Artificial intelligence is moving quickly from experimentation to daily use across the textile industry. From design and material development to pricing, retail and communication, AI is becoming part of routine workflows. Heimtextil 2026, taking place from 13 to 16 January in Frankfurt, places this shift firmly on the agenda with a content programme focused on practical use, business relevance and real-world application.
The fair’s AI programme spans design, retail, production, interior architecture and contract furnishing. Across stages, installations and guided formats, industry professionals can explore where AI delivers measurable value and how it can be integrated into existing processes.
From discussion to daily practice
The Texpertise Stage in Hall 6.0 serves as the main knowledge hub. Talks and panels focus on how AI is already being used across the textile value chain, from early concept development to operational tasks.
One of the key sessions features London-based architect and AI specialist Tim Fu in conversation with Simon Keane-Cowell, Editor-in-Chief of Architonic. Their discussion looks at how AI is reshaping interior design workflows and decision-making. On the opening day, Anja Bisgaard Gaede, founder of Spott trends & business, addresses data integration, workflow optimisation and the implications of AI for future textile development.
Practical case studies are a recurring theme. Martin Auerbach from the Association of German Home Textiles Manufacturers shares examples of AI use in everyday business, showing how companies can integrate digital tools without overhauling existing structures. Exhibition designer Elisabeth Ramm of Atelier Brückner discusses the use of AI in material planning and spatial concepts, while sleep expert Markus Kamps moderates sessions linking sleep technology with textile innovation.
Additional discussions take place at the Talk Spot in Hall 12.0, including a conversation hosted by Architonic with Oriental Weavers on balancing craftsmanship with global carpet production.
Trends 26/27 explore craft and digital processes
AI also plays a visible role in the Heimtextil Trends 26/27, developed by design platform Alcova under the theme “Craft is a verb”. Presented in the Trend Arena in Hall 6.1, the trends examine how digital design processes interact with traditional textile techniques.
Six stylistic directions highlight this relationship through materials, surfaces and colour. Natural tones are interrupted by digital effects such as glitches and synthetic accents, reflecting the growing overlap between handcraft and algorithm-based design. Daily talks and guided tours translate these visual concepts into insights relevant for sourcing, product development and retail planning.
Patricia Urquiola presents AI-driven installation
Designer Patricia Urquiola contributes an immersive installation titled “among-all” in Hall 3.0. The project explores how AI-based tools can influence material behaviour, spatial design and user interaction. Visitors are actively involved in the installation, becoming part of an AI-supported creative process that combines textiles, sustainable materials and digital systems.
Urquiola will also speak on the Texpertise Stage on 14 January, sharing her approach to design in a context shaped by emerging technologies. Guided tours of the installation run daily throughout the fair.
AI as a working tool for contract and interior projects
For professionals in interior architecture, hospitality and contract furnishing, Heimtextil offers a tailored programme under the Interior.Architecture.Hospitality segment. At the Talk Spot in Hall 3.1, speakers discuss how AI supports design development, planning efficiency and creative exploration.
Helen Häkli, freelance architect and bdia member, presents AI as a collaborative design tool rather than a replacement for creative decision-making. Additional sessions from Mauro Brigham, Corinna Kretschmar-Joehnk and Robin Hepp address changing design processes in hospitality and public spaces.
Hands-on applications are also highlighted for interior decorators and crafts professionals. On the DecoTeam Stage in Hall 3.0, AI expert Alexander Ligowski demonstrates how AI supports room planning, colour concepts, sales communication, social media content and quotation processes.
New Talents Area highlights next-generation perspectives
Heimtextil 2026 introduces the New Talents Area in Hall 6.1, offering insight into how emerging designers are engaging with AI. The curated exhibition brings together young talents from different regions and disciplines, creating space for exchange between established industry players and new voices.
With its focused AI programme, Heimtextil 2026 positions the topic not as a distant concept, but as a working reality already shaping design, production and business decisions across the textile sector.
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