Heimtextil Trends 26/27 – Where AI And Craftsmanship Merge

Frankfurt am Main, 10 September 2025 – Artificial intelligence has become a central part of the design process – precise, efficient and omnipresent. At the same time, demand for the handmade, intuitive and imperfect is on the rise. The Heimtextil Trends 26/27 unfold within this field of tension under the guiding theme “Craft is a verb”, showcasing how high-tech and craftsmanship are not contradictions but rather open new creative horizons.

In collaboration with Alcova, Heimtextil will present a trend landscape where digital design methods and craft traditions converge. Generative patterns meet tactile textures, natural structures encounter algorithmic precision. This interplay is embodied by the “techno-craftsman” – a designer who treats AI not as competition but as an extension of his creative toolkit.

The trends highlight pressing questions for the creative industry: AI accelerates processes but also challenges concepts of authorship and creative identity. Heimtextil responds by emphasizing the enduring role of craftsmanship, demonstrating how AI can complement and expand human creativity.

“The Heimtextil Trends 26/27 illustrate how artificial intelligence will change the textile industry and, in combination with craftsmanship, open up new perspectives. They provide impulses for sustainable production, innovative collaborations and future-proof business strategies,” says Olaf Schmidt, Vice President Textiles & Textile Technologies, Messe Frankfurt.

For Alcova, the focus lies on mindful use of AI – as inspiration and relief for designers, not a replacement. “We are drawn to objects that are unexpected, experimental, even unruly – yet they somehow find their place in our homes,” notes Valentina Ciuffi. “Our projects aim to anticipate trends rather than chase them,” adds Joseph Grima.

Six Key Trends for 26/27

1. Re: media – Digital renderings reinterpreted into hand-embroidered or jacquard textiles, embracing glitches, pixel gradients and digitally altered hand drawings.
2. Visible co-work – AI generates designs, artisans complete them. Think digitally embroidered linen, 3D knitted patchworks, and generative motifs on traditional fabrics.
3. Sensing nature – Natural structures decoded and translated through digital tools: ocean surfaces become grids, lichen morphs into decorative motifs.
4. A playful touch – Small, whimsical details break minimalism: ruffles, neon accents, tassels – reminders that joy and humour belong in design.
5. Crafted irregularity – Irregular dyeing, visible seams and asymmetrical finishes celebrate imperfection as a counterpoint to digital precision.
6. The uncanny valley – Exposed wires, coils and connectors become deliberate design elements, embracing the strange and mechanical.

The Colour Palette
The palette moves between grounded, natural tones and digital vibrancy. Sand, clay, soot, olive and bark suggest stability, while sharp accents of acidic green, digital lilac and bright screen blue act as deliberate “glitches,” injecting energy into the scheme.

Presentation at Heimtextil 2026
The Heimtextil Trends 26/27 will be presented from 13–16 January 2026 in the interactive Trend Arena, Hall 6.1, offering visitors an immersive exploration of the fusion between AI and craftsmanship.