“We sell a mood enhancer”

Since its founding in 1932, the Hohenberger Manufacture of Wallcoverings has undergone significant transformation. Whereas the company previously produced mainly on behalf of third parties, today around 60% of its business comprises its own collections. Digital printing technology has been adopted, and both the design and marketing departments have grown substantially. Ralf Taubert’s daughter is already actively involved in the company, contributing her own ideas. “As an interior brand, we stand for sensational wall design with innovative products, produced in an environmentally responsible way, offering healthy home solutions. And we intend to continue developing exceptional surface designs,” explains Taubert, whose passion for wallpaper is what truly drives him. “We’re not selling a product – we’re selling a mood enhancer.”

Taubert, who refers to himself as a manufacturer rather than an entrepreneur, is fully aware that wallpaper doesn’t currently enjoy the highest popularity among German consumers. “The industry has only itself to blame,” he says. The reasons are manifold. With the rise of DIY stores, wallpaper presentation degenerated into “soulless battery farms”, resulting in the decline of traditional sales channels. Industrial-scale production then led to enormous capacity surpluses, triggering a race to the bottom on pricing. And in the early 1990s, “some appallingly bad wallpapers hit the market,” as Taubert recalls – both in terms of quality and design. Plain designs – some textured, some not – became widespread. At the same time, premium paint brands like Farrow & Ball from the UK gained traction, offering stylish, chalky-matt finishes.

To this day, the industry is still wrestling with the trend towards monochrome walls. “Wallpaper today can simply be beautiful – it’s a statement piece,” says Taubert. “It can be bold or subtle, colourful, floral or geometric – whatever suits the individual. A great wallpaper transforms the way you start and end your day. Be bold – you'll enjoy it for a long time. That’s the message we need to get across again.”

And Taubert is leading the way. In 2019, he launched his first own-brand collection under the Hohenberger name, which has grown significantly ever since. Four new collections are introduced each year, some designed in-house, others in collaboration with external designers. Each new line is preceded by extensive market research – a process the company approaches with care and patience. “We don’t want to bring anything to market that already exists in dozens of iterations,” says Taubert.

The result is uniquely distinctive collections, often featuring unconventional materials. One example is the PVC-free “Showerproof Wallpaper”, created by digitally printing onto a mineral-coated fibreglass fleece and sealing the surface. This makes the wallpaper moisture-resistant, water-repellent, impact- and scratch-proof – ideal for bathrooms and perfect for quick, simple renovations.

Crisis and opportunity

The pandemic years brought both highs and lows for the business. While 2020 saw overwhelming demand, the market practically collapsed after the first quarter of 2021. On top of that, the company’s new collection faced barriers to market entry. “The products were ready, the collections were ready – but our sales team simply couldn’t travel due to restrictions,” recalls Taubert. This cost valuable time, but since then, the company has been intensively building new markets and seeking distribution partners – with Taubert leading the charge.

He’s also exploring new paths. Earlier this year, he collaborated with interior designer and artist Emell Gök Che. The resulting collection, “Urban Oasis”, combines artistic freedom with masterful craftsmanship. Known from various TV shows – such as My Fabulous Holiday Home, where she upgrades holiday rentals – Emell is hands-on in her approach. “It was our first time working with a public figure,” says Taubert. “It paid off. Aside from the wonderful collection, her involvement has raised our visibility among end customers. Emell is charismatic, empathetic, and passionate about product, interior, and design – not to mention socially engaged. She’s a fantastic fit for us.”

New brand and new audiences

This type of partnership is something Taubert intends to expand. He already has several projects in the pipeline, though they remain confidential for now. One confirmed collaboration involves an interior architect who will carry the Hohenberger message into the worlds of decorators, painters, and fellow designers.

This includes the company’s latest brand: Hohenberger Atelier. “With Hohenberger Atelier, we’re targeting interior designers specifically. We take a holistic view of spatial design and can produce small quantities on a variety of textile substrates – sisal, linen, or artist-quality paper,” Taubert explains. Like all Hohenberger products, the Atelier range is defined by its ecological credentials.

Healthy living environments are a personal priority for Taubert. When PVC wallpapers boomed in the mid-1980s, he consciously chose to avoid PVC, plasticisers, and solvents. “PVC does have undeniable advantages in production,” he notes, “and replacing it in the ’80s gave us serious headaches. But we managed. Today we use water-based polymer dispersions combined with suitable fillers. These allow us to apply dry, odourless textures.” The issue, Taubert explains, is emissions: “PVC, plasticisers, and other volatile solvents are still suspected of causing health issues due to off-gassing into indoor air. We want to avoid that at all costs.”

Facing industry taboos

When it comes to recycling, Taubert is candid. “It’s a taboo subject in our industry – wallpapers still can’t be recycled. They become waste. Since we use no harmful chemicals, ours aren’t hazardous waste and can be incinerated safely – but it’s still waste. I believe taboos are unhelpful. They represent a conscious decision not to communicate. That’s a challenge for specialist retailers too. And again, mass production is part of the problem. We can produce 100 rolls or even fewer, which minimises the retailer’s risk when it comes to selling and disposing of stock. Plus – and I can’t stress this enough – our wallpapers are 100% free of PVC and solvents. And yes, they’re made sustainably too.”

A holistic vision of sustainability

Ralf Taubert sees sustainability as holistic. His products are not only designed for healthy indoor environments and produced with minimal environmental impact – he also feels a strong sense of responsibility toward his employees. “I don’t call myself an entrepreneur – I’m a manufacturer with values. I stand by my people, pay them fairly, and ensure they work under decent conditions. At the same time, I treat our customers with respect, offering them service, quality, and reliability – and if there’s ever a complaint, we take it seriously and resolve it to everyone’s satisfaction,” he explains. “We’re not about shareholder value – we’re about social responsibility.”

Cover photo: Taubert GmbH & Co. KG.