Sectoral show report
Below: Heimtextil’s 50th
are displaying today a wide range of
products manufactured with recycled
water. We have a waste treatment
plant at our facility in Pakistan and
40% of the water used is recycled.”
Suleri said that geopolitical
uncertainties did affect the trade.
“Brexit, for example, is a source of
uncertainty for us. Our main business
is with the UK and other European
countries. The US is another big
market for us. US buyers are very
price conscious,” he observed.
Asked about China’s potential as an
increasingly lucrative market with
the rising incomes of its people, Suleri
agreed it looked attractive, “but it
is not an easy market to penetrate
because Chinese suppliers are also
competitors”.
Another Pakistani company, Fatima
Weaving Mills of Karachi, said that
it was meeting customer demand
for recycled raw materials and
products. Abdul Shareef Khan, the
company’s GM, said: “We reprocess
a towel and convert it into yarn.
Customers demand organic products,
with yarn made through the organic
process. We have installed an effluent
treatment plant (ETP) which is used
to produce environment-friendly
materials.”
Wendy Tan, Managing Director
of Malaysia’s Nature World Sdn.
Bhd, which supplies home linen,
uniforms and fashion products, said
her company is in expansion mode.
anniversary, photo by Messe
Frankfurt / Thomas Fedra
Heimtextil celebrates
50th in sustainable style
Manik Mehta reports from
Frankfurt’s Heimtextil,
and finds out how the home
textile industry is moving
fast towards sustainable
production practices
n keeping with the
growing public
sentiment for
environmental
protection, Messe Frankfurt’s
Heimtextil exhibition, the world’s
biggest event for the home textile
industry, used sustainability as its
broad theme from 7-10 January.
Sustainability figured prominently
in discussions between exhibitors
and buyers at the exhibition. Of the
2,952 exhibitors (2019: 3,012) from
65 countries, the biggest exhibitor
contingent came from China (561),
followed by India (404), Turkey (304),
Germany (287), Pakistan (230), Italy
(178), Spain (112), France (87) and the
UK (78).
The bright young minds of today
are involved in issues of sustainability
and climate change from their early
school days, and their passion was
embraced by the business community
and industry at the Heimtextil
tradeshow –- the 50th edition since its
w w w.exhibitionworld.co.uk
launch in 1971. Many exhibitors put
up large sign boards at their stands
explaining the steps they have taken
on environmental protection and
sustainability.
Lucie Brigham, the Chief of the
UN’s Office for Partnerships, attended
the opening of the exhibition to
demonstrate the world body’s support
for Messe Frankfurt’s efforts to
promote sustainability.
Tradefairs no longer just
showcase products for international
buyers; they also highlight the
latest technological innovations,
socioeconomic issues and other
relevant industry features.
Exhibitors from the home textile
industries of Portugal and Pakistan
showcased sustainable products
under the theme ‘iTechStyle Green
Circle’ and ‘Sustainable Pakistan’,
respectively, in two different halls at
the exhibition.
Hassan Suleri, Deputy General
Manager (marketing) of Sadhaqat Ltd,
which was showcasing home textiles,
bed linens, duvets, cushions and
curtains, told EW that sustainability
was a crucial factor for the long-
term survival of the textile industry.
He said: “Reducing waste water,
environmental protection, planting
more trees, etc. are some ways to
enhance the sustainability factor. We
Below: Trend space at Heimtextil,
photo by Messe Frankfurt / Pietro
Sutera
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