Technologies.
For hotel and venue teams, this translates to faster visual approvals with AI mood boards, smarter specification management, cleaner data handoffs across properties, and more relevant guest communications-without bloated processes or guesswork.
What hospitality leaders can do now
- Prioritise functional textiles in upcoming projects: acoustic control, antimicrobial finishes, fire-rated drapery, blackout performance, and circular material options.
- Pilot AI in design workflows: brief-to-board visuals, material libraries with metadata, spec comparison, and cost scenarios.
- Broaden your vendor map across key production countries mentioned above to improve resilience and pricing.
- Plan now for the HINT collaboration in 2027 to engage high-end contract partners early.
- Align sourcing with the growing importance of ASEAN and European markets noted at the fair.
- Update RFPs to include maintainability, lifecycle cost, and end-of-use pathways alongside sustainability criteria.
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