How did the collaboration with Heimtextil come about?
Valentina Ciuffi and Joseph Grima: The collaboration with Heimtextil was born out of a meeting of shared visions rather than technical expertise. Throughout the various editions, Alcova's itinerant platform has intersected the textile industry in unexpected ways, exploring the future of living and manufacturing by transforming fabrics into narratives, spaces and structures. In 2019, Alcova teamed up with Bananatex to transform the exposed panettone factory ‘Ex Cova’ into a temporary exhibition space, showcasing the water-repellent textile in direct contact with the elements. This approach - where materials tell stories in space – was continued in all editions of Alcova. ‘House of Lyria’ brought the tactile depth of artisanal textile production; Buro Belen fused technology with craft, setting new standards in textile production; Beni Rugs honoured the rich tradition of Moroccan weaving and Atelier Luma explored robotic felting as a new technique. Each partnership reinforced Alcova's commitment to rethink textiles, not just as products, but as integral parts of a space. With this in mind, Heimtextil saw Alcova's vision as an opportunity to offer fresh, immersive experiences as part of Trends 25/26, allowing visitors to engage with textiles on the global stage, both as historical artefacts and as materials of the future.
In the ‘Trend Arena’ in Hall 3.0, past textile trends will be reflected and revitalised for the trade fair visitors. According to which criteria did you select the past textile trends for this?
What insights did you gain during your research for the Heimtextil Trend Arena?
Valentina Ciuffi and Joseph Grima: Our research underscored the remarkable resilience of textile traditions and their limitless capacity for reinvention. This journey has highlighted a variety of approaches and confirmed that there is no single solution to such a complex, systemic challenge.
From the revival of natural fibres and reimagined agricultural practices to cross-industry experimentation, local innovation hubs and shared machinery, each strategy brings us closer to a sustainable future. This balance between continuity and change is at the heart of Future Continuous. We understand that the textile industry has both a responsibility and an opportunity to move forward in a way that is forward-thinking yet deeply rooted in tradition – adapting traditional practices to meet today's needs while fostering a truly regenerative design ecosystem.
Author: Anna Moldenhauer, Stylepark Magazin
www.stylepark.com
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Credits group photo: Olaf Schmidt, Shirley Tale, Valentina Ciuffi and Joseph Grima (f.l.t.r.), Photo: Messe Frankfurt / Pietro Sutera