Trends and perspectives in materials at Heimtextil

Dutch trend expert, Gunnar Frank, has developed four different styles for the 2006/2007 season, so called "material types", which will be presented at Heimtextil - from 11 to 14 January - in the Forum, level 0. According to the trend expert, the new trend, called "Materials - Heart and Soul", leads us away from the home environments we have known so far and towards the materials themselves. It seems entirely appropriate then to put materials at the focus of attention for home and household textiles.

To begin with: "There will be no new materials", at least not if you ask Professor Eckhard Schollmeyer. However, new processes for finishing fabrics can be expected. The trend is towards greater functionality for home and household textiles, as well as materials for mattresses, suggests the Managing Director of the German Centre for Textile Research for the Northwest (Deutsches Textilforschungszentrum Nord-West) in Krefeld.

New kinds of finishing techniques

A recent study of trends and perspectives in the textile and clothing industry revealed that "considerable significance for the future functionality of textiles is being attributed to new approaches to fabric finishing using nanotechnology". The purpose of this study, which was set up by Bayern Innovativ GmbH in cooperation with the Association of the Bavarian Textile and Clothing Industry (Verband der Bayerischen Textil- und Bekleidungsindustrie), was to identify new technologies, new markets and new opportunities. To this end, scientific institutes and leading companies were deliberately included so as to cover the whole spectrum of textile technology and important user segments, among whom were a number of Heimtextil exhibitors.

One such company is Hämmerle Textilwerke GmbH. Founded in Dornbirn in Austria in 1836, the main factory covers to this day the whole manufacturing process from weaving to finishing. As far as innovative materials are concerned, Hämmerle is counting on the cellulose-based man-made fibre "Tencel" produced by Lenzing AG (who are also exhibiting at Heimtextil). With Hämmerle's bed linen "moisture is removed ten times more quickly than with traditional cotton," explains Karl-Heinz Zöhrer, Assistant to the General Manager. As he adds, Tencel cotton is also valued, particularly in hospitals, for its anti-bacterial effect.

Visitors to the next Heimtextil can look forward to two innovations from Hämmerle. In the first place, according to Conny Brunner, Head of Bed Linen Sales, there will be a presentation of the new Cosinel finishing process under the auspices of BASF at the Hämmerle stand. As she tells us, we are concerned here with a high-quality finish which ensures that the bed-linen not only does not need ironing, but that it is crease resistant and keeps its shape as well. And what is more, it will remain soft and fluffy even after many washes. After a year of development work, Hämmerle was only the second company (after Bauer Damasta) to be awarded the coveted "Cosinel" label.

The second innovation from Hämmerle is a natural stretch fabric based on Tencel. "As a result of the finishing, this woven cloth becomes a stretch fabric" explains Conny Brunner proudly. "During the process, the Tencel fibres acquire fluidity." So there is no need for Lycra thread or knitted fabric (as in the case of Jersey sheets). "We shall be offering the first natural-stretch fitted sheets", says Brunner, who is already looking forward to the Heimtextil presenta-tion. Runs in the interwoven fabric are rendered impossible with the new Hämmerle bed sheets. This is particularly advantageous for commercial applications where the sheets have to be especially sturdy. Tencel also produces a very even weave, and this feature makes it very appropriate for use, for instance, in clinics for people have skin problems.

Phase Change Materials

There is, however, alongside the numerous fabric finishing tech-niques, a group of completely new materials, so-called Phase Change Materials (PCM). Integrated into fabrics, this special foam relies on technology designed for space travel and evens out extreme temperature fluctuations to ensure a permanently temperate environment. This technology has found its way into the home and household textiles sector via bedding products.

