The New Talent Area curated by Jennifer Castoldi, Trendease International, was newly established at Heimtextil 2026 – and met with an immediate and highly positive response. The second edition reflects the success of its debut in a growing number of participants. At the same time, institutions and sponsors are stepping up their involvement and actively supporting the newcomers as they enter the market. For this reason, too, visitors to the special area in Hall 4.2 can look forward to numerous new faces and fresh ideas. The projects on display cover a wide range of stages of development – from experimental material and design approaches to finished products that can move directly into retail or practical application. Visitors also benefit from the broad range of topics addressed by the New Talents’ designs, including bio-based solutions, circularity, sustainability, neurodiversity, heritage and craftsmanship.

In 2027, the more than 30 participants registered so far come from Canada, China, Denmark, England, Germany, Norway, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland and Wales. While the majority of the newcomers is presenting in Frankfurt for the first time, two participants are returning: Elis Blackwood, with her studio e.L.s designs for contemporary textile art and surface design, and artist, designer and hand embroiderer Severina Seidl are back in 2027 under the New Talents Plus label. Their return underlines the relevance of the format at Heimtextil. It offers opportunities that extend beyond an initial trade fair appearance – for example, to expand contacts, further establish a position in the market and build long-term networks within the industry.

New to the line-up is Hallie Graham with her “Tales of Lost Wonder”, an exceptional collection of hand-printed textile wallpapers. The young colour specialist draws on motifs from Scottish folklore and mythology in her collection. For the elaborate designs, she uses techniques such as devoré, discharge dyeing and reactive dyeing, translating the authenticity of her handcrafted work into market-ready products with the help of digital design applications.

Cascavel is an emerging creative agency pursuing three complementary approaches. In its scientific branch, the creative team works with research partners to develop patterns

with therapeutic properties that can, for example, have a positive effect on blood pressure. In its historical approach, the Barcelona- and Zurich-based studio restores and digitises its own collection of 60,000 rare books, using them to develop new designs with strong narrative power. Its third focus is on contemporary, handcrafted collections created on the basis of trend research.

FibreLab presents new approaches to textile recycling. The London-based start-up works with companies across the United Kingdom to develop tailored solutions for transforming textile waste into new materials with strong market potential. At Heimtextil 2027, FibreLab places the spotlight on a paper material developed in-house that is made from 100 per cent recycled textile waste and is designed for applications such as marketing and packaging.

Heimtextil 2027 takes place from 12 to 15 January 2027.