This year started with two of the biggest European trade fairs showing new designs and ideas for curtains, window coverings and interiors textiles. Heimtextil in Frankfurt was the first one to open its doors to visitors in 2017 and it was fascinating to see the products on offer at the exhibition that is considered a “climate and trend barometer for the whole business” and where international manufacturers, dealers and designers presented their products and innovations to a large audience of trade visitors.
The Theme Park offered an opportunity to view innovations that the international Trendtable consider trailblazing. This year's motto "Explorations" took visitors on a spectacular journey of discovery for the senses. Sustainability was a key theme throughout the fair and in terms of curtain trends we liked the net-like structures on curtains and drapes that put the primary function of the curtain in the background and emphasized the decorative aspect of fabric as a design element. We also saw a lot of elaborately sewn fabrics, which by refined folding, gathering and quilting, produced an interesting and almost three-dimensional look. Primarily these used opaque fabrics. We expect to see the trend for curtains and drapes as decoration continue.