For example, Waldenburger Bettwaren GmbH are bed-linen manufacturers who, with their new brand "Comfort-line by Walburga", are introducing a product of this kind with intelligent heat regulation. A micro-fine mesh, which comprises a balanced mixture of polyester micro-fibres and cotton, is lined on one side with a flexible "Climarelle" temperature-regulating fleece. This fleece contains millions of microscopic little PCM capsules whose job it is to regulate the temperature. The name PCM (Phase Change Materials) comes from the fact that the material can change its physical state. The PCM capsules turn to fluid as soon as body heat warms them up. To start with, they store this heat and this results in a cooling effect. As soon as it gets colder, the capsules crystallise and so give up again the resultant energy in the form of heat - just like a heating system. Anyone sleeping under the fabric is thus kept warm even in a low temperature environment. As the General Manager of the bed-linen manu-facturers Waldenburger Bettwaren explains, this modern "temperature management" has been scientifically proven and tested by consumers before it was launched on the market.

New material finishing techniques

When it comes to the materials used, then the most important consideration for Interfrotta is whether the fabric is kind to the skin. In the view of Press Officer, Anna Luiz, it does not really make any sense in terms of bed linen to rely on new and innovative materials. "In our opinion, it is how easy a fabric is on the skin that matters - that always was and still is the most important thing" emphasises Luiz. Interfrotta has invested in tried and tested products: fabrics in 100 per cent finest cotton. Luiz hints that the new table-linen and bed-linen collection "Aloha", which Interfrotta is exhibiting for the first time at Heimtextil 2006, will consist, on the one hand, of quality printed percale and, on the other hand, of a classic satin weave.

Other exhibitors have declared war on bacteria with particular variations of fabric finishing. They include, for instance, Egeria and their micro-fibre towel with anti-bacterial finish, which complements and extends range of sports articles. Or there is the Schmitz-Werke, too, who have developed a separating fabric in Trevira CS specifically for the health-care segment, which has a permanent anti-bacterial effect. The light, woven material drapilux-216 eliminates the chances of survival of the most common causes of infection in hospitals. Then again, other exhibitors have been concerned with the elimination of dust mites. Gebr. Sanders, for example, is marketing "VarioProtect mattress covers" that give protection against mites and allergenic substances. The covers have an inner barrier against allergenic substances in poly-urethane.

The destruction of harmful substances and odours involves another form of material finishing. drapilux-786, a modern derivative fabric with a matt, pearlescent, Fil-a-Fil effect, is a new development in this field. The colourways are co-ordinated, some-times using strong tones, striking yet harmonious to the eye. With its drapilux air and drapilux bioaktiv lines, the Schmitz-Werke banked on application-specific finishes in the commercial sector at an early stage.

Just as these finishes, which were originally intended for public and commercial uses, have in recent years found their way into private dwellings, so too, a flame-retardant finish has long since ceased to be merely an issue for commercially-used products. Birgit Diop, a designer with Delius, tells us that flame-resistant polyester is being increasingly used in materials intended for the private consumer. She perceives that manufacturers are trying to cover both markets with their products. Diop introduces her work with the following explanation: "Polyester is not particularly appealing, so we use pattern and colour to make these products attractive." Considered colour ranges can be expected as part of the finish of flame-resistant fabrics from the Deliflamm programme at Heimtextil 2006.

Delius was already relying on the additional functionality of furniture fabrics last year. Delius's Head of Marketing, Gerd Kramer, is quoted as saying: "If you ask me, as a salesman, how to be successful today, I will tell you: you have to have products that offer more than just attractiveness." Kramer's view is that the additional functionality in furnishing fabrics has come to be expected by the decision makers. This is one of the reasons why Delius served up a truly revolutionary innovation at the last Heimtextil: a finish for furnishing fabrics called "Crypton" against which stains have practically no chance whatsoever anymore. It involves a technically sophisticated weave. "From the beginning we developed a polyester fabric which would be compatible with the Crypton surface" explains Delius's Head of Marketing. All that is needed to remove stains, he says, is a dishcloth, some warm water and a little detergent.

Experiments with mixed materials

According to Bernhard Hansl, Assistant to the General Manager at the textile firm nya nordiska linen is very fashionable at the moment; at the same time polyester has been "in" for years. Donata Apelt-Ihling, Chief Press Officer at Apelt-Stoffe, says exactly the same thing. "We process linen, cotton and polyester yarns, mixed together in suitable proportions." She continues: "We are of the opinion that the trend is towards a more subdued look." Glossy fabrics are not entirely unfashionable but are on the way out."

As regards new materials, Bernhard Hansl is expecting a lot from special yarns and micro fibres. "There will be a number of further developments in this area," says Hansl. We ought to get involved with these developments, even though none of them are expected to be big money-spinners. At all events, nya nordisca has received a considerable amount of acclaim for their experiments with materials and, indeed, some of their mixed material products such as Stratos have won prestigious design awards.

Non-woven fabrics are gaining ground in wall coverings

The main trend in material for wall coverings is towards non-woven fabrics. "There is clearly a development in the direction of non-wovens of all sorts and kinds" says Dieter Langer, Art Director at Marburg. According to him, fleece wallpapers will become more common in comparison to traditional wallpapers - and indeed in all price brackets. The Association of the German Wall Coverings Industry (Verband der deutschen Tapetenindustrie) is already talking of a three-way split of the wall coverings market into paper coverings, structured coverings on a paper base and fleece wallpapers; on the other hand, fleece wallpapers already account for 60 per cent of the whole collection at Marburg and this proportion is set to increase. Fleece with special finishes, fleece-on-fleece laminates, fleece with glass beads, fleece with random threads - there seems hardly any limit to the manufacturers' imagination. Its practicality - ease of use, ease of removal and lack of problems with seams - is just too important. In addition, the Marburg wallpaper factory is set to introduce a special surface finish at the coming Heimtextil trade fair: hot-stamped wallpapers with granular surface. During the production process of these papers, multicoloured beads are spread on an adhesive base. We can look forward to this with some excitement.

The Golden Fleece

A.S. Création are expected to unveil a very unusual material-treatment process. To turn the demanding requirements of French designer, Nadir Belli, into wallpaper required the development of a new production technique: whilst in the case of traditional fleece wallpapers, the colour is printed first and then the material is pressed, the process was reversed for the new collection "Golden Fleece". This principle - pressing then colour - creates an individual colour distribution and gives the impression of a "hand-made" product. Belli was influenced by historical textile wall coverings which he had discovered in museums. It was important for him, with these creations, to transpose the original hand-worked effect of damask textiles to the wallpaper scene. The result is a collection of wallpapers with the matt/shiny effect typical of damask fabrics, and printed with particularly generous patterns repeating every 1.6 metres.

In collaboration with the German Design Council (Rat für Form-gebung), Germany's leading centre for design, the wallpaper manufacturer from Gummersbach has developed a useful tool for design consultants. With the wallpaper "Style-guide", consumers can quickly and easily select their ideal wallpaper from the enormous range of A.S. wall coverings. All collections are classified according to the four life-style contexts. As soon as the retailer has established with the customer which furnishing category they belong to, then they are subsequently in a good position to sell other products, too, along with the wallpaper and borders. To simplify the search even further, there are, additionally, four special mixed collections by A.S. which include the best sellers in the four life-style trend segments.

Easy care in prime position

The larger textile firms are watching with cautious interest the developments in textile processing and innovations in finishing techniques whereby particular interest is being shown in attempts at coating fabric with nano structures. "We shall have to wait and see how things develop in the field of nanotechnology and what additional functionality appears sensible and achievable in home textiles" says Lutz Neubert for example. For the Product Manager at Saum & Viebahn, it is ease of care that occupies the number one place in his list of expectations for materials.

It is claimed that consumers always look for the security of what they know and are accustomed to, when the political or economic situation makes them feel uncertain. That is the reason, according to Neubert, why the collections of classic furnishing fabrics at Saum & Viebahn are set to develop so positively. Against this background, the textile firm will be exhibiting a new Gobelin collection in fresh, modern, strong colours and in the fully synthetic fabric Q2*, equipped with Teflon stain-resistance. Charmelle* will also be a major theme in January, adds Neubert. Charmelle is a fully synthetic, three-dimensional woven velour fabric, a durable and easy-care material - completely without chemical finishes. Thus these furnishing fabrics are claimed to be particularly suitable for allergy sufferers.

As far as decorative fabrics and net curtaining is concerned, it is fully synthetic woven fabrics that are principally used at Saum & Viebahn. Much use is made of special threads and a variety of transparent effects.

At the coming Heimtextil trade fair, the Garotex Group is to announce polyester qualities from organzas to semi-organzas, some with spun yarns. "Our new products will mostly involve poly-chromatic woven jacquard fabrics," says Sieglinde Brucker, "so that, with transparent and semi-transparent weaves, we achieve a degree of tension and interest between individual elements." Sieglinde Brucker is the Chief Product Development Officer at Garotex. She is also counting on the use of different kinds of yarn. So that polyester has an effect more like that of traditional textiles, there will, for instance, be products with transparent stripes which then shade into semi-transparent and solid threads. To guarantee a high-quality look, the net curtaining and decorative fabrics will, in part, be available with elaborate broché patterns.

The first carpet to neutralise odours

After sun blinds (BakaSave), fabrics (drapilux air, q.v.), and carpeting (Dura air) the "Triple Fresh" finish which neutralises odours and destroys noxious substances has come to fitted carpets. At next January's Heimtextil, carpet weavers Paulig will, with their product "Vento", be the first suppliers to present a fitted carpet with a reagent which works on the principle of the chemical catalyst to destroy various noxious substances and break them down into harmless components. The active ingredient does not itself degenerate in the process and remains permanently effective. Circulating air brings the gas molecules and other malodorous molecules into contact with the Triple Fresh finish on the carpet. This results in an oxidizing reaction by means of metallic salts and the catalytic breakdown of gases and malodorous substances in the room. Both the official bodies, the TÜV and the Fresenius Institute, have certified that Triple Fresh has the ability to reduce the amount of noxious substances such as formaldehyde and nicotine.

In the case of hand-woven relief carpets, it is to a large extent the structure and the mix of materials which determine the trend. Carpet weavers Paulig are laying their emphasis at Heimtextil 2006 on combinations of flat-weave and long-pile as well as on innovative combinations of yarn. Additionally, there are 'Doubleware' products made using completely new-style looms, which permit designs hitherto impossible. Patterns using Jacquard techniques offer a great deal of freedom for creativity and design.

A rather special material is cactus fibre which the company uses in its knotted-pile work. As the Managing Director Thomas Paulig, told us, Paulig is so far the only company to use this shiny and agreeably soft material. Finally, with Paulig's Haro carpets, visitors to Heimtextil can expect a use surface in 100 per cent new wool, made without chemicals.

Fibres with additional functions

Trends that can be seen in finished products can also be found in the Heimtextil trends for fibre suppliers. Thus Trevira is focussing on new developments in fibres for flame-resistant textiles (Trevira CS). Alongside this, there will be a particular emphasis on fibres and yarns with an added anti-bacterial function, explains Ulrich Girrbach, Trevira's Marketing Manager for Heimtextil. He is also talking of an increasingly strong international presence for his company in Europe and Asia. Material properties addressed in the process of European harmonisation, as well as from a world-wide perspective, are increasingly being tested with comparable procedures - and this suits Trevira well. Thus in India a major step has been taken in legislation concerning fire protection. In this case, the European standards for upholstery fabrics and net curtains have been adopted by the Bureau of Indian Standards. According to Girrbach, these measures will significantly extend the basis for the spread of Trevira CS fabrics. And, he maintains, the market for well-designed Trevira CS textiles will become increasingly interesting for European manufacturers, too. Some 170 manufacturers of Trevira CS textiles will again be represented at Heimtextil 2006.

Heimtextil shows the direction in which materials will develop

Since the demands made of textiles and their qualities are constantly increasing, innovative finishing processes, new approaches to textile finishing, further developments in polymer chemistry for fibre materials and also new materials such as Phase Change Materials for adaptive textiles are all becoming more and more important. High-tech textiles are setting the trend for future design. Heimtextil will offer a comprehensive overview of the entire spectrum of home and commercially used textiles from 11 to 14 January in Frankfurt am Main